Sure, just need to make sure it’s going to work for everyone and I’d be glad to share anything I know. It’s actually a nice machine but I just haven’t had time to work with it.
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Ran another test today, it is looking good EXCEPT for a strange noise the X axis makes moving from left to right. Not sure it’s a big deal but I don’t like unknowns. It is not the belt and I did not notice any binding on the axis from any test. Ran a simple test milling a square in a piece of aluminum. Depth of cut was only .01 per pass and feed speed was about 5 IPM using a 1/4" end mill. It all looked good. I want to try a deeper cut of at least .06" to .125" but needed my computer to make the changes to the g-code. I was using air to cool the bit and help clear the chips away. Better results might happen with oil or misting, but I am not going to clean that up so I’m sticking with air. For the most part, everything looks good.As far as I am concerned, anyone who wants to use it can give it a try.
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And lets not forget that @bgangwere has done a fantastic job of raising revenue for the machine shop with the HAAS training and using it to acquire some really useful tooling like the new Clausing drill press and the vertical band saw as well as the bench grinders that both you @Tron and I wanted so much. Not to mention that like nearly all Committee chairs he has to spend so much of the time he is here cleaning up after people. The space and its usefulness to all of us is dependent upon members volunteering their efforts to keep things running.
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OK I FINALLY think I am happy with the Emco. ALMOST. Let me just say it works and I believe it works well but I had a problem while testing it. Turns out the end mill was not properly seated in the holder and so some weird stuff was happening while I was working on it. The finish I got was not exactly perfect but acceptable to my untrained eye. I THINK that the end mill being a bit loose in the holder may have dulled the cutting edges and that might explain the finish problem. That led me to order a few new bits and I want to run a few more tests. I am trying to determine speeds and feeds so I can give an acceptable starting point for those who are interested. The end mills will arrive in a couple of days. And so you want to ask, “So when will you do a ‘how to’ class?” Great question. First of all, it hardly merits a class, but if that is the best way to get the most people involved I am happy to do it. I don’t intend to cover CAD or CAM except to show how I do that process… Just for examples sake. Mostly I would just show the steps and turn you all loose to use the unit however you wish. I suggest cutting wood, wax, plastics and Aluminum. The mill should also cut mild steel and I believe it can. I have never milled a piece of steel that hasn’t embedded a sharp sliver in my body so I avoid it. It is small so that also means a bit slow compared to the Haas or the Router, but the fact of the matter is, if you break it, all anyone cares about is that you clean up after yourself. Just FYI
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Hello! I’m new to DMS and my roommate introduced me to DMS. He, myself, and a friend of mine are interested in taking classes on how to use the CNC. We were told at orientation we have to take the 5 classes before using it. Does anyone know when these classes will start?
It is somewhat disturbing that an old post about a different machine is being bumped for a question about a production grade machining center…
New members can’t create new threads immediately. This one probably looked closest. Not worth worrying about in my opinion.
There was a newer thread about the actual Haas, though.
I was going to post this in my gcode question post (and probably still will) but I’ll post it here anyway.
I went up and used the emco last night, and everything worked great. But I couldn’t find a collet for the 1/8 endmill. Anyone know where that is? The endmill I found was also in the purple drawers underneath, in a tube, so I’m not sure whether that’s actually the 1/8th to use, or if the normal one is in it’s collet somewhere. Also, does anyone know why the 1/4" endmill has a “polyprinter” label on it?
It might be Polyprinter’s endmill… I’ve heard they use the Haas for production.
OK I am dancing as fast as I can! The Emco is down until tomorrow 8/3/2015 AFTERNOON and then it should be back up. I needed to find a metric tap to clean out years of debris that has accumulated on the X axis shaft. I have done that and 4 bolts, three screws later, it will be back to operating. I also intend to do the same for the Y axis. I am actually impressed with the engineering on this thing. I really should have just offered the space $50 for it and replaced my crappy Chinese mill. Oh well… such is life and then you die.
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What size metric tap do you need?
Already got it and cleaned out the lead screw mounting block.
Thanks though
Steve
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I have done everything to physically eliminate the backlash. ( The backlash problem is not actually backlash but slop in the way the lead screw mounts and the way the machine was designed. I have not been able to find a procedure for this so I did what logically seemed right and eliminated a very scarey loosening of the drive gear.) Currently, the Z axis is right on. However the X axis is about .020" off and the y is about ,005" off. I tried using a dial gauge to directly measure it and didn’t really get a reliable answer so I am working from a part I cut. There was a total of .040" difference in the X and .010" on the Y and I believe the backlash is actually half the error because it occurs in both directions. At least I think that is right. I have been using climb milling. I think it may be a more accurate cut if I use conventional milling. Not sure why that is but that is what I read and it may be worth a try. Rather than attempt to modify the mill I think it would be best to simply add the backlash in the EMC2 program and let the program add a correction.
Anyway, the mill is up and running and there are new end mills in the purple box. 1/2", 1/4" and 1/8" carbide end mills. I forgot to look at the collets to check the sizes but I’m sure there is a 1/4" and a 1/2" collet… I think there is also a 5/8" collet. I have also donated a mechanical edge finder that fits in the 5/8".
Anyone who like to try their hand at milling, feel free. I have had success with 6061 Aluminum milling with the 1/2" at 2000 RPM ( or all the way up to 2200), 15 - 17 IPM ( I ramp it in at 15 and straight cut at 17) , depth per pass of .0625. Takes a bit of time but it works so I’m pretty happy. Also, the 1/4" bit 2000 RPM at 5 - 7.2 IPM depth of cut .0625. When I use a step over, I do 50%.
These are hopefully conservative numbers but I’m thinking this is not a production machine but a good training tool and really, the cuts I’m getting are darned impressive.
I do not plan to take the Emco down again anytime soon so other than work on the accuracy in the EMC2 program and develop feed, speed and depth for the 1/8" end mill, that’s all I’m planning to do. Well I suppose I will have a “HOW TO USE” session and try to allow as many people as possible to give it a try.
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I was up there last night, and no 1/8" collet. I was going to use the 1/16" ball-end endmill instead in the 1/16" inch collet when I found out that the 1/16" mill is 1/8" shank. So, as far as I can tell, no way to do holes smaller than 1/4". There is a 1/4" ball-end mill in there, and I’m thinking I may use it to dimple where I need a smaller hole, and then drill it later. Any idea on when the collet set will come in (or be ordered, if it hasn’t gotten that far?)
I talked to Bryan on Monday via e-mail and he mentioned he was leaving town on Tuesday and wanted to order tools before he left. I assume he did that and several collets will be on here in a week or so. He mentioned that the CNC router uses the same collets but if you borrow one from there be SURE to clean it and definitely RETURN it. I am hoping to keep the two separate but if you just can’t wait, it is an option.
I haven’t ordered it het, I’m waiting on someone to tell me what size vise is needed.
OOPS… SOrry Bryan… I thought I had sent you an e-mail. The issue is clearance in the mill. The vices I see are tall by virtue of the rotating base… so I would actually use a 1755 4" without the base for most applications. https://littlemachineshop.com/products/product_category.php?category=1963256912
Dang it, you replied productively. I was gonna say, “About yay big.”