New 6040 owner looking for advice from others with a chinese 6040/3040

[Boyan Silyavski]

No problem, glad that i can help here.

Here are some more tips:

1. Using the formula

Formula to determine feed rate[edit]
This formula[10] can be used to figure out the feed rate that the cutter travels into or around the work. This would apply to cutters on a milling machine, drill press and a number of other machine tools. This is not to be used on the lathe for turning operations, as the feed rate on a lathe is given as feed per revolution.
FR = {RPM x T x CL}
Where:
FR = the calculated feed rate in inches per minute or mm per minute.
RPM = is the calculated speed for the cutter.
T = Number of teeth on the cutter.
CL = The chip load or feed per tooth. This is the size of chip that each tooth of the cutter takes

you could variate things if need job done faster up to where drivers, machine, rigidity holds, see 2 examples below:




Means as soon as the CL chip load stays the same its Ok.

However its worth noting that is not a good idea pushing the spindle more than 18000RPM if you want to last. The bearings i mean.

I prefer going deeper than faster, when i want to push.

Its worth noting that some materials have "perfect spindle speed". Like aluminum for example -around 8000rpm. Anyways, the above examples from the previous post are all with the relevant "perfect" speed for the material.

2. These numbers also work for engraving /v bits/. However for bits with included angle 45 and 30 degree is better the feedrate to be 25% slower, cause will easily brake tips. Same is for thinner than 1/8 bits or long bits.

3. Bigger shanks are better,less chatter, but more expensive. Use them for precise jobs. Or paid ones. Sometimes i prefer using 10x 1/8 bits 1/8 shank, than 2x 1/8 bits with 1/4 shank, as they cost exactly the same, but 10 bits last longer than 2. Especially on not so sturdy machine. Its a compromise of a kind. Same with the V cutters.

4
V cutters.
60 and 90 degree do all jobs. Dont bother with 30 and 45 degrees as usually they will brake tips and wood chips at that angle.They are only for special purposes. For small stuff i use the 1/8 as they are cheap, for bigger things i use the 1/4 and bigger. . Buy from Drillman1 the spiral ones, as you can use them for engraving and cutting the work piece at the same time. With a bit of sanding later.

5. when you are more confident after cutting some MDF for example, you should check the machine precision and adjust it if needed. Get some pieces of MDF for the test , digital caliper and read the Mach3 manual.
I have my machine in imperial, so bear with me. The principle is the same. When ready, program a 3 inch line /X axis/ . Cut it using a brand 1/8 bit / not chinese- again/ , deep as the diameter. Rapidly measure with the digital caliper. Rapidly, because after a minute or 2 the MDF expands so the measurement will not be correct. Keep the caliper 90 degrees. Now if the line is correct distance, repeat with Y axis. If not, go to the mach 3 screen for the motor step adjustment and make the router move in X 3 inches. When it asks what is the actual distance you measured, fill what you measured. Then repeat until eliminating human error and everything is correct on X and Y. Cut a circle and a square, if they look nice and measure correctly, here you have it. Meanwhile check the suggested steps in the motor tuning dialogue. And hit the save button. And keep a backup of your xml file.

6 About the zeroing
Forget for a moment the touch probes, custom screens,zeroing scripts and so you have seen on the forums.

My everyday zeroing on wood is the following:
-first in Aspire/my CAM/, i almost always use the 0 to be on the top center of the material, not its edge. So its easier to mark using 2 diagonals the center on a square or rectangular piece of wood. Even on circular. Then check with ruler if needed.
-hit the TAB button on mach 3. Set feed-rate to 3. Hit F5 and start the spindle/ if its connected via your breakout board/. Or just start it. So with this slow feedrate using the arrows buttons on the keyboard, move the thing and touch the center. Hit the XYZ buttons to 0. Lift the spindle. Stop it. Now you have zeroed. Simple, isn't it.

Zeroing scripts and touch probe ring/made from copper tube/ i use only for aluminum.

[JAZZCNC]

My everyday zeroing on wood is the following:

-hit the TAB button on mach 3. Set feed-rate to 3. Hit F5 and start the spindle/ if its connected via your breakout board/. Or just start it. So with this slow feedrate using the arrows buttons on the keyboard, move the thing and touch the center. Hit the XYZ buttons to 0. Lift the spindle. Stop it. Now you have zeroed. Simple, isn't it.

BAD PRACTICE to start the spindle don't do this.!! . . . . Just Jog down close and when close switch Jog Mode to Step, set the steps to some small number and creep up on the surface. This way you haven't got to mess around setting Low feeds etc.

Better still just Make a touch Probe it takes 30mins max and saves loads of time when setting parts. It's something you'll never want to be without ounce used.!!

[Boyan Silyavski]

BAD PRACTICE to start the spindle don't do this.!! . . . . Just Jog down close and when close switch Jog Mode to Step, set the steps to some small number and creep up on the surface. This way you haven't got to mess around setting Low feeds etc.

Better still just Make a touch Probe it takes 30mins max and saves loads of time when setting parts. It's something you'll never want to be without ounce used.!!

Most of the time I work with wood which is not even planed, rough cut wood /cheaper/, so probe will not work, in fact it does not work, as my probe is hanging helplessly in the dirt without me needing it. I use it only with plastic and aluminum.
Most of the time i am eyeing the 0, so if the spindle is not spinning mistakes in the range of 1mm are done.

Furthermore my copper ring probe in the summer is 0.325 inch high and in the winter is 0.323. And the steel touchplate cut from supported square rail f---ks the tip of my sharpest V cutters

I trust more my feeling, ears and my eyes than on a probe, as in general i work with less than perfect materials, where every time a different decision has to be made.
But hey, that's me. I don't encourage any body here, just sharing.

[Sabre]

Hello All! I hope you don't mine me jumping into the conversation, but i just received a 6040z for Christmas and am searching for as much information as possible about how to start it up and get it running correctly. I was searching the web for information and stumbled upon this site. Great information being shared here. It is greatly appreciated.

A little info on where I am so far. I have the machine all put together with Mach3 loaded on a clean version of Win XP Pro in a Dell tower. I also installed a trial version of VCarve today. Have rust inhibitor in the water container and have replaced the extremely loud water pump with a quiet 250 gpm one.

I am so much of a beginner. The only thing i am sure of is that I do not know enough to know what is important to ask. lol

Cheers

Sabre

[Clive S]

Sabre Hello and welcome to the forum. This thread is 2 years old now. It might be better for you to start a new thread to ask any questions you might have then all your answers will be in one place.
It does not matter how simple your questions are we all have to start somewhere.

[Sabre]

Sabre Hello and welcome to the forum. This thread is 2 years old now. It might be better for you to start a new thread to ask any questions you might have then all your answers will be in one place.
It does not matter how simple your questions are we all have to start somewhere.

Hi Clive,

Thanks for the heads up. I did not look at when it started. Duh!

Will post new and see what happens.

Thanks again

Sabre