Greg

When we laser stencils on sheet we leave small tags or I think you may refer to them as 'bridges' to support the island part of the letter.
Take a look at a truck main chassis ( or a garbage truck :) and you will see
it quite often.The tags could be painted out by hand afterwards for the true perfectionist

Sean, In your post #313 you set Map home to pin #15 are you putting Y++ ,Y-- ,x++, x--,z++ and z-- all to pin #15?

Have copied all posts relating limits/homes to the limit/home thread

Thanks Andy (Don't mean to use your personal thread Sean)

The tags/bridges are common. But when you have a font like the MechMate logo, it's a challenge. Specially for someone like myself, who has never done this. Actually, the shopbot forum has allot of info relating to this subject. I'll get it. Thanks again, Andy. I'll let Sean have his thread back. :)

Sean,

I think it was you who had a link for software that will convert AutoCad 2000 to newer versions. You posted the link, but I've looked everywhere and can't find it.

Does this ring a bell?

My AutoCad 2000 will not print anymore with the new Vista OS. It may also be I'm using a USB cable to the printer. Anyways, I was hoping that the conversion software had a print comand.

Greg,

I have AutoCad 2000 and I can print to my USB printer but it might be Vista. I am using XP Pro. Hope that helps.

Thanks Nils,

Sean, Do you know where I can get 1/8" or 2mm plywood good quality not cheep door skin.

Mark,
I can start you in the possible right direction.
My supplier here in florida services most of the USA.
- Quality Plywood Specialties, Clearwater, FL and Detroit, MI
(I get most of my 1/4" maple and birch plywood here)
- DIXIE plywood (nationwide)
...also contact your local boat marina that services big to old boats. The yard guys often know where to find good 1/4" fir or sandiply based plywoods.
- you can also call and ask to speak to the Technical Director on staff at the La Jolla Playhouse. 1/4" plywood is a Theatrical Staple for construction.

Good Luck.

I just wanted to post the 12000nd post. ;)

Sean,
I remember a while back you said you were thinking about switching from the 20 tooth to 30 or 35 tooth pinions to get a little more speed. Did this help anything and did your cut quality suffer at all?

I haven't switched yet.
I bought the pinions. They sit quietly on the computer so I can look at them every day while Nils is working on his machine! :) That new big blue machine under construction has my attention diverted!
The only thing the larger pinions are going to gain me is better "fast moves" on the machine between cut areas. I don't foresee any difference in cut quality, but I will let you know if I do!

Heath,

I'm using the 35 tooth pinion. Cut quality is excellent.

Here is a stock pattern in 3DCut that I made. I did use 220 grit sanding to remove machining marks. The machine marks were due to bit choice and not the MechMate. Again, excellent cut quality.

Attachment 1925

ooohhhhh. pretty.

can be improved, how long is?

I don't know how you kept the stem from breaking off? If I had to guess the length, maybe 5 13/16".:D:rolleyes::p It looks good

It can be any size you want. It was scaled in Cut3D to fit the piece of Oak (7.25" wide by 12" long). A tab was added at the end of the stem. Pretty simple.

...I like the new format.
Nice, Clean and neat.

Wow, that is a really neat sight. This machine really likes to work!

WOW, a real work horse. :)

Sean,

My wife (and I) say you HAVE to get a dust control system !!!!!!!! We're hoping your at least using respirators.

Sean doesn't mess around.

That's a good picture! ......from a machine perspective, the health side makes me nervous.

Any comment on dirt buildup on rails, in rollers and in rack & pinions? Our experience with MDF is that the machine is "self-cleaning". . . . . what is that material in the pic?

Respirators in use, but it's PVC shavings, not EPS foam. Big difference, unless your using a hot wire - then we have vapor issues.
This was a few hours (okay 6hrs) after cutting out a lot of expanded pvc (sintra) sheet for water coolers.
What you don't see in the picture is just behind where the photographer is standing are 3 - 10' x 14' roll-up doors....well ventilated area.

...Nils, my personal photographer, must have been bored and not drilling holes like the homework I left him to post this photo :p

No issues on the rails...pretty self cleaning. I occasionally have to take the pitch and gum off the z-slide (1x a month) to make me feel better.
Rack / pinions look like the day they were installed - dust really doesn't build up on them all.

I can't wait to move the machine to it's new home. I have a huge Dust collection system in place and waiting for the MM... And room for machine #2 next to her.

Bit selection - for those interested.
Onsrud - spiral up plastic specific bit @ 220ipm

Hi Sean

I love that picture. Looks a bit like mount Fuji on your shop:D
I think it proves again that the blue beast is good friends with dust.

Sean, let me just ask, does this sintra (expanded pvc) you're cutting makes a lot of fine, light dust or the particles are more similar to little shavings? Do you see much of a cloud around the machine, during cutting?

I'm just trying to see if I can compare your expanded pvc dust with my PU dust, witch is very, very fine and gets absolutely anywhere where there is a little bit of airflow.

Thanks.

Sean,
Really a work horse. I am glad that I chose right one.

How long does that bit last?

I can answer about the cloud of dust. No, cloud.

I will add photos to my thread soon, but Sean finished welding the Gantry and I was cleaning it up and painting the day I took this picture.

No really fine dust - mainly due to the type of cutting bit chosen.
As mentioned many times on the forum - make chips, not dust.
The spiral up plastic bit at the right feed rate makes a really nice shaving, thus heavy chip with little airborne dust.

Since Jan '08, the MM you see has logged just over 480 hours. I just changed the router last week to have the old Porter Cable rebuilt. The original I put on the machine came from my old Warthog router table and had about 400 hours on the router. SO, after 800 hours, the router was in need of brushes and bearings. Rebuild on the router was $125.00 dollars.

Hi Nils,

I tried to find your thread, where is it? I want to see these photos. Thanks.

I'm starting to learn this lesson. Newbies (like myself :o) tend to go slow when learning their machine and the materials. As I gain confidence and learn how different materials behave, my feed rates are increasing. Although, some are coming down (The MM does not like high pressure laminates at 200 ipm).

laminate -
compression bit
1/4 dia
140 ipm @ 13K rpm was ideal for me.
single pass if just laminate
If on core of MDF or ply...cut upside down with laminate on table.
Cut plywood first with 1 or 2 passes, then last pass cutting just laminate alone.

Thanks Sean,

A compression bit would have made all the difference. Gotta take the blinders off. :o

Using 1/4" up-cut spiral for laminate on MDF core. Have to cut with laminate facing up due to pocket within pocket design. Actually, the cut/edge isn't that bad when FR is reduced.

One more cup of coffee and out to the shop. :)

Well, as promised. A little fun with big, thick, solid wood today.
This was 1 of 12 pieces to form the perimeter of a really big table.
Fun stuff. Especially figuring out how to hold down the part being cut! JR should have his thinking cap on by now :)

Note: this was a sample cut from the knotty end of the board. This is 8/4 Alder (about 1.8" thick)
Attachment 2304

Attachment 2305
...big pile of scrap to the right of the machine for Gerald!

...for Greg and others.
1/2 Diameter, Bosch Carbide tipped bit
2.75" cutting length
4" overall length
19,000 R
44 IPM
30 IPM z axis plunge
.4" depth per pass for chip clearance.

But how did you held it down??? :)

Looks like you screwed it up through a piece of luaun and then clamped that down. Yes? Maybe?

Looks good bro!

Thanks for the scrap! :)

Our first choice for holding the thick stuff down? Screw up through the bottom of the table....if the client doesn't mind. Otherwise, screw down from the top outside the cutting area and don't cut right through - stop 1mm short and put parts through thicknesser to release them. Otherwise, screw down from the top outside the cutting area and leave one small tab in the last 2mm - ie. stop cutting just before it wants to break loose. (Reduce the depth of cut (cutting force) before leaving that tiny single tab).

It is for these jobs that you do not want a vacuum table, or for a T-slotted, highly technical, super-finished table top to get in your way! :)

I learned this little trick about 42 years ago :eek:, credit goes to my shop teacher.
Put a small amount of wood glue on the sacrifice board, next lay a paper towel on top of that glue, then put more glue on top of the towel, now the wood to be machined, clamp all of this together. Make sure there is paper between all glue, a little stray glue makes a permanent glue joint :mad:. This will make a weak glue joint that can be broken apart at will :cool:. Experiment, experiment, experiment. The paper towels we used were those folded brown shop towels. I don't know if the 'quicker picker upper Bounty' :rolleyes: will work or not, it would probably be toooo thick.:)

...Well, I actually used a small section of 1/2" plywood and made a .030 pass on it so I knew the registration of the part to the real wood and registered it to the corner of the table. 3 screws were counter sunk in the registration board from the underside. Worked like a charm. I thought it would be fun to stir up some thought on the forum.

...now - back to work!

Try using the same tape that Kobus got for his small parts ( thin double sided tape).I use it in my shop to hold down items that needs to be hand routered and for jigs works good.

Sean I need help. I need to cut some .25 lexan, any suggestions on parameters, or suggest a clear plastic that will cut better. I will be doing some lettering and also some graphics. thanks

JR,
Lexan is also known as Polycarbonate for those that don't know.
I recommend a onsrud #52-624 or similar 1/4" diameter.
Cut at 15K RPM or so, 35-60ipm, 2 - 1/8" per pass.