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  1. #1
    Had a play with engraving tonight, most impressed :) The more i mess about with my machine the more i like it.

    No idea of the proper way to do it so i used SheetCams' built in text tool and used a lump of scrap ally.

    Tool was a 1/8" 90 degree carbide bit that was given to me a while back, i guessed 24,000 rpm, 165mm/min feed and 65mm/min ramp in.

    DOC was 0.2mm in two passes of 0.1mm having no idea of correct depths.

    Result looked really nice - 96mm long

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Close-up...

    Click image for larger version. 

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    So, what is the 'correct' set up for this as i can see uses here ;)
    Are there better tools?
    Better feed-rates?
    A correct DOC?

    Fun stuff ;)

  2. #2
    Hi Dave,

    Engraving looks good !

    I find the problem is usually getting the material flat enough to the X-Y plane to get an even DOC. Taping down to a sacrificial MDF surface which I have skimmed generally works. I use chisel engraving bits with a 0.2 mm flat on the end.
    Click image for larger version. 

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    Here's a couple of examples, both are low res photos. The first was done with the chisel point engraver, it is 60x20 on .5mm brass with .1 DoC. The second is done on fibreglass PCB using a 1mm two flute cutter to cut through the copper. It looks good with backlighting but the furnace is never switched off long enough to put that in ! I got the picture by capturing a webcam image, so that too is low res.

  3. #3
    Nice, I cant be too far off then, what sort of feed rates do you use?

    I have a pack 10 30 degree tapered bits with 0.1mm tips - too fine??

    With a DOC of 0.1mm do you do that in one hit?

  4. #4
    Quote Originally Posted by Davek0974 View Post
    Nice, I cant be too far off then, what sort of feed rates do you use?

    I have a pack 10 30 degree tapered bits with 0.1mm tips - too fine??

    With a DOC of 0.1mm do you do that in one hit?

    a. 2540 mm/min
    b. depends on what you are doing
    c. yes

    Cheers,
    Rob

  5. #5
    Guess i was running a little slow then at 165mm/min ;)

  6. #6
    Many people really miss the main point. All really depends on the stick out of the tool. The shorter the stickout the faster you could go even with 1/8" tool. i would greatly recommend HSMAdviser. Not only its a great program, but most of all opens your eyes about when you change this and that how to achieve the even most important main point of all this- better material removal rate . At the end id does not matter what you do and how you do it. The removal rate matters.
    project 1 , 2, Dust Shoe ...

  7. #7
    Thanks Boyan, I have subscribed to HSMAdvisor but engraving seemed to be throwing up some very odd figures.

  8. #8
    Dave,
    I think also you have backlash issues with the machine.

    In the close up you have backlash marks at the top of the o and c and bottom of the d, u and s

    I would worry more over this than speeds and feeds.
    John S -

  9. #9
    I'm not convinced, it looks more like poor path generation - the letters are made up of lots of short straight lines and not arcs, I'm not sure the built-in SheetCam fonts are much good for this type of work.

    If it is backlash then it is what it is and not much can be done about that - it's all new and I'm not about to refit it :). It does not affect normal milling work so i'm not 100% concerned about it TBH, these letters are pretty small.

    Will need to try text generated in another package before condemning it I think;)

  10. #10
    Are you using Mach3 ? if so I can send you a v-carve file for one of the fine engraving tips you have as a test.
    John S -

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