Thanks: 0
Needs Pictures: 0
Picture(s) thanks: 0
Results 1 to 11 of 11
-
28th February 2013, 03:58 PM #1Intermediate Member
- Join Date
- Apr 2012
- Location
- Adelaide
- Posts
- 42
Cutting simple curves on a vertical mill
I'm looking at getting a simple small vertical mill like the Sieg X2. Hand filing, whilst a useful skill, is seriously tedious.
Ignoring the vertical (Z) plane, how are simple curves cut on a mill?
Do you have to just walk the cutter along the curve in an X-Y step fashion?
A rotary table, if I understand things correctly, would only help with cutting curves that correspond to part of a circle's circumference - right?
-
28th February 2013 03:58 PM # ADSGoogle Adsense Advertisement
- Join Date
- Always
- Location
- Advertising world
- Posts
- Many
-
28th February 2013, 04:13 PM #2GOLD MEMBER
- Join Date
- Jul 2010
- Location
- Melbourne
- Posts
- 7,775
I think you could gear the rotary table to the X axis and cut a curve.
While gearing the X and RT for cutting spirals is done often, I dont recall seeing it used to cut a curve.
Stuart
-
28th February 2013, 04:50 PM #3SENIOR MEMBER
- Join Date
- Oct 2012
- Location
- Australia
- Posts
- 765
here is an example of cutting curves for a cam by linking a dividing head to the x axis.
Cam Milling - YouTube
-Josh
-
28th February 2013, 05:49 PM #4Dave J Guest
Hi,
You can do it by free hand using the X and Y, but it will be slow. One tip would be to use the biggest cutter possible as it will help not seeing the steps like a small one would.
With the rotary table you position the work piece on the table (or a sub plate on the rotary table) so it lines up with the circle you want to cut.
Dave
-
28th February 2013, 05:57 PM #5Philomath in training
- Join Date
- Oct 2011
- Location
- Adelaide
- Age
- 59
- Posts
- 3,149
A rotary table will allow you to cut radii centred on the R/T. For something the size of a Seig X2, I'd be guessing that a 4" rotary table (maybe a 6") would be about as big as you could go, so you are probably stuck with a 50mm radius as a maximum.
Anything other than a radius you would probably have to step things out in X & Y. Lots of X2s have been converted to CNC though.
Michael
-
28th February 2013, 06:08 PM #6GOLD MEMBER
- Join Date
- Jul 2010
- Location
- Melbourne
- Posts
- 7,775
Thinking about it a little more.... I'm wondering if it would still be " cutting curves that correspond to part of a circle's circumference"
Might have to draw it up.
Stuart
-
28th February 2013, 07:15 PM #7GOLD MEMBER
- Join Date
- Jul 2010
- Location
- Melbourne
- Posts
- 7,775
Draftsmen look away now.
This is what I think you would get if you fed a 100mm Dia circle with the center offset from the cutter by 20mm and the R/T geared to turn 360deg with 90mm of X movement.
Stuart
-
28th February 2013, 07:45 PM #8Philomath in training
- Join Date
- Oct 2011
- Location
- Adelaide
- Age
- 59
- Posts
- 3,149
Stuart, I think you are assuming symmetry where there may not be any. One of the interesting things that can be done with a universal dividing head is turn it so that the axis of rotation is vertical (cf a rotary table) and gear it to the table as you were suggesting. The result is a spiral similar to a chuck scroll. I think what you have done with your diagram is assumed a reversal of table travel when 180 degrees is reached.
One day I'll have to try that. I don't know what I would use it for (it would be too soft for a chuck scroll) but there are somethings that you do just to say that you did them...
Michael
-
28th February 2013, 09:01 PM #9GOLD MEMBER
- Join Date
- Jul 2010
- Location
- Melbourne
- Posts
- 7,775
Hi Michael,
You're right there is something wrong with it not the least of which is 360deg, it should be "180 deg rotation with 90mm of X travel". But thats not all of it it should look more like half an ellipse than a cam. I'll have another go tomorrow.
Stuart
-
1st March 2013, 12:24 PM #10GOLD MEMBER
- Join Date
- Jul 2010
- Location
- Melbourne
- Posts
- 7,775
Well not being 100% happy with my second attempt at drawing it(and not wanting to put to much more time into it), I decided it would be easier just to make one.
Turns out my drawing was pretty right but it didnt have as many points.
Blue circle is 100mm.
The outer red line is 20mm Y offset from center with 10deg rotation and 5mm X feed. Yellow arrow is X feed , anti clockwise table rotation.
The inner red line is 10mm offset with the same feed.
Stuart
-
1st March 2013, 02:37 PM #11Intermediate Member
- Join Date
- Apr 2012
- Location
- Adelaide
- Posts
- 42
Thanks for your efforts, Stustoys. I actually understand what's happening
I don't have any specific project in mind, I was just curious never having used a mill before.
Similar Threads
-
HARE and FORBES BANDSAW- help cutting curves ,re sawing ,cut's unstraight help!!
By garageman in forum BANDSAWSReplies: 15Last Post: 16th October 2012, 06:58 AM -
Boring in Vertical Mill
By electrosteam in forum METALWORK FORUMReplies: 17Last Post: 14th May 2010, 04:01 PM -
Vertical Mill
By Filby in forum METALWORK FORUMReplies: 8Last Post: 18th August 2009, 03:39 PM -
The Vertical Mini Mill
By Frank&Earnest in forum HOMEMADE TOOLS AND JIGS ETC.Replies: 37Last Post: 19th July 2007, 01:49 AM -
How good are you at cutting curves in glass ?
By JDarvall in forum WOODWORK - GENERALReplies: 7Last Post: 3rd March 2007, 07:53 PM