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I was pressed for time and needed to make an e-clip groove, so I just welded it to a 3/8"x1/2" piece of steel. Not the best way but it got the job done. You could probably put the arbor+saw...

I've used (non-rotating) slitting saws in a lathe to cut similar grooves before and it worked like a champ. Not exactly indexable tooling, but you do get a lot of edges!

-Matt

I use a similar system as shred, but use the drill size as the tool number, and 100+ endmill code as the tool number. For the endmill code, I have the 10's place signify the size (in 1/16"), and the...

I've mounted dial indicators to the X and Y axis to do exactly this, and it works great. Very fast and easy way to accurately reference home, calibrate steps/inch, check backlash, and check to see...

If you are just getting started, I'd also check out the 3/8-1/2" brazed carbide tool bits. They aren't that much more expensive than the HSS bits, they come preground, and offer some of the benefits...

Clamping a sacrificial piece of wood to the blowout side of the cut usually helps. Are you cutting with a table/circular saw or a router bit?

-Matt

I learned on Sheetcam, and still use it for some of the simple stuff! IIRC the trial version is limited to a few hundred lines of gcode, but it's enough to get your feet wet.

-Matt

hmm, I've never heard of a 6-32 sheet metal screw. A standard 6-32 UNC thread isn't meant to be self tapping- it is intended to be screwed into a matching nut/tapped hole that is cut/formed by some...

I wanted to learn machining, and got a G1007 round column mill/drill and a G4003 lathe 10 years ago, knowing absolutely nothing about machining at the time. They have served me quite well over the...

I would avoid welding. Although cast iron can be welded, it is not straightforward to do. I would opt for grinding the broken part down and then either turn a spacer or use some washers to take up...

The plywood that has the highest ratio or plys/thickness is known as "aircraft plywood". It is typically sold in thicknesses 1/4" and under (fyi 1/4" has 12 plys!). It is void free, super strong,...

Driving a motor with a VFD inherently involves changing high current loads over long wires relatively quickly, which means that they put out a lot of EMF into the air. The limit switch/ estop wires...

My IH mill (kit version) has been a trooper over the last 7 years I've owned it. I use it for prototyping work, and have logged over 3000 hours of cutting time on it. Over 7 years, the mill has...

dak1,
Thank's for the PSA about the dangers of using larger drill sizes- I should have mentioned it in my post. One can never be to careful about these things. Obviously using a larger drill...

So plain and simple, broken taps suck. I have yet to find a good way to remove small taps (4-40ish) that break below the surface. I usually just take some deep breaths, and remake the part. I've...

Doh! I just ordered a usb SmoothStepper a few weeks ago. I've only heard good things about it so I figured that it can't be that bad in comparison to the ethernet version. I will make efforts to...

I unfortunately don't have the exact answer you are looking for, but perhaps I can help a bit with the terminology. Try searching for "thumb nut" or "thumb knob" instead of just "nut. "thumb...

Plate glass is fairly flat and may suit your needs if you don't need to drill into it. I did a quick search and there seems to be plenty of posts about glass flatness on various machining and...

Whether or not you actually need to bore the hole out is not really the point. If the customer insists, and expects you to use a boring bar, and you don't, he is probably going to be a bit ticked...

Hello All,

I'm searching for a machine shop to assist me in a project that involves 3 axis CNC surface milling of very small wood like parts. The part is about 76 mm long and about 7mm wide) The...

I live in the Boston area.

-Matt

You could always modify the screw head such that it's eccentric to the thread axis and mate to that. Or you can create a new axis that is .0067x.0067 from the thread axis and mate that axis to the...

You should be able to get that level of repeatability with any of those 4 types of sensors, if they are implemented in a well thought out manner. The key is to understand the principles that govern...

It all depends on the current, the copper thickness, and the acceptable heat rise. The link below should give you everything you're looking for.

Trace Current Carrying Capacity

Hope this...

Not saying it couldn't be done, but you you need to be quite experienced in machining/welding/heat treating, have the right equipment, and be REALLY motivated to do so. Even then, it would probably...

I would second Geof's recommendation of exploring workpiece chatter, especially if your are turning to a relatively thin wall thickness (compared to the aspect ratio) 2 options to explore on this...

Doesn't meet your load requirements but could give you a place to start. "Synchromesh Cable" from sdp-si
https://sdp-si.com/eStore/PartDetail.asp?Opener=Group&PartID=61014&GroupID=769

You may...

If you're just looking for something to practice on you can always pick up some MDF from Home Depot. If you need to get aluminum I would recommend trying to find a local supplier- They often have...

Thanks so much for the info! I will try those settings!

-Matt

Awesome! Neat little project. Just out of curiosity, what welder settings are you using? Also, what wire diameter! I also have the 200DX but haven't found the magic settings...

-Matt