Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] What is the practicality of cutting 1' x 3' x 1/8" aluminum on a gantry CNCRouter?
Posted by
CL
on 2001-11-29 14:22:38 UTC
Eric,
You may want to check out a few photos of my machine. My very first machine
like this one was built almost entirely by using another flatbed router. I use
mine now for machining aluminum as shown on this page:
http://www.data-cut.com/page5br.html
You are absolutely correct in concluding that a CNC Router is in no way a
replacement for a milling machine. But, It sure beats nothin' !
Depending on the tooling you use and having an understanding of the machines
limitations, you can machine aluminum quite well. I have cut many gauge panels
and control faces. Obviously brass is about the same. I have even done a little
steel, however my spindle rpm is a bit too fast.
Bring on the Robot building !
Chris Luebke
DATA-CUT
glee@... wrote:
You may want to check out a few photos of my machine. My very first machine
like this one was built almost entirely by using another flatbed router. I use
mine now for machining aluminum as shown on this page:
http://www.data-cut.com/page5br.html
You are absolutely correct in concluding that a CNC Router is in no way a
replacement for a milling machine. But, It sure beats nothin' !
Depending on the tooling you use and having an understanding of the machines
limitations, you can machine aluminum quite well. I have cut many gauge panels
and control faces. Obviously brass is about the same. I have even done a little
steel, however my spindle rpm is a bit too fast.
Bring on the Robot building !
Chris Luebke
DATA-CUT
glee@... wrote:
> Background to this question:
>
> I desire to (someday) build a robot chassis similar to those found at
> http://www.irobot.com/rwi/.
>
> My thinking would be that I would cut out the parts and then have a local
> welder heliarc the sides, etc together for a sturdy frame. The rest would
> be bolted together.
>
> The base would be 1/4" aluminum while the sides and rest could be made with
> 1/8" or thinner if using diamond plate.
>
> Assuming that I following my thinking, the next step is to cut these parts
> out. Since I have the parts to make a CNC Gantry router of size: 36" x 36"
> I thought that I might use this to do the job. When I purchased my Sherline
> Lathe and Mill with the CNC Retrofit, I had the Bill Griffin make me a
> complete cable and 4 stepper set so that I could easily connect it to some
> future CNC device which I would build.
>
> So, the question comes: Just how practical is it to machine aluminum on a
> small Gantry Router? Most small Gantry routers have no mass and I am
> concerned that this would make it difficult to cut these parts.
>
> Bill and I have been having this discussion and he noted that although many
> vendors (such as Larkin and others) tout their 24" and 36" gantry routers
> as capable of cutting aluminum, he has yet to see them actually demonstrate
> anything other than wood or plastic at the shows.
>
> I would like to hear from anyone who is or has machine cut thin aluminum
> plate of sizes up to 1' x 1' x 1/8" with an occasional piece up to 1/4"
> thick?
>
> Speed is not an issue as this is a hobby. Safety and practicality is. Other
> options would be to build a cnc plasma table (but that would be a whole new
> venture) or just find someone with a CNC router or plasma cutter and farm
> out the cuts.
>
> No rush on this, I'm just thinking aloud and would welcome any discussion
> on this.
>
> - Eric
>
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