[kinghong1970]

this gonna be a long one...

my cnc router's been doing fine and am having a lot of fun tinkering around.

Build Log here... an oldie riding on skate bearings, upgraded to HY 2.2kW spindle and VFD...
https://www.cnczone.com/forums/cnc-w...cnc-forum.html

never really noticed but when i started cutting aluminum, the "issues" became more apparent.
not getting the finish i see on youtube, i'm sure it's mostly my fault and inexperience, but i dub my cnc router, the tuning fork on steroids.

Issue #1, 3D printed sensor mounts
i've mounted my Y axis proximity sensor on a 3D printed mounting... this was the first obstacle.
no matter how hard i tried, i couldn't square it intelligently as the 3D printed plate always flexed and moved depending on how much tightening... so decided to make some new mounts out of 1/2" aluminum...

Attachment 477958
this superglue thing was fun... but don't inhale the fumes!

Attachment 477962
so the 1/4" pegs over 15" distance, get the feeler gauge, measure, sorta, then multiply the difference over 30" (distance between Y home and Y limit sensors)

Attachment 477960
indicator, snug it up, snug up some more... woa... this is a tremendous improvement!... and happy dance!

Issue #2, Lesson in importance of Degreasing and Work-holding(?)
So with the boosted confidence, it ain't broke but why not... got some left over stock... and this super glue and paint tape was fun too...
soooooooo.... X axis sensor mount... small job... until... yea... WD-40 don't like sticky stuff and vice versa...

what do you call it, not the work piece but the left over stock? well, it decided to move... and i have a piece of endmill somewhere in my shop... and the piece suffered minor problems...

but more importantly, noticed a lot of "chatter" on the Y axis cuts... meh, so long as it fits and holds... more sanding... and sanding... and sanding...

Attachment 477964

lesson learned... Degrease the crap out of it... and work holding... seriously...

Issue #3, Improving the Y Axis...
i've purchased some 20mm Linear Rails and Carriage Block to hold on my hand, waiting for an inspiration... or motivation... and finally...
Ok, so yea, i'm not even a novice at this, but with the excitement that i'm actually cutting Aluminum...

i've recently completed my biggest cut to date. the mounting plate for the linear rail carriages.
i opted to buy the expensive milled surface plates as i am still messing with the Z axis consistencies and tramming...

Degreased the crap out of the stock...
Blue tape and glued...
Drill Hole operation, then added screws... sigh, exhale... inhale... hold breath...
Drill bigger holes, sigh, exhale... inhale... hold breath...
Bore, breathe, other operations, breathe... etc...

so far so good.... time running bit late... getting tired... but longest operation yet...
again, my tuning fork on steroids on aluminum extrusions and skate bearings... so taking baby steps... contour (slotting) around the plates, about 30 minute job... slow and steady...

little over half the job, hmm... estop was somehow triggered... maybe something pressed the keyboard... but yea... started to hurt here...
never did i fully learn how to start a job that was stopped in mid job... yea, figuring that out was not fun... nor cheap, tho the broken endmill was an old one.
somehow it lost XYZ zero or something... dove right in and snap... then another, snap... now i have 3 endmills tips somewhere in my shop...

oh hell, i wont risk it... i'll just start the process from line 1... yea, i know... the dumb way... change the endmill, move to re-zero... wait a minute... where did my WCS origin go? oh (insert profanities)...

Lesson in WCS origin point... yea, don't pick a point that's gonna be cut away... right? lol?

so, hmm... 1/4" hole, get it as close to it, re-post gcode... ok... and since i didn't bother really learning Mach3... watched 20 mins of it cutting air...

Attachment 477966
that horizontal line was from the old endmill that had a chip...
the X-axis cut is smooth(er) than the Y-axis cut...

Attachment 477968
here's the bumpy Y axis cut...
checked the skate bearing and rails and lo and behold... chips! and chips galore!
despite my "best" effort in keeping chips clear, there's always some that seemed to have been stuck to the bearings.

a BIG sigh of relief... removed the stock, catch up on breathing... and getting ready for finishing passes...

so why not, despite the mishaps... confidence or foolishness has to go up a notch...

i found a 3flute endmill and i recall reading somewhere that 3 flutes are nicer for finishing passes...

so... yea...

[kinghong1970]

The Good...
Attachment 477974
X Axis Cuts came pretty decent... to my novice eyes...

The Bad...
Attachment 477976
Y Axis Cuts still suck despite the finish pass and spring pass...

The Ugly...
Attachment 477978
LEARN THE FRIGGING PROGRAM!
yea, knowing how to recover from an E-Stop or pause or cycle hold might come in handy cus that's not gonna buff out...

now, trying to figure out to drill holes on the sides...

Attachment 477980
why does this scare me...

Attachment 477982
crap... more tramming...

to be continued...

thanks all!

Al

[TTalma]

Your attachments are a dead link. But the finish on some of your parts look pretty good in the first post. Would you mind posting the bit(s) you use as well as the details on your setup (feedrate, DOC, spindle speeds, Etc. ) I have some milling to do on aluminum soon and am looking for a place to start.

[kinghong1970]

Your attachments are a dead link. But the finish on some of your parts look pretty good in the first post. Would you mind posting the bit(s) you use as well as the details on your setup (feedrate, DOC, spindle speeds, Etc. ) I have some milling to do on aluminum soon and am looking for a place to start.

Thanks for the info
Will check my posts later

I’ll get info on cut feed and speed as well as endmill used tomorrow
Sorry… been a loooooong day

Al

[kinghong1970]

Your attachments are a dead link. But the finish on some of your parts look pretty good in the first post. Would you mind posting the bit(s) you use as well as the details on your setup (feedrate, DOC, spindle speeds, Etc. ) I have some milling to do on aluminum soon and am looking for a place to start.

Roughing Passes

Amana 51377
https://www.toolstoday.com/search?q=51377

2D Contour
Spindle Speed: 18000rpm
Cutting Feed: 30ipm
Feed per Tooth: 0.00167
Multiple Depth: 0.06in
Stock to Leave: 0.002"
Ramp: 5 deg

hmm.. not sure why i used 2D contour for slotting operation...

Finishg Pass
Lakeshore Carbide 1/4" Square End Variable Flute Endmill ZrN
https://www.lakeshorecarbide.com/14s...uminumzrn.aspx

2D Contour
Spindle Speed: 18000rpm
Cutting Feed: 30ipm
Feed per Tooth: 0.00167
Stock to Leave: 0
Repeat Finish Pass

oh please note, this is very conservative imo...
i do not have enough confidence in the machine's capability in Aluminum...
if any pro's have any suggestions, by all means, educate this noob!

thanks

Al

[TTalma]

Roughing Passes

Amana 51377
https://www.toolstoday.com/search?q=51377

2D Contour
Spindle Speed: 18000rpm
Cutting Feed: 30ipm
Feed per Tooth: 0.00167
Multiple Depth: 0.06in
Stock to Leave: 0.002"
Ramp: 5 deg

hmm.. not sure why i used 2D contour for slotting operation...

Finishg Pass
Lakeshore Carbide 1/4" Square End Variable Flute Endmill ZrN
https://www.lakeshorecarbide.com/14s...uminumzrn.aspx

2D Contour
Spindle Speed: 18000rpm
Cutting Feed: 30ipm
Feed per Tooth: 0.00167
Stock to Leave: 0
Repeat Finish Pass

oh please note, this is very conservative imo...
i do not have enough confidence in the machine's capability in Aluminum...
if any pro's have any suggestions, by all means, educate this noob!

thanks

Al

Thanks this is great!. I have a couple of the Amana tools and just ordered a couple of the lakeshore ones. Hopefully I'll get to work on this soon!

[kinghong1970]

took the weekend to take down the cnc router.

tapped all the holes, removed and cleaned all the rails and i never realized how many parts there are to this...





waiting on some screws and miscellaneous...

my Y axis home sensor does not quite meet up with the moving blocks... will have to think of a solution for this.

cheers.

hope images work.