Cutting Wing Rib Forms #118 - Oklahoma USA

[IMMark]

Originally Posted by pblackburn

Thanks Ger. Good info as always from you.

Thanks Ger and Pete...sounds like too much water...
Mark

[dbinokc]

I just finished the extended run up tests for my spindle as suggested at
http://www.pdscolombo.com/spindle-maintenance

Got my tupperware cooler setup. To deal with any sloshing issues, I have ordered some ping pong balls that I will add to the container. This may keep the water from building up any momentum and prevent excessive sloshing.

I mounted up a bit and did a test cut under manual control. Just using the pendant to cut a little square. Since I have not mounted the spoil board, I really do not have anything I can attach to to risk anything more complex.

Tomorrow(I am off this week), I will recheck the level, lock down the base board and put on the spoil board. I will not glue it on initially, until I am sure everything is working first.

[Tom Ayres]

In fuel cells for race cars they have a baffle like a sponge material. Try putting a couple large sponges inside the bowl. You'll need a place under the sponges as a pick-up area so a wire mesh on the bottom with a pickup tube below that should work nicely.

[dbinokc]

I thought about that, but I wanted to be be sure I did not pick a material that could shed particles that would get into the cooling channels. That is why I decided to try ping pong balls.

[dbinokc]

Continuing checks on the table.

Yesterday I rechecked the level on the table, torqued down the base board and have loosely mounted the spoil board(not glued yet). I also did some more calibration of the steps better than before. I have under a mm over 1000mm.

Up to this point I have not had the rails fully tightened down. With the table leveled I will start working on getting final alignment and level of the x-rails. A quick square check between x and y showed they are pretty much already at right angles. Hopefully I can maintain that as I get things tightened up.

[dbinokc]

Did some more tests today using the plotter pen. A video of a test plot of a rib blank for the stabilizer for the Zenith 650B can be seen at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CH3-_zSZFqQ

At this point I am transitioning back to working on my plane. I will stick with running the mechmate as a big plotter for a little longer. I want to get more familiar with the characteristics of the machine and also get back into practice with generating g-code. I want to minimize the chances of ruining expensive pieces of aluminum.

Probably the first thing I will be cutting will be 14 center ribs and another 14 nose ribs for the wing. I was starting work on the main spar, when I decided to take a detour with building the mechmate. When I start actual cutting I will get a video posted. Hopefully by then Mike will have sent the logos.

[Tom Ayres]

Well Alright, time to get started!

[KenC]

Don't worry, MM can take more abuse then you would expect.
Get some scrap plates & start cutting some interesting but useless things. I reckon its the best approach in scaling the learning curve. U can use cheap router bits to start with.
G-code is the least problem in the learning curve, you will have to consider the hold down, lubrication, chip management, feed speed, bit speed... all which you will only find out after you had a go at it.

[Tom Ayres]

Believe what Ken says...

[darren salyer]

I'm interested in your plane build as well as your MM build.
Will you have a build thread for the plane going elsewhere?
If not, I vote for frequent updates on the plane project with pics posted here.
I believe we could all learn from your plane building experiences.
As far as useless shapes for practice, cutting gussets and brackets for shop accessories like shelves and other projects is a great way to kill two birds with one stone..

Edit: I just ordered a plotter pen holder for my MM, and I'm looking forward to doing some "Spirograph" type drawings.
For anyone who remembers those toys as a kid, I ALWAYS had the gears slip apart right near the end of a drawing...

[racedirector]

Originally Posted by darren salyer

I ALWAYS had the gears slip apart right near the end of a drawing...

They must have designed them to do that, mine did the same almost every time!

[lonestaral]

Ditto, the slipping gears.
Also ink blobs from the Biro.

[dbinokc]

Darren,
I had a blog on the Zenith website for a while, but for various reasons I removed it. I may start another build blog, but at the very least I will post updates here. Especially when the MM is involved in the process. Also what kind of plotter pen did you order? The thing I do not like about the one I have is it uses short markers. I would prefer being able to use regular sized ones.

KenC,
I already have some experience with CNC using a taig CNC mill. However it has been a few years since I had made any use of it. Of course this is a different machine and different characteristics.

May be doing some cutting sooner than I thought. A long time coworker is leaving for greener pastures and I was asked if I could make a little commemorative plaque with a quote on it.

[ger21]

Originally Posted by darren salyer

Edit: I just ordered a plotter pen holder for my MM, and I'm looking forward to doing some "Spirograph" type drawings.

If you search at CNC Zone, someone wrote a small program to output g-code for spirograph type designs. It's posted there somewhere, but it was over 5 years ago.

[darren salyer]

Thanks, Gerry,
I've got lots of couch time, so I'll find it.

Heres a link to the plotter pen, holds both sizes, mini and full.

I ordered because they are made and sold by a high school shop class.

https://sites.google.com/site/kylejune2011/

edit: here is a thread on the SB forum discussing it...

http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/sho...hlight=plotter

[lonestaral]

http://www.cnczone.com/forums/genera...ograph-11.html

Spirograph, dont know why it did not copy as a blue text link.

[lonestaral]

Blue link, yes it did.

Post 117 on the last page has the latest version.

[racedirector]

I like that pen Darren would be interested to know the type of sharpie it takes, hopefully we can get the same ones in Aus

[darren salyer]

When I get it, I'll post whatever info I can.
Should be any day now...

[dbinokc]

Did some testing today to try to make this plaque I was asked to make.
A video of some actual wood being cut is at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoMsmp2y9fM

If I had some logos to put on my machine, I guess I could get a serial number.

[Tom Ayres]

Real fine job DB. Have you ordered logos from Mike? If not, PM him a note. Its Serial Number Time!

[pblackburn]

Kinda a requirement

[dbinokc]

I have PM'ed Mike several times and he does not reply. He really should as I still owe him $80 for other stuff I have bought from him.
Worst case is I buy a swivel knife and cut my own.

[Tom Ayres]

Stencil

[darren salyer]

I have a vinyl cutter, and could probably cut them for you, but I don't want to step on any toes...

[Tom Ayres]

Somebody has feet?!?

[dbinokc]

Even with the little bit of cutting I have done so far, I am starting to see a fine film of dust starting to appear on the machine and other places. So time to deal with dust collection.

While I would like to get the one of the big dust collection systems, installing that could take a considerable amount of time. For the interim at least, I am getting a Oneida Dust Deputy to be used on combination with my shop vac. I have bought some extra hose and will get a mount setup so that the hose can travel with the gantry.

[dbinokc]

Attached is a pic of what I am working on. It is cut from pine, which is probably not the best material to use for lettering. The edges look a little ragged because I did not have a router bit long enough to to get all the way through the wood. So it is rough cut. The lettering was cut with a 60 degree V-bit. I had to do a leveling pass because the wood was cupped.

The only issue I have with the piece is that I got some paint bleeding along the grain. I cut the piece, painted over with black and then sanded it down to wood again. I think I will try it will a layer of clear coat to seal the end of the wood grain, before overlaying the black.

The size is roughly 6x6 inches.

I am open to any suggestions on how to improve this. I have until next Thursday to have it ready.

[pblackburn]

Seal the wood before applying paint (Seal Coat or some other sealer. Two coats minimum. That will stop the bleeding. Check the end of your V bit. A lot of time the 90° bits have a smaller flat that the 60°.

[pblackburn]

And get dust collection.