My adventures with a bench top CNC mill

[John HinkleyParticipant @johnhinkley26699]

Quick update. Revisited the Fusion file and checked the depth of cut. It was 8.2mm.  Went out to the garage and measured the thickness of the second aluminium plate.  Not surprisingly it was 8.2mm or thereabouts as far as I could measure.  Mystery solved.  Back to the drawing screen and up the depth to 8.4mm.  Post processed the individual operations and separated the outlines into four files so that I can split the machining over a couple of days.  I don’t yet have the confidence to set the mill going and walk away for a couple of hours or more.

I won’t be posting a further update to this – unless something really drastic happens.

John

 

[Engine BuilderParticipant @enginebuilder]

I would go deeper than that, add 0.5mm to the thickness of the metal to be sure to cut though.

Don’t forget the tab height is set from the final cut depth, not the top of the material.

I would also be sure to clamp the material on all sides and not rely on the 2 clamps pushing it against the L bracket.

[John HinkleyParticipant @johnhinkley26699]

Engine builder,

I saw your comment on the video re. the clamping, but for the moment I’m content to proceed with the clamps. When, or if, I get a 3D probe, I’ll venture further away from the front left corner!

John

 

[Engine BuilderParticipant @enginebuilder]

John,

You can fit the L shaped bracket with the dowels in the anchor point 2 position to work in the centre of the bed.

You then just select anchor point 2 as the zero position in the controller.

[John HinkleyParticipant @johnhinkley26699]

Yes.  I’d forgotten that. I have a small self-centring vice on its way from the Orient which I will try to fit to make use of that anchor point 2.

John

 

[Author]

Posts