Re: Comments & Questions fo the List

Roland Friestad wrote:

>
> From: Roland Friestad <cardinal.eng@...>
>
> May 11, 1999 - 4:24PM - CDT
>
> 1) It's good to know that so many people are interested in this topic -
> Hopefully I can get some help in the areas in which I am weak -
>
> 2) Re: CNC Router How-To - Gar mentioned the routers that I've built (2) -
> However they didn't use rollers on tubes but instead used Thomson NYLINER
> bearings which are a very low-cost sliding bearing - I used DOM tubing which
> is relatively inexpensive and accurate - I've done a lot of work with
> woodworking machinery and chose this method because the tubes can be
> lubricated quite successfully with floor wax instead of oil or grease and it
> doesn't attract and hold the dust - Also the sliding bearings are self
> cleaning - Haven't had any problems and they have been in service for a long
> time -
>
> 3) Re: High speed spindles - I've successfully used a 20,000 rpm electric
> spindle made from a DUMORE die grinder - They are available with collets up
> to 1/4 diameter and they are relatively inexpensive - About $300 as I recall
> - I am currently working up an air turbine spindle of 40,000 rpm using a
> turbine from AIR TURBINE TOOLS, Boca Raton, FL - It too has a collet nose
> and will take tools of up to 1/4 dia - This one is also relatively
> inexpensive at under $400 - While $300 or $400 is not "chicken feed" these
> are the best prices I've been able to find for tools of this quality - For
> the CNC Routers mentioned in item 2) above I used PORTER CABLE commercial
> routers with collets up to 1/2 inch diameter - Can't remember the rpm but it
> is probably in the 15,000 to 20,000 range - As I recall they were less
> expensive at about $150 but don't have nearly the quality of the other two
> units - Perfectly good for routing wood but not for more precision
> applications -
>
> 4) Re: EDM users - I am using Ram and Wire EDM - However they are a sort of
> mixture of commercial and homebuilt - What I did was find some distressed
> commercial units and rigged them up with a combination of software and
> hardware - I've been working on a homebuilt Wire EDM for quite a while but
> it seems that there is never enough time to devote to it - Now that the
> newer Wire EDM equipment is out it is sometimes possible to find some REALLY
> GOOD DEALS on the outdated stuff - The problem is just like that with buying
> outdated CNC Mills - The controllers are horrible to keep running - A
> combination of some of the homebuilt EDM power supplies that have been
> published recently along with homebuilt CNC controllers could put these old
> EDM machines in the home shops in the near future -
>
> 5) Re: Laser cutter - Several years ago I designed a laser welding machine
> as a consulting job - The company used a YAG laser - I'm not a laser expert
> but have spent qute a bit of time around industrial CO2 lasers also - If
> possible I would suggest going with CO2 because it is a LOT safer and easier
> to provide protection against damage to the operators -

This is the project that I will be constructing for myself Roland, so if
at all possible I will have many questions for you as to the laser head
setup and the setting of the mirrors. Any insight as to the best way to
mount the laser? Stationary or on the gantry???. From the research I
have done so far, the linear movement of the gantry/optics is the least
of my worries. It appears that the laser setup and cutting control of
the laser is going to be the challenge. Any help is greatly appreciated
in advance from all our members during my project.

Don Hughes

>
> 6) Re: Tool Changes and Tool Length Offsets - Several people have responded
> to this query but a side comment may be of interest - One key to a good
> workable multiple tool system is an easy and reliable way to remove and
> reinstall tools so that they are always the same length relative to some
> reference dimension - I use ERICKSON quick change tools and have also used
> several other systems - The problem with them is they are horribly expensive
> for the hobbyist - I've been working on a homebuilt quick change tooling
> system and while it isn't as nice as the commercial ones it is more than
> adequate for home shop use and can be easily built - Everything is still in
> the sketch stage but the actual tooling has been built and tested - This
> will be a HOME SHOP MACHINIST column in the near future - I'll see if they
> have any objections to my posting it to this list before it is published in
> the magazine -
>
> 7): Re: STEPSTER software - I have downloaded this software and taken a look
> at it - Haven't had time to actually get it running - I was saddened to hear
> that the author had died recently - My question is this - Who is
> successfully running this software and has anybody made any improvements to
> it - Does anyone know of other CNC software available in source code - Or
> have any of you written your own - I don't want to reinvent the wheel if
> it's not necessary -
>
> Roland Friestad <cardinal.eng@...
>
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