Extension of Experiments in Machineable Wax

[Brobdingnagian]

I got the idea for this ER16 box from stutoys collet holder that he made from his DIY machineable wax. I also wanted to have another go at some more complicated work holding and multiple tool changes on the 3020 CNC. I found that scotch brite pad did a good job of cleaning off the small bits of clingy wax after machining as well as deburring and softening the edges.

[Jayson]

Looks like you succeeded in your quest. It looks good.
I made something to hold ER32s yesterday but after seeing this I might chuck it out and start again :B

Jayson.

[Ueee]

That looks great Josh,
How hard is the wax, will it hold up to use? My collets still sit in there original blow molded box, but it is a bit of a space waster. Looks like you have the programing down pat, well done.

[Brobdingnagian]

Ueee,
The wax is hard but not so hard that you could not scratch it with your fingernail. I think the wax needs more PE2 and more time on the heat to properly dissolve. Still it is better than screwing up a piece more expensive stock that can't be remelted.
These collets where in a takeaway container in their little cardboard boxes that they came in and a real pain to get out and find the right one so this is a good upgrade. The Gcode is coming along but it is still along way from being efficient and confident. I'll post the gcode later if anyone is interested (just mill an extra pocket where the collets are and you have a nice jewellery/niknak box etc..), I used two cutters a 6mm endmill and 6mm ballmill.

Sorry Jason,
It is way over the top for a collet box. I was going to make it simple and do it on the CNC but then I changed my mind and seeing as I was doing it on the CNC why not make it something that would be hard to mill/turn on a manual machine so that I challenge myself to keep the CNC skills progressing. :) More motivation to finish the CNC conversion of the HM52.

[Anorak Bob]

You are certainly a chip off the old block Josh!

Well done.

BT

[Stustoys]

Hi Josh,
To steal a line from The Castle "Now that's art. You could sell that.". Mines a little more on the functional side of things in the looks department ;)
How did you machine the lid? inside first, flip, clamp onto a waste area using a datum that was also on a waste area, machine top?

You're actually writing the Gcode? I though you had CAM software? Is all Gcode the same or is it machine specific?


Stuart

[Brobdingnagian]

Stuart,
Cheers, Ray said that the texture reminded him of tortoise shell so I thought I would try and get my hands on a block of that marbled plastic the pen turners use (any one know where I can get some good size blocks?) and make a few out of that for some xmas presents (The niknak version not the ER16 version :P). I also thought it would look good cast in bronze.

The inside of the lid was done first, un-clamped from the table, I then attached a piece of scrap acrylic to the table and milled a pocket that was the same size as the outside edge of the top for my datum point or should I say datum ellipse that way the lid would be aligned in all three axis.

The CAM package that we have get me to about 90% there, there is always some extra gcode I put in at the start and end of an operation I will also add in some pause and retracts point to clean up the chips or for simple stuff like facing and dimensioning stock I will write the gcode by hand mainly because the CAM software is on a different computer that is not in the workshop.

Edit:
Most gcode is generic, but some is specific to a machine mostly to do with the coordinate systems and tool change tables etc.

[harty69]

nice one josh
I do expect to see that made out of a solid billet of aluminum once the 52 is going :D

cheers
Harty

[Stustoys]

Can't help with the pen blanks sorry Josh. I know you can get it in 1m lengths but I havent seen any blocks. big shed may know more.

The only CAM package I've used much wrote code that was "not good" so I used to write it all. But it was all 2D. You're right ;) I had a google and found this CNC G Codes Definitions Examples Programs Programming Learning Training (http://www.cncezpro.com/gcodes.cfm) many of the codes are the same (although some arent and many I couldnt say as I didnt have any need to use them)

Stuart