[greybeard]

I'm hoping to build my first cnc machine, and I'm seeking advice/guidance for a tool for the following job.

Workpieces 250mm long x 15mm wide x 40mm deep, probably pear wood blocks.

Problem: - to cut a profile around the top face of the block approximately 2mm deep, (width of cut varies from 0 to 6mm) then slice the top 1mm off with minimum wastage, ie 1mm saw kerf would leave the block flat for the next profile cut (this might be a different profile).
This taking two passes of the gantry at appropriate feed rates and spindle speeds.

I should like to have both tools mounted on a single spindle to keep the overall size of the machine down, but if advised otherwise would have to use two routers.
I am thinking in terms of an arbor carrying a 10mm diam cutter with a 1mm deep grooving cutter 30mm diam mounted above it.

I can find the arbor/groover, but can't find a 10mm cutter that would mount on an arbor below it.
Any help appreciated.

[Pat2000]

Greybeard, I'm struggling a little to understand what you are thinking of probably cos I'm not a 'wood' man but I think you are wanting a vertical spindle with basicly a 30mm saw mounted on that same spindle?

how about a 10mm longseries cutter which could have plenty of shank onto which the saw assembly could be mounted it would need an appropiate
hole through the saw and a bespoke mandrel type of thing to lock onto the 10mm cutter shank and drive the saw.

you will comprimise on the cutter ridgity... you need to hold on that shank firmly...but if only in wood... sounds possible

you were probably already reckoning on passing the saw right round the profile?therefore only needing to saw just over halfway through the stock.

nice to see you're in the UK, I'm in Dorset.

Pat

[greybeard]

Hi Pat,
Thanks for your reply.
Over the period that has elapsed since my first posting I've done a lot of reading here in the zone, and the project has evolved somewhat.
I decided to abandon the two tools on one spindle approach, and go instead to having two spindles on one machine.

Because the work is essentialy profiling thin slices of wood, I decided to put two profiles together, one reversed, so that the block of wood is cut economically with the minimum of wastage.
This meant reducing the width of the profiling tool to 3mm, still cutting 1.5 - 2mm deep around the pattern, and forced me to look for a source of 4" diam slitting saws.(Thin saws again to minimise the wastage, and the much larger diameter allows me to part off the work with a single cut.)

At the end of the profiling sequence, the block steps over to clear the router bit, and into the path of the horizontal saw. (Think angle grinder with 4" diam saw.)
A straight pass slices off the top 1mm layer which is removed.
Third phase is to go to the home position where the block of wood is raised by 2mm (workpiece + saw thickness) and the cycle repeats.
While the design of the machine is still evolving, it's only details that are changing, and I've started building. I'm confident in the concept as I've had some experience of manualy controlled versions. The possibility of a pc controlled version is what is driving me on.

[Pat2000]

LOL I didn't even look at the date of your post!! two tools sounds better to me!