I like how you slotted them down. I never see people do that

not my idea, but it works...the slot on the backside in the center is for a locating dowel pin. these jaws locate EXACTLY the same everytime you put them in...works great

alight folks! Its time!!! Going to turn this into a pretty neat product. Ill have video shortly..just finishing up the tool paths and whatnot.

Phunk, going to be using a mitsubishi 1" indexable endmill, 15krpm, .009" ipt, 270IPM at a .25" DOC and 1" WOC using high speed tool paths, through spindle coolant @ 1000psi...and a nice 22 degree ramp angle...should be nice and loud!.

That will definitely make some noise. I would love to see the video. My machinery is not capable of that type of removal rate so its a good thing I have time on my hands LOL. Thanks for the information though I always love to get the specs on other peoples toolpaths... helps us all refine our own.

The cutter is 1" diameter, and the cutting surfaces are modular and can be rotated around to a fresh edge when you wish, or entirely replaced when worn all around.

The spindle will turn the cutter at 15,000 RPM. It will travel through the aluminum at a speed of 270 inches per minute while cutting .25" deep. It will cut its full slot width of 1" with each pass.

While toolpath specs sound pretty simple when translated... it is an art to decide on these specs. It will have dramatic effects on the lifespan of the cutters which are very expensive, the quality of the surface finish left behind, and how long the part is in the CNC for.

It is IMHO that the hardest part of running a CNC, is picking these specs. Choose poorly, and you can snap off a $200 tool in seconds.

cycle time on this part is estimated at 23.5 minutes. should take this big ol block of aluminum and machine it down to roughly 10% of its starting weight.

no finish pass on the inside or outside. whatever finish is left with indexable tooling is the final finish it gets. (still pretty darn good)

Ya I have been letting the roughing tools leave zero stock on the Z... they seems to leave as nice a bottom finish as any of my "finishers".

As for the vise jaw conversation... I think I will order up a batch of stock to build myself some. I need to get in the habit of more jaws and less bolt up fixturing. Hell.. would have saved me last night when I brain fart and didnt retract my 7/8 rougher enough to clear the fixturing hardware. It cut through it but chipped the heck out of the bottom 1/4" of the tool. $125 bye bye.

heh i think work holding is the hardest part of machining! ive managed to figure out speeds and feeds easily..its never about rpm and ipm, its 100% about the IPT!!!! soon as you can figure out how to convert rpm and ipt to ipm...breaking tools will be a thing of the past...that and making sure your Z clearance is high enough...Z WILL ALWAYS SCREW YOU!!


But i have mastered work holding ;)

https://scontent-a-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/...21775216_n.jpg

to hold this

https://scontent-a-dfw.xx.fbcdn.net/...30077253_n.jpg

That is definitely some work holding. And I agree on the Z. I have only broken tools before due to Z screw-ups. Although my speeds and feeds might not be getting me the best life span... I am a little conservative. Too conservative. Any new tools I run through my speed/feed calculator to see what it says. That way I make sure I start off in the right ballpark.

edit: if i ran toolpaths as aggressive as you, work holding would probably be a larger concern for me. My feeds are so weak I could probably double side tape the part to the table.

i use gibbscam, i just punch in 15000rpm, it knows the tool size, put in the ipt (i use only niagra solids and mitsubishi and korloy indexable) and have quick charts that show material, surface feet per minute ranges, and ipt's super easy....

The last 2 months I have been trying out HSMworks plug-in. The 2D paths are free... havent decided yet if I want to pay the big bucks and use it for 3D. For now, 3D is mastercam (which i f'n hate).

But for 2D, I love HSM. Its FAST. I mean the interface. Setting up the stock and job plane takes seconds and the toolpaths are just easy and intuitive as solidworks is. I will look into the Gibbscam.

i tried hsmworks...seems WAY fast...but not enough ways to customize the tool paths


gibbscam is a little slower, but dude you can customize every aspect every toolpath

What I have done when I wanted a custom toolpath... I just went back to the main SW tab and drew the toolpath in a new sketch. Then back to the HSM tab and use that line as a trace path. If my line wasnt on the proper plane, I just used the stock to leave offsets to get it there. Sounds like a hassle at first but you know how easy it is to draw an offset sketch in SW... i mean, within reason. I dont try and draw crazy adaptive style paths or anything, just simple trace stuff when I am being picky about where the lead in starts etc.