[jhgrady]

Lee, do you think using a grinder as the cutting tool, together with the lathe to spin the rod would have been useful?

John

[LeeWay]

Hi John. If it is a lathe mounted grinder, it would probably work okay. My motor drive end had to be turned to 1/2" and 1/4". The lazy end had to be 1/2" and 3/8".
I had to use smooth jaws in the chuck.
I imagine if you had a good grinder mounted on a decent wood lathe, you could turn these hardened shafts on it.
For a mini lathe though, it really needs to be tuned up first.
Once I found out, it went okay, but slow.

[LeeWay]

Here's the next installment. A few photo's of the Z axis so far. I still need to make a quick release mount with a cam lock for the PC router. That should be easy compaired to all the precision drilling and tapping that went on for THK rails. It was .....um....fun?
These two axes work just as smoothly now as the X. I am pleased so far. I will need a retainer or spacer bar on this side of the Z axis after I get the router clamp in. This will keep the four outer bearings loaded and square.
I have some 3/8" steel angle that I will attach all the ball nuts to. I actually had four nuts on hand that are the same size and thread as the ball nuts. This will make retaining them a breeze. I currently have some aluminum block mounted on the X. This will be replaced by the steel angle. Much thinner and more rigid.
The drive for the Y will be on the back side of the Z on the taller plate. I will also need another plate on either end of the gantry.
I have determined that since I will mostly be cutting lexan with this, I will also build a vacuum clamping system for it. Shouldn't be too difficult.
Anyone know what the correct name is for those spring loaded ball valves that are used on a lot of the clamping tables?
Know where I can find them?
Thats all for now, I reckon. It is coming along.....

[xairflyer]

Vacumn table is a must, I have been cutting lexan and it gets sucked up in the middle, also the cuttings get underneath and that also holds it up from the table.
Looking at building one myself, I wonder could you use the spring loaded balls that are used for cubboard door latches.

[10bulls]

For a temporary solution, how about double sided carpet tape?

[xairflyer]

Sounds like a good idea, have you tried it?

[10bulls]

No, but I've heard it mentioned for that sort of thing a bit in my surfings.
check this http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showth...?t=6001&page=1
Screwfix do a heavy duty double sided tape (Quote# 39599) for fixing floor tiles for ~£9
for 50mm X 50m. Looks like it could be handy stuff to have to hand.

[LeeWay]

That double sided tape is similar to what I use now. I use 3 small drops of hot glue. There is cleanup after each part is milled. It doesn't take long, but its a step that I would like to eliminate.
Another problem with the tape is the plastic protective wrap that is on polycarbonate. This can release prematurely when I use the hot glue. I imagine it could do the same with the tape. Another issue with the tape is when do you replace it? After each use? That could get a little costly. Use it four times. Will it release on you early from being used too often?
The parts that I am milling will cost about $7 or $8 bucks each just for the material. Sure don't want many scrap parts.
Now the vacuum table that I am thinking about will cost very little. With a $10 venturi pump from Harbor Freight being the heart of it. I already have one that I used on my trucks AC conversion.
The next part would be the sacrificial MDF table top. With a few fittings attached to the bottom of the table, I should be able to pull about 30 pounds of vacuum on a part. The parts will have clamps or locators around the perimeter of the stock, so the vacuum need only hold it down flat. With some hose and a few valves from the Surplus Center, the whole thing shouldn't cost more than about $50 tops.
I will make different zones. One zone will just smaller and the same shape as the parts I am cutting out. The next zone will expand this area to the right side and about half of the X's length. The other two would split the last half of the table into two more zones. If I am running my normal part, I need only use the one zone designed just for that. With larger or different shaped parts, I can use the other zones as needed and cover the opening with some rubber sheeting that I have. Even plastic wrap would seal it, I think. A shower curtain liner comes to mind as well.
I will draw up some plans of what I intend to use. That will make it a little more clear. This design won't even need the little spring plunger valve thingies.

[xairflyer]

LeeWay

What cutters, speeds etc are you using when cutting polycarbonate, how much of a cut each time.

[LeeWay]

I have been cutting the parts to within 1/4" or .5 cm on a bandsaw first. Then I use a Dewalt trim router with a 3/8" flush trim bit 2 fluted with a bearing. I attach two sides to a template with hot glue. I rout flush at 30,000 rpm. The thickness is 3/16" and I have used 1/4". I then go to the router table and round ovr. Then I pull the parts off the template and run two dados with a 3/16" straight cutter using jigs.
It takes some time to do a bunch. The hardest part is glueing all these parts together square.
Now with the CNC, I intend to make both sides and the top and front of these parts all out of one piece.
I will need to use a 90 degree cutter where the parts will fold on each other.
It will also cut out for the dust port so that I don't have drill out that part. I will have to change bits once. I will cut the 90 cuts in several first and then use the straight cutter for the rest. All in all, it should really make a much better product for me. I have played with doing this same design by hand, but it would take some kind of fancy jigs to accomplish it.
I think CNC is my friend.

[LeeWay]

Man! I sure can run on.
Sorry about that. I will have some more photo's a little later this evening. I have been finishing up my Z axis. Hope to get to work on the remaining Y as well. Its coming along. I would like to take this time to make a suggestion to those that don't enjoy precision drilling and tapping. Run! Don't walk away from this thread. Nothing here but trouble for you. :wave:

There certainly is a lot of it. So far, I have the remnants of two small taps in holes that were intended to be cap screws. Non-critical areas though where I could drill another hole right beside the hardened scrap steel filled ones. Those 4 flute things are trouble. I am now only buying the two flute spiral cobalt taps. Don't think I'll break these suckers. Also, candle wax works wonders to lube these up for tapping aluminum.

More to come.
Thanks for looking.

[LeeWay]

Okay, here's a few more photo's.
I am getting close, I think. With any luck, I will get to test drive it tomorrow evening.
I'll let ya'll know how it goes.
You know, this forum is for wood routers. I don't have much wood in this one. The bottom shelf will be plywood and I'm pretty sure I'll be using MDF for the deck. Does that count?
I'm getting antzy.

[ger21]

That's wood routers as in routing wood. Not what material they are made of.

[Hobbiest]

I am now only buying the two flute spiral cobalt taps. Don't think I'll break these suckers. Also, candle wax works wonders to lube these up for tapping aluminum.

Try WD-40 for aluminum, ATF for steel, and bacon fat for cast iron. Once you cannot easily turn the tap, back it out...I mean any little hang up when you can tell it isn't cutting freely. Use the largest handle you can muster, always a T handle so that you can keep the pressure equalized on both sides of the tap. FWIW, just a few guidlines that I have been taught over the years.

[MIKE JEFFERS]

leeway
"Don't think I'll break these suckers."
with misuse you can break anything, parrafin for aluminium which probably translates
to kerosine for aluminum ( in americun)
as to your router nice bit'o'kit i think it will perform well.
regards
mike

[Hobbiest]

parrafin for aluminium which probably translates
to kerosine for aluminum ( in americun

Don't know if you where joking or not, but parrafin is still regular old wax in this goofy U.S.
Cheers,
Jens

[LeeWay]

Thanks for the feedback Guys.
I was doing 90% of the threading with a cordless drill. I know that this method is prone to breaking taps, but the spiral type seem to do a better job than the four flute anyway. Anything as large as 1/4-20 or 6mm are tapped by hand though.
I have been using the wax to drill or tap aluminum with good results.
I use Mobil 1 for steel. Haven't done much cast iron, and what I have done is raw. I'll give WD40 a squirt in the future. Gotta be easier to clean up.
I did accomplish just a little more yesterday. Things never go as planned. I spent a lot of time with my control panel and setting up the motors and Mach 2. Come to find out, some of the prblems I was experiencing with this initially was with the cordless keyboard I was using. It was cutting out even with brand new batteries. No matter. It was well used when I replaced it on my desktop.
I hope to have some more photo's this PM.

[ger21]

Don't know if you where joking or not, but parrafin is still regular old wax in this goofy U.S.
Cheers,
Jens

I believe he meant that kerosene is called parrafin in the U.K. He was talking about using Kerosene.

[LeeWay]

Well, almost there now. The only thing standing between me and the completed Cutty Shark 1 is a piece of MDF.
Everything else is set to go. I have to put the control box under the router as well as the monitor. I have already ran all three motors and got them tweaked pretty good on the table.
I am sure this will need to be done some more.

I will also need to install home and limit switches. I have them, just haven't read up on it yet. I'll make sure to set the soft limits though. Also need an emergency stop real bad. I have a switch on the control panel for the Zylotex and another for the PS and a third for the fans. Can one of these three toggles be used in case of emergency? Will it hurt the Zylo to kill the power?

I did run into a problem with a cordless keyboard while jogging the motors. I'm glad it happened on the table and not while they were hooked up. My Z motor kept on jogging and jogging after I had released the key. It wouldn't take anymore input from the keyboard. I wound up hitting the reset because I had time to think about it.
Anyway, I'll finish her up tomorrow for testing purposes at least.
Here are some more photo's. :banana:

[Halfnutz]

There are things in life that just dont go very well together. Swimming with concrete blocks chained to your ankles. Driving while blind. Skiing in the dark. And, of course, wireless CNC control. You'd be better off scratching that whole scheme now, before something gets trashed. Just my humble opinion. Looks great!