try this ...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JAWcicckaMA

The first link, in the first post, above the video, may be the dodgy one - it is inserted by VigLink, who gave me an Amazon ad for shoes. But. the video itself is good, and VERY interesting!

I did not have any trouble with the CNCZone link. The dxf files are further down the page also.

Thank you for the link Sergio, it worked fine.
I had seen it before.
I did make a trial section.
The plywood I used was of poor quality despite ordering grade A.:mad:
The part that slipped over the links was prone to failure.

The chain that I have made has worked OK up to now, but I have not cut full width yet.

Speaking of full width, I took the opportunity to move the X axis homing switch and hard stop 50mm.
I now have 1250mm travel on the X axis.
There is scope for another 30mm on the other end of the axis.
Another job for the 'One of these days' list.

Seasonal greetings to you all.

Attached picture of a copse of trees which I made yesterday.

If any of you want a copy of the DXF file, please send me a P.M. and I will mail it.

They look really cool Al, alot better than a lot of cnc'd trees I've seen. Well done!

Apparently it (the forum) did not like my first reply as it never posted it....


Pretty Awesome

Gremlins Pete, Gremlins :)

Looks great, and a Merry Christmas to you too.

Skeletal remains
 

Some interesting skeletal remains turned up during profile cutting.

A MechMate kingfisher and brace of MechMate sandpipers.
I only had to extend the bill on the large one.
The remaining shapes are as cut.

Some new things
 

A couple of new carvings.
I am trying to get some carved door panel or drawer front work.
I did the drawings in my spare time last week.
Did the programs and cutting over the weekend.
So I have some samples to show.
Fingers crossed.

Excellent work!

Beautiful work

Yup....very nice ;)
May you share some cutting strategy too

Cutting strategy ? O.K. seeing that you asked.

I face and thickness the blank with a 42mm dia 3 tooth cutter.
I screw 2 lengths of 8mm threaded rod into the bed ensuring they do not protrude more than the finished thickness.
The work is edged clamped with a plywood cam clamp.
Set the jog to 25% and manually face the work.
Max depth of cut 2mm.

For the 2 1/2 D carving, rough out with a 8mm ball nose, 6mm deep, 5mm step over, bottom speed on the router, feed 1200mm/min.
Finishing 4mm ball nose, 1mm deep, mid speed, 3200 mm/min.

Panel carving, 10mm 90 degree V bit, 3mm D.O.C. 500mm plunge, 2mm step over, 1200 feed, up the speed on the router if I remember.
Clamped on top on 4 corners.

Not fast but it works for me.:cool:

Interesting !!
Maybe .....maybe slow....but in defense, the results speaks :D
Have you tried a little faster ?

For your ballnose finishing, what was your stopover and what was your "hand" finishing/sanding (if any) had to be done before applying the protective coat of finish ?

Thanks for sharing ;)

First the easy question.
Stepover 0.5mm.
Sanding time depends on various factors.
The quality and density of the wood, difference between heart wood and sapwood.
Sharpness of the tool.
Quality of grinding and accuracy of the radius produced by the grinder.
I have had some ball nose returned looking more like a V bit.
Also with V bits, how accurate the angle is.

I do not know what the wood is called for the panel carvings but it was dense and hard, very little sanding required.
The shellac raised the grain more than the cutter.
Time to sand, 20 min + depending on size and detail, also what I feel is acceptable. Could spend an hour or more sanding, but the weather is nice and the birds are singing.

Speed, the hard one.

My machine is probably one of the smaller and cheapest builds.
I posted before about money and availability.
The box section is thinner than I would have liked.
I have no axis drivers. The motors are driven direct from the board.
It is direct drive. Some day I will gear the axis, Z first.
No gas spring, only a coil spring.
The Z axis has relatively short travel so I have gagged the rapid to 2500mm/ min.
X and Y 6000mm/ min.

Many factors.
I hope this answers some of your questions.
Any more, please ask.

Thanks for taking time to reply....
Enjoy.

A Stargate is born
 

I made this for my friend who repairs my computers.
He is a Sci Fi buff.
It gave me a lot of pleasure to create and cut it.
I learned a few things along the way.
The hard job is still to do, mount the hanging bracket.:D

I hope to present it to him this weekend.

400 mm dia, 32mm thick Padauk.
Unknown wood for the outer profiles

Very nice & impressive detailing !?
Care to share some data :D
IE : Tools, cut strategy and....total time !?

Very nice. ... What size is it? (Diameter)

About 16" diam, 1.25" thick

Even at 60.....your still darn good :p

Wish I had one for some fat cats in our Country.Would send them to a place where it is hot.:)

Top clamp on all 4 corners.
Circular face the flat area for the symbols.
42mm dia cutter, bottom speed, F1200. A couple of minutes.

Engrave all lines, 10mm v, Mid speed, f1000. 16 Minutes, ran the path twice, saved on sanding time.

Carve the symbols, same as above. 10 minutes.

Rough dish the mid section, 12.7mm Ball nose, 5mm d.o.c., 6.35mm step over, F1200., 20 minutes.
Finish dish, 4mm ball nose, F3200., 50 minutes.

Outside profile, 12.7mm cutter, 5mm d.o.c., f1200, 6 minutes.

A couple of hours to sand, defuzz, seal, varnish and apply a bracket.

A piece of the wood broke away and jammed between the cutter and the outer profile.
There was a jolt. Result, a broken cutter and the Z axis out of alignment.
I made a trammel out of a cutter shank and a 2.6mm welding rod.
The Z is now better aligned than it ever was.
I plan to make a new router plate with gussets welded on.
Should get rid of some slight flexing.

Some of this tropical hardwood is hard and dense.:eek:

I could send you one Hennie, but there is no guarantee attached.:D

Very nice indeed.

Rotating things
 

I made a simple 4th axis last year.
It was my intention to build a proper one and try a reduction drive.
I gathered the parts over the last year.
After a period of not wanting to do anything for 6 months, I made a start yesterday.
I have 3 nema 23 motors from my old machine.
I made a 6:1 reduction drive from plywood to prove it works.
It did, very impressed.
Started work on the 4th axis today.
The shaft, and other bits came from a scrapyard, motorbike parts, hence the gears.

I have a plan for the nema 23 motors and reduction drive.
It involves a lathe.
I will ask the questions on the 'Catchall' thread.

Been wanting to do this myself, but sit on the couch til the feeling goes away.

Sitting on the couch is more comfortable than sitting on the fence.:D

Hey, mine is sitting on the floor. Have not had the time to integrate it into the machine yet. So I have been on the floor for 2 years. They say all good things come with time. I am trying to convince myself of that. :o

I am in the Club too :-)

Mine too :o have I really been that busy that I have not been able to get mine fitted or am I just a grade 1 procrastinator? :)

Once you start 4 sided machining...or continuous 4th axis...it's like an addiction.

Oh sure, Sean....now you tell us....

Take Sean`s word for it.

:). Lol.

The Bolt test
 

I tried out my 4th axis in earnest this morning.
It worked better than I had hoped.
It didn't bat an eyelid .
No missed steps. It worked.

Both the 4th axis and and myself passed the bolt test(as performed by Isla WW).

MechMate, every day a new adventure.:D
Now, about this lathe.

Nice test!

Congrats Al, looks awesome!

Very happy for you.....;)