Questions on using a moving gantry style mini-mill...

[Davek0974]

The new code snippet worked well, very slick now - pauses, goes to park, tells me to change the clamps, then goes to tool-change then starts cutting, nice :)

The only odd thing i saw was that the job timer in Mach3 was reset at some stage, not sure if it was the pause or the "go to park" macro call??

Also made up some nice clamps to replace the bent bits of scrap I had on it ;)



The bed does need a skim though, I have found in the tool drawer a nice 12mm inserted tip carbide cutter that should do nicely for this.

[m_c]

IIRC the timer gets reset every time you press cycle start.

[routercnc]

Well done looking good now

I'm sure you know the clamps are better if the bolt is at the work piece end rather than middle - slotted clamps and more bed plate holes would be a good next step when you get a moment. Good stuff anyway . . .

[Davek0974]

Yes, thats standard clamping law - bolts close to part and back end of clamp slightly higher than part;)

They do work well though, todays part was another total success, I don't think the stress on the part is that high in this case, there is only one cut that will put it under strain - the second/last pass on the 5mm roughing tool which separates the parts from the central stub, after that it's just light tickling with the 2mm tool.

The next major issue is getting some sort of chip control round her - the mess is ridiculous.

[Davek0974]

More questions, anyone care to put pics up of their whole setup?

I'm looking to find a home for the damn keyboard, monitor and mouse - this lot seems to take up more space than the machine! The keyboard and monitor are also suffering under the shower of chips ;)

[routercnc]

[Davek0974]

Nice, way too clean and tidy ;)

Wall mounted monitor is good, the keyboard and mouse is sort of where mine is but the chips get flung for about a 4 foot radius when cutting so i have to cover the KB up every time i press start!

I need to move it to a better location really but space is tight, or poorly arranged, or both ;)

Too much in one room really, it's 5.2m x 4.2m - CNC plasma, CNC milling, manual milling, pillar drill, lathe, power-coating station and oven, bench, pedestal grinder/buffing, Mig welder and bench, 20T press, bandsaw, metal storage, probably more....