David Clark 1 | 17/05/2011 11:28:37 |
![]() 3357 forum posts 112 photos 10 articles | Hi There
I drove back from Harrogate to Poole on Saturday afternoon to pick the wife and kid up and the following afternoon left for Scotland 720 miles away.
I drove overnight and arrived back Monday morning.
I have done about 2,500 miles in the last 7 days.
Although tired, I am now available to answer queries.
Diane did most of ME last week and is working on MEW this week.
I did prepare 3 magazines for editing before I left so am a bit ahead at the moment.
I will be spending a bit more more time in the workshop in the near future. I also need to get the KX1 CNC running again. It has not been used for a while.
regards David
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David Clark 1 | 17/05/2011 12:00:47 |
![]() 3357 forum posts 112 photos 10 articles | Hi There
CNC Articles
The beauty of CNC is that you can program it to do almost anything you want.
I learnt CNC using the machine manual in a couple of weeks. I had been employed as a miller previously. You can form and profile all sorts of shapes, many of which are damn near impossible manually even if you could spare the time.
I laos made many one off components, it was still quicker to program them and machine them than it was to machine them manually.
CNC is often used to perform manual operations, a typical example being to bore some stainless steel blocks to a tight limit.
I prepared the blocks all over so they were square and to size. I drilled the hole from both sides with a large U drill (a carbide tipped drill). That left the hole to bore.
I bored the hole using a CNC program. The boring tool kept puching off in the bore. I ran the program several times to get the bore to size occasionally increasing the diameter with the boring head. This saved countless hours over using a manual machine. The components ended up machined to correct tolerance.
Castings cost a fortune today. However, you can machine components to finished size and shape on a CNC without having to buy a casting. One of the problems with CNC in an amateur magazine like Model Engineers' Workshop is that because articles are written by amateurs, they have no idea how to machine components to the limit of the machine.
Most G Code programming is not difficult. I used a cheat sheet with the basic operating codes on and just cut and pasted the code into a new program.
The cheat sheet include about a page and a half of short lines of G Code and it was also double spaced as well.
Unfortunatly I can't find a copy of the cheat sheet but I will be creating another one in the future.
regards David
Edited By David Clark 1 on 17/05/2011 12:01:09 |
Eddie | 17/05/2011 13:43:19 |
![]() 56 forum posts | Hi All
I read the articles about CNC not so musch to do the concertion as I do not have the standard (Myford) Lathe.
My main hobby is woodworking, but there are seperate magazines supplying the required information. I am planning to build a CNC Router, as in past issues of MEW, But in the convertion articles there is some topics about toothed belt pulley cutting and many more, the bottom line for me is what can I learn from others schoolfees, without paying for the errors myself. I long ago accepted the fact. I don't know how to do everything and my way might not be the only way. writing Computer Programs the whole day let you look for something to relax with. Subscription is your choice.
To the Editorial Team: Thanks and keep up the mix and varity.
Eddie living in the bush, next to the Kruger Park . |
Eddie | 17/05/2011 13:44:59 |
![]() 56 forum posts | Sorry for the typo's
It should say .. so much the converting and construction of the CNC Conversion...
Eddie |
David Clark 1 | 17/05/2011 14:32:28 |
![]() 3357 forum posts 112 photos 10 articles | Hi Charlie
Just seen your post about the product catalogue included with MEW 177 being more interesting than the magazine itself.
I must disagree, pages 35, 36 and 37 where devoted to CNC machines and software as well as page 43 which had a rotary table controlled by a stepper motor.
Page 56 had all sorts of stepper motors and stepper drivers, page 57 had inverters and high speed spindles. Running at 25,000 RPM these spindles are rather slower than the ones I used to make parts for, they ran at 360,000 RPM. Perhaps ARC should be done under the trade descriptions act. They also gave information and a parts list for a one shot lubrication system. What on earth is wrong with using the humble oil can?
I saw coolant systems but checking the index, no mention of a paintbrush for putting on coolant.
The entire catalogue was filled with stuff to make life easier and could also be used on a CNC mill but the really low point for me was page 44 onwards that had digital measuring equipment. What is wrong with the humble micrometer?
The entire catalogue was filled by tools and equipment to make life easier. Even digital measuring equipment. Give me a 6in. rule and a pair of internal callipers any day.
Mind, very few CNC haters will see this post as they obviously don't have a computer.
regards David
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Ian Hewson | 17/05/2011 15:39:47 |
354 forum posts 33 photos | Hi
Having just read our editors opinion of those of us who do not share his enthusiasm for cnc equipment, I can see why we have had so many articals on the subject.
I object to being labled as being behind the times as he infers, just because I do not share his opinion, having spent most of my working life in electrical and electronic fields.
Some of those who spend all there spare time ranting to the rest of use mere mortals who have other interests apart from thier's should get out more and smell the roses.
Regards
Ian |
David Clark 1 | 17/05/2011 16:00:07 |
![]() 3357 forum posts 112 photos 10 articles | Hi There
Three articles is not many.
However,
Article 1 Converting a Myford Super 7 to CNC.
4 pages - no G Code.
This article could be of use to anyone wanting to put a cross feed or even a longitudinal feed on any lathe.
*****
Article 2
An accurate CNC 4th Axis
2 pages - no G Code.
This article is of use to anyone with a manual mill who wants to do dividing in it.
*****
Article 3
An introduction to CNC milling
7 pages with 1/2 page of basic G code.
This article was about machining parts for a model petrol engine.
The engine concerned had 8 connecting rods so was an ideal project for CNC in the home workshop.
So all in, 1/2 page of G Code in the magazine.
So Ian, I am ranting?
I would have thought all the people complaining about CNC are the ranters.
Perhaps they should smell the roses.
The American magazine Digital Machinist has over 15,000 readers. Are you suggesting I should ignore this huge market?
regards David
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NJH | 17/05/2011 16:02:42 |
![]() 2314 forum posts 139 photos | Hi Ian No editorial bias there then! David Your post was, of course, delivered by the local messenger who carried a parchment copy in a conveniently forked stick. How useful and comforting these traditional methods are ! Your survey asks for readers opinions of CNC articles - do you intend to publish the number of responses for and against ? Regards Norman Edited By NJH on 17/05/2011 16:09:00 |
Tony Jeffree | 17/05/2011 16:05:52 |
![]() 569 forum posts 20 photos | Posted by Ian Hewson on 17/05/2011 15:39:47: Hi Having just read our editors opinion of those of us who do not share his enthusiasm for cnc equipment, I can see why we have had so many articals on the subject. I object to being labled as being behind the times as he infers, just because I do not share his opinion, having spent most of my working life in electrical and electronic fields. Some of those who spend all there spare time ranting to the rest of use mere mortals who have other interests apart from thier's should get out more and smell the roses. Regards Ian C'mon Ian - give the lad a break - that was one of our esteemed Editor's rare attempts at a tongue-in-cheek posting. Savour it while you can! ![]() Regards, Tony |
Tony Jeffree | 17/05/2011 16:11:00 |
![]() 569 forum posts 20 photos | Posted by NJH on 17/05/2011 16:02:42: Hi Ian No editorial bias there then! David Your post was, of course, delivered by the local messenger who carried a parchment copy in a conveniently forked stick. How useful and comforting these traditional methods are ! Your survey asks for readers opinions of CNC articles - do you intend to publish the number of responses for and against ? Regards Norman Edited By NJH on 17/05/2011 16:09:00 Norman - Rather that than the traditional delivery method all too often used in this forum - from the rear end of various farm livestock. ![]() Regards, Tony |
Ian Hewson | 17/05/2011 16:20:10 |
354 forum posts 33 photos | Hi David,
ranting? - 4 long posts and sarcasm?
Cater for Americans if you must, but they have there own magazine as you state.
Regards
Ian
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David Clark 1 | 17/05/2011 16:28:10 |
![]() 3357 forum posts 112 photos 10 articles | Hi There
I might sit down and add them up when I get a chance.
I will have to get my Abbacus down from the loft first.
regards david
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Brian Parker | 17/05/2011 16:49:45 |
2 forum posts | Until I found this Forum I was under the impression that Model Engineering was a Hobby to be enjoyed.![]() |
David Clark 1 | 17/05/2011 16:49:50 |
![]() 3357 forum posts 112 photos 10 articles | Hi Ian
You are missing the point.
If there are 15,000 Amercians interested in CNC then there will be many people in the UK and Australia interested as well.
regards david
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Tony Jeffree | 17/05/2011 17:01:37 |
![]() 569 forum posts 20 photos | Posted by David Clark 1 on 17/05/2011 16:49:50: Hi Ian You are missing the point. If there are 15,000 Amercians interested in CNC then there will be many people in the UK and Australia interested as well. regards david What is the circulation of MEW these days David? Regards, Tony |
Ian Hewson | 17/05/2011 17:36:29 |
354 forum posts 33 photos | Hi David
Your missing the point, read the number of people who did think 3 articles were too many.
Regards
Ian
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macmarch | 17/05/2011 18:24:08 |
147 forum posts 1 photos | I made a comment way back on page 1 of this thread, (fairly innocuous I thought), and since then I have watched, (not because of that), all manner of people comment, infer, express and in some manner, nicely or strongly, various opinions. Great. The tone has been a bit suspect, especially when David got involved. He can, after all,only print what he gets. No purpose is achieved by popping at him. I have found many times this kind of "banter". Newbies to the hobby/pastime must be wondering what is going on. This thread has finally finished me on this website and I will not be back. Cheerio. ray |
John Stevenson | 17/05/2011 18:34:15 |
![]() 5068 forum posts 3 photos | I personally would not have though that Digital Machinist has a circulation of 15,000 but I may be wrong. Having said that it must have a decent figure to keep going and judging by the scale of the adverts in the mag there is a good market out there. John S. |
Diane Carney | 17/05/2011 19:11:41 |
419 forum posts 11 photos | What is the circulation of MEW these days David? Regards, Tony If anyone is interested, expressed as a percentage of the populations, it equates to about the same each side of the Atlantic. Diane |
John Haine | 17/05/2011 20:44:14 |
5563 forum posts 322 photos | David,
Just to redress the balance...
More CNC please! In particular (as I have converted my S7 then found that using it wasn't as straightforward as you might think) articles on setting up the machine, calibration, detailed screw-cutting etc.
Shame we don't have any articles yet on 3D printing machines - there are at least 2 different self-build versions out there. One could add a polymer print head to a CNC mill and use it to make plastic components.
One day when i have time I might start contributing some articles, probably on CNC!
I still read every issue cover to cover as there is always something to learn from the ways people have solved problems, even if I do wonder how many times you can tread old ground.
John.
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This thread is closed.
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