3040 CNC - Cutting Thick Aluminum Success!

[@tenlittleindians]

I used to stand there and brush away the chips and add oil. Then I did the messy air blow solution to keep the cutter free of chips. I then used to stand there with a very small shop vac and a crevice nozzle and suck the chips as they were being made. That worked the best at keeping the area clean and extending cutter life but I was tied to the machine. Now I use a dust boot brush I made and added a cyclone dust collector between the boot and the tiny shop vac. I also added a variable speed control box to the cord of the shop vac. I found that with the dust boot I can lower the speed of the vacuum and still get great chip removal. My shop vacuums last longer at the reduced speed and it's much quieter at reduced speed. It's just an old speed controller like you would use on a router. Type "dust boot" in your favorite search engine and do an image search for inspiration. I carved my boot out of wood on my cnc but many have cut them out of plexiglass or 3d printed them.

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

So with the dust boot your evacuating metal chips? The only thing with the air/bast is will add misting. What I would like is to figure our how to build a flood cooling bath however have not figured out how to yet...

[@tenlittleindians]

@@DIY3DTECHcom I suck metal, plastic and wood with the boot. When I just used the hand held vacuum with the crevice attachment I also sucked up a lot of oil with the chips. I always worried about an explosion in my shop vac because of the oil fumes. Your water based coolant I would have no worries about sucking up in a wet vac. I like the in closed flood coolant systems at work but they are not practical on most of my personal machines. The water based coolants are getting better but they have their own problems. After decades of exposure I'm now highly allergic to many of the coolants. Some get rancid and all the filtering in the world won't fix it once it starts to go bad. A company I worked for installed a big filtration machine to recycle the coolant. It spun out the oils and filtrated the rest. Once the funk started growing in a little used machine it spread to the whole plant through the recycling machine. They had to dump thousands of gallons of coolant and start over. They then discovered they must have missed some because all the new coolant got the funk growing in it less than a month later. They dumped it all again and scrapped the recycler. They had to go to another type of coolant, this time a semi synthetic. It was a tool and die shop here in Iowa. The Department of Natural Resources was going to make sure the old coolant got disposed of properly. Huge cost! A local farmers sewage tanker truck showed up at the plant on a Saturday and when we came to work on Monday all the toxic coolant had disappeared along with the farmers tanker. I'm sure we will never know where it went on a Sunday.

[@projects4home]

Thank you so much! Have the same cnc, brand new. Wood is cutting perfectly like the cnc cutter specs recommend. But aluminum is a nightmare. I did a 1mm deep cut with a 10mm cnc mill but the spindle stopped rotating mid program. The 500W motor couldnt handle it. I saw you do 0,25mm passes. Thanks for that

[@Festivejelly]

Wow thats really decent that it can cut that thickness. Thats more than enough for my needs.

[@teamzarzycki421]

What tool are you using specifically? Best solution I have found for aluminum at router rotation speeds in a single flute O-flute cutter and an alcohol mist sprayer. You should make the biggest chips you can make before the surface finish suffers. Your chips are super tiny even for a bit that size. Th single o-flute will open a larger channel for larger chips. The chips take the heat of friction out of the tool and part. If your chips are too small they act like hot glue and clog your tiny flutes and break your tool. Whatever part you are cutting out should be cut climb and not conventional. This includes full cutter width profiles. creds: using a router for 15 years to cut all sorts of things that should be left to a mill :D

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

I can't remember if that 1 or 2 flute, but two at tops. I was using a using a water based cutting lubricant. Know what your saying about chip size, these weren't bad. I am not sure the grade of aluminum, but it was a bit gummy (soft)

[@davecox900]

Hi buddy I have been maching for yours if your using a router the most inportant thing is getting rid of the chips, use a single flute that will help you loads, and a little bit of spray oil to help with the cooling and lubrication, air is also very good to help cool and remove the chips hope this helps I cut Aluminium all the time on my CNC router, But single flute is the way to go try it and let me know how you get on,

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

I think this one was two flute and it did well also and used a commercial water based cutting fluid. Also if you look in the play list I also designed a collar to hold a mister too. I really like this machine!

[@simonbaxter8001]

A number of things you need to cut aluminium ... A rigid machine, solid workpiece, correct bit, correct plunge and feed rates and coolant! Ideally, air to clear swarf from workpiece.

[@pauls5745]

if you don't have coolant, plenty of light oil can go a long way. i always use 2 flute for Al in regular machining. im just getting my feet wet in cnc with a mini setup

[@pdxfunk]

Slotting and profiling around the edge like that is really hard for any machine. Use a bigger tool if you can and use adaptive clearing around the edge and it will go way easier. The chips have nowehere to go on a deep narrow slot like that so you start welding material and getting material build up. That's why it's so hard.

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Thanks for the tips!

[@pdxfunk]

@@DIY3DTECHcom no problem! I'm no expert but i know a couple things 'bout machinin' :)

[@airgunningyup]

excellent work .. ive cut deep with the 6040 on aluminum ,and it takes you standing there and watching for sure.

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Yes it does take some watching :-) I am thinking about trying to mist IPA, your thoughts?

[@airgunningyup]

@@DIY3DTECHcom id just go full flood coolant with a collection tray.. amazon has dog cage trays for about 25 bux , perfect water collection trough to recirculate back down to a submerged pump ( im basically doing a full on flood coolant on my 6040 now , im sick of sitting there watching )

[@chroma6947]

@@airgunningyup If its only 1mm thick would i have to be watching it? Or could i just do something else while it does its job?

[@airgunningyup]

@@chroma6947 you can just do 2 passes of .5mm , and not have to watch

[@robertrussell129]

Hey what spindle are you using in the Video. Are you happy with it? I am thinking about getting a 3040 4 axis.

[@michaelkeymont501]

It looks like you forgot to set G28 to a safe height - one of my favorite mistakes to make! I've crashed hard on several occasions for the same reason. Nice work!

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Safe Z travel height was set to I believe 10mm :-)

[@mlee6050]

@DIY3DTECH.com you seen the height setting tool? Clip to tool and touch on a plate to do, not sure if done on this or just bigger ones

[@mikesnapper9001]

it's a fusion thing, the first movement it does is without adjusting the z height, it's really annoying, because usually you set you work Z0 and then start the job. Often you forget to jog the Z up for that first movement and end up with an ugly line on the piece or a broken endmill

[@MrDLRu]

@@mikesnapper9001 A good habit is to start tool at 1.000 above part. So Xxxxx, Yyyyy move and then from Z home to Z 1.000 then down to starting point. When Z momentarily stops at 1.000, it's like a visual safety move.

[@reinforcedoctocopters2993]

a few tips dont bore or ramp pre drill then drop down to full depth and use adaptive to remove material also i only use 6082 (t6) aluminium dont use random grades also dont climb mill you were going the wrong way on the contour it causes chatter on small machines. also dont use oil use a vac get the chips out straight away

[@tenlittleindians]

Better yet to just spot drill and finish the holes on a drill press. It saves on tool changes and extends end mill life. I too get lazy and just do it all with one tool sometimes.

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Thats the way I am as its easier to cut the holes with the mill then take the time to drill as tolerances here are no big deal and time is more valuable.

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

reinforced octocopters good points however my skills with CAM in fusion are VERY limited. I did try adaptive yet had issues so took it very basic. There no question that there is a ton of power in Fuison CAM, however thinking switch to Mesh CAM as my goal is to design and create parts and the CAM cycle (since this is all a hobby) is taking way too much time from this goal.

[@tenlittleindians]

@@DIY3DTECHcom I agree. Most of the stuff I do at home is one or two of a kind stuff. I set my speeds and feeds very mild to save on broken tooling and to get a usable part the first try. Basic pocketing and drilling routines will get the job done and still be faster than doing it manually. At work we optimise tool paths and max out feeds and speeds to push the limits. You can afford to break a few tools speeding things up if your going to be making hundreds or thousands of something.

[@reinforcedoctocopters2993]

forget everything i said and buy your self a single flute carbide insert end mill off ebay omg im machining twice as fast for a third the cost

[@nivasylstrongman4352]

thank you very much for showing this video. I've been told by many people online that a 3040 CNC Motor isn't powerful enough not cut Aluminum correctly. can you give me the specs of this CNC machine. now i will purchase a 3040 machine.

[@ayrtonthompson750]

The stock 500w spindle i got on mine wasnt enough really but it could cut aluminium. If you swap it out for a palm router it can do some good cuts

[@dougyt261]

Shorten your tool stickout a nice short stubby endmill with appropriate coating will help your not working with wood cut your stock to size and look at holding it in a vice so your not having to slot cut expecially with no proper chip evacuation

[@johntomasik1555]

It's almost impossible to give a real evaluation of a machine without fully understanding how to properly use it. Granted, it's a hobbyists CNC, but still it's important to understand proper set up to really evaluate the capabilities of whatever is being tested. Proper work fixturing, understanding what material is really being used, describing what the machining priorities are (fast? excellent finish?), mill bit diameter, flute count, material, speeds and feeds that are defined by those parameters, lubrication, chip removal, etc....all very important to really test the CNC.

[@RomanoPRODUCTION]

0:36 you are awesome at improvising damage control on the random machining of the piece of metal :)

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

LOL! Thanks :-)

[@wildergibson460]

Pro tip: watch series on KaldroStream. Me and my gf have been using them for watching lots of of movies during the lockdown.

[@dominikalvin9456]

@Wilder Gibson yea, I have been using KaldroStream for years myself :)

[@russellkasen1920]

@Wilder Gibson Yea, I've been using Kaldrostream for months myself :)

[@bernym4047]

Thanks. A very useful video and you have helped me narrow down the choices of what machine to buy.

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Your welcome!

[@bladesofthunder9778]

did you connect the machine directly to the computer and use fusion 360 to run the cnc machine. Just bought a cnc 3040 second hand need help getting it going

[@davidsomething4867]

Subscribed. I bought a 3040T with a 800w VFD watercooled but it vibrates like anything even whilst just cutting cast acrylic. I am going to work on my speeds and feeds I think a bit. I was thinking it could be the work table being that extruded aluminium type. What diameter rails do you have on the Z, X and Y axis?

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Let me see if I understand this correctly it only vibrates when your cutting correct? If it is just sitting there running it does not and the run out on the spindle is fine? If this is the case I would check your tooling as I would use a single flute cutter running fast feeds with fair depth cut (maybe 33% of the tool).

[@davidsomething4867]

@@DIY3DTECHcom Thanks @DIY3DTECH.com , Yeah it does not vibrate so much when cutting plywood but my first attempt at aluminium did not go well, vibrated so much I had to stop but it was a suspect piece of extrusion from B&Q. I did notice the other day when drilling some holes it seemed to be out slightly but I made the mistake of resetting the Work Piece zeros on restart as I'd spotted the holes the night before. I think I will invest in a precision tolerance 6mm chuck and use the engraving bit and measure run out on the body of the bit to check the spindle. I still have some dials etc. from when I was an semi-skilled engineer 20 odd years back. Back then I did all my work on Manual machines with limited use of CNCs (setting up and a tiny bit of G-Code). I used to be able to amaze other machinists by taking 4mm depth of cuts with a tipped shell mill in steel on a Bridgeport and using a 5ft Radial drill to tap 4mm holes in steel plates 6mm thick, lol, lol.

[@davidsomething4867]

@@DIY3DTECHcom Once I increased spindle speed the results were better. I do need to check spindle run out though as when drilling can hear the drill rubbing on the retract and re entry when peck drilling, could just be poor quality drills that are bent I guess. I am using Standard precision colets that should be good for 0.01mm run out.

[@jamesbarratt593]

So do you still use this machine?

[@RomanoPRODUCTION]

please put some more videos with you machining with your DIY CNC :)

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Thanks for asking and more will come in later 2018 to early 2019 as I am building a dedicated machine shop (as well as new house attached to it)....

[@RomanoPRODUCTION]

@@DIY3DTECHcom cool, you will also build a DIY machine named "Back To The Future" ("in later 2018 to early 2019") :)

[@robertrussell129]

Hi. Do they have lazers for the 3040 CNC. Is the Vevor 3040 any better than the China brands.

[@vincentlee2460]

What cutting tool are you using? 2 flutes ? Carbide or HSS ?And the lenght? thanks

[@JoaquinPais]

I'm looking for a cnc to make injection molds. I have 0 experience in cnc but I have many years of experience with 3d printers and design. Which cnc would you recommend to make aluminum molds?

[@verve78arief]

nice and clean cut.. btw what stepper motor this cnc use?

[@dwalden74]

Cool video. If I want to mill 20mm thick aluminum, what wattage motor should I go with?

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Its more of a function of duty cycle, if this is something your going to do on a regular basis I would go for the 1,200 watt water cooled unit...

[@JohnHoranzy]

Your diy2dtech link trie website tries to install something in my Firefox browser.

[@AuroraColoradoUSA]

"I don't know what kind of aluminum this is" That is a problem. Some aluminum is soft and gummy, like the stuff you buy at Home Depot and Lowe's. It will clog up ordinary tools like hack saws and files. I can imagine how badly it would fail on something like that device. You need real 6061 aluminum or some other known type of aluminum that is easy to machine. It makes chips instead of sticking to your bits.

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

I don't know either as purchased this as a second, however it was a bit soft..

[@AuroraColoradoUSA]

​@M T In the USA, from McMaster Carr. They have a jillion hardware things, many times more than your local hardware stores, with lots of technical information. I ordered from them three weeks ago. Prices on some things are high, but ordinary aluminum pieces are low. Amazon has some aluminum, not sure about the price comparison. I got threaded steel rod from Amazon for a good price two weeks ago. I bought a bunch of aluminum pieces from OnlineMetals a few years ago. Great deal. But now seems their shipping cost has skyrocketed. You can try eBay, they have some such items. Good luck.

[@AuroraColoradoUSA]

​@M T Yeah, and you need a metal lathe, too. And all the accessories. I would like a CNC for cutting simple 2-D shapes. Maybe next time. I ended up with a 3D printer. It's fun. The material is relatively soft, and the making is not precise, but it's a good view of things to come. I think the best usable plastic for an end user 3D printer is supposed to be nylon. Nylon is okay, but there are lots more plastics.

[@MrDLRu]

You want a 6061 series aluminum with T6 heat treatment.

[@LV2XPLR]

@M T Speedy Metals has a huge selection of metals and sells it by the inch to anyone. They cut it for you within 1/8"

[@therealpritchard1990]

What software do you use

[@daxliniere]

What a great video! What spindle did you end up using on this machine? And would you buy it again?

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

This is an 800 watt water cooled spindle and yes in a heard beat as for the money it well worth it!

[@mattmurphy7030]

I'm cracking up at the idea of using tape for workholding 😂 the part's not in the machine til there's at least 40,000 pounds of clamping on it

[@TravisFabel]

I'm researching these machines thinking of buying one, and I cant seem to figure out why some people can do aluminum like you did here, while others... just cant. What is the difference?

[@KristianBerg93]

1st priority is a great cuttingtool then u need the correct feed and speed, and cutting paste doesnt hurt either... in big proffessional machines u see the tool and piece gets drowned in coolingliquid :)

[@carlespr]

Is it too noisy for a flat? I'm planning to do an enclosure but yet...

[@strmrdr]

air blast to remove the chips from the channel your cutting

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Yes I have plans to add an AirBlast / Mister :-)

[@JensRapp]

i have almost same machine, except, it seems that you've got a .8kW water cooled spindle - mine is only 400W air cooled. Since i'm currently in need of some aluminium parts I want to try this. Do you believe this can work?

[@rockman49er]

Mine looks like your machine but mine is all aluminum no plastic but mine is a giant paper weight cant figure it out i can use 3d printers but cant figure it out im so 😣

[@bibaubi1155]

What software do you use to run your computer?

[@ballzybaits4414]

Is this machine completely stock or is it modified? Thanks!

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Mostly stock the only custom piece is the controller to paralle port...

[@ballzybaits4414]

@@DIY3DTECHcom awesome!! Thank you for replying.

[@orion33]

Looks like chinaCNCzone. What soft are you using?

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

The aluminum I purchased was not rated, sorry...

[@karllaun2427]

Are you using the NCH02 controller from your previous video? Id be really keen on converting mine, but don’t quite know how to go about it.

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Not yet as I decided to build a new shop (and a house for the wife) so this is consuming my time right now. However expect to see more around Sep/Oct...

[@sweetbushstudiochannel4606]

A couple of questions, if I wanted to engrave my firearms with serial numbers can I do it with a 3040T? (The pieces are aluminum) and if so what bit would I need? The numbers have to be 0.003” deep and 0.125” high, I can’t afford a Fiber Laser yet lol

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Yes engraving would be easy and I hear you on the fiber laser!

[@sweetbushstudiochannel4606]

DIY3DTECH.com any idea which bit I would need?

[@CoolDude-vc2fl]

So it means if u crank up the spindle RPM and go real slow with the feed rate then the cut would be accurate and polished? i have ordered 3040 with 1.5KW water cooled spindle but 2.2KW VFD. Hope it will do.

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Wow! at 1.5Kw that will be a mini monster as the 800 Watt water cooled spindle as been plenty so the 1.5 will be amazing!

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Wow! at 1.5Kw that will be a mini monster as the 800 Watt water cooled spindle as been plenty so the 1.5 will be amazing!

[@jonlewis5063]

I would advise against just increasing your RPM while decreasing feedrate. It actually won't leave a good surface finish, because then you're cutting too thin of a chip and the cutting edge is rubbing against the material instead of shearing it off. This will also dull your cutters much more quickly. The best way to get accuracy and good surface finish on walls is to leave some extra radial stock on the part while cutting the profile, then come back at the end, plunge to full depth, and cut all the way around to the actual final shape of the part. Repeat the last step to perform a "spring pass" and get as accurate as you can.

[@sksabberkind8583]

Do you Think you could cut steel with it? In my case it would be around 1 to 2 millimeters.

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Yes if its mild with the correct tool. However I would step up to the 1.2kw spindle (this is an 800 watt) if this is something you will do on a regular basis.

[@Nicholas-im8bd]

aLL YOUR LINKS IN THE DESCRIPTION ARE DEAD?

[@dimman77]

Which spindle power are you using? Your description links for the 3040 have both 400W and 800W versions.

[@pparrett]

I'd also like to know. I see you have water cooling lines so I'm curious if it's a 1.5kW or higher?

[@dimman77]

@@pparrett I just saw he answered another person asking the same question. It's 800W water-cooled.

[@pparrett]

@@dimman77 thanks!

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

I have the 800 Watt and the for the 3040 it works well, not sure I could justify the 1.5kw unit on it. Maybe the 6040 however that is a LOT of power (i.e. 1.5kw) these classes of machines. However love the water cooling!

[@krasimirkolev777]

How many watts is the Spindle brother?

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

She is an 800 watter! Very nice...

[@chroma6947]

Can the 500w version cut 1mm aluminum without issues?

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Depends on the duty cycle, if your going to cut a piece here or there then you can make due. However if you are going to do it on a regular basis then I would say at least 800 watt water cooled or even 1200 water cooled...

[@chroma6947]

DIY3DTECH.com Thanks for the quick reply and will check them out

[@JD-ml7cg]

Is there some some sort of resistance that hurts the motor on the long run doing this?

[@brianfoster7064]

As long as it doesn't get too hot and the bearings are in good condition, the setup is correct, and the proper end mill is used, it should be capable of running for hours.

[@shelby50411]

These ebay cnc machines are great value and capable.fyi...you can now get a machine 2x the size of 3040 for cheap....the ebay chinese 6040 cnc with 4axis and 1500w spindle is under $1k.

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Yes it depends as I really don't have need for the size of the 6040 nor the space (I have a ton of stuff). However you are correct they runs some good deal on eBay for these machines! I am kicking around getting 5 axis version or 100 Watt co2 laser...

[@avejst]

Interesting test Thanks for sharing 👍😀

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Your welcome :-)

[@MoesKeckeEcke]

Links wont work 😕

[@ET111]

Hi. I baught a 3040cnc but the software isnt working. Can you help me out?

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Maybe if you started with what about all of this is not working...

[@ET111]

A china cnc. Usb version

[@jim.c6780]

Really enjoyed this video thank great job on the final part looks like it came out really nice keep up the great videos like this thank

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Thanks for the kind comments! I really like this mount! Rock solid!

[@Cashandpizza]

Can you please post the STL file for that yellow knob ? Ft thank you

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Thanks for asking and you can learn more about it here ( kzbin.info/www/bejne/hKuwq2hphZije7s ) and the links are in the description.

[@bukanultraman789]

May I know how maximum deep when engraving?

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

depends on how deep you need / want to go...

[@bukanultraman789]

@@DIY3DTECHcom just 1 mm deep. Could you tell me the link to buy? Thanks in advance Sir

[@thebeststooge]

So it will do 6mm thick aluminum?

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Yes easily...

[@thebeststooge]

At what kinds of S/F though?

[@RomanoPRODUCTION]

Nice piece :)

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Thanks for commenting and you are welcome! :-)

[@capthowdy126]

wd 40 when cutting aluminum is ur best friend.

[@mitsuman007]

What spindle are you running?

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

800 watt water cooled, it works great and has tons of power!

[@nivasylstrongman4352]

Can you share the Motor specs please.

[@Goguleroma]

The motor is probably a 1.5kw er11 VFD driven water cooled spindle motor You can find it everywhere on ebay, amazon and other places

[@renderuthis]

its the software you need something you can slow down.

[@CNCPRINTBLOGSPOT]

Extremely dangerous moves! Never put your hands near a running spindle!! Unless you want to loose them! 🤦‍♂️

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Thanks!

[@mlee6050]

You can but make sure have a safety guard on first

[@txm100]

Dude chill the fuck out. You can't loos a hand with this little guy.

[@ak471911able]

Make a water bed and buy a small water pump for a diy cooling system when cutting aluminum.

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

I did that for stones and glass (made several video on this just check out the CNC playlist)....

[@fsecofficial]

You have your feeds too high and your doc is too aggressive. Also make sure you’re using an up cut bit. Retract height needs to be set to prevent the drag line. Stop using tape and machine a low profile vise. I machine 6061 on this machine all the time and up to 2” thick barstock. That’s likely 6061t from Colorado Springs the guy selling it is a prolific seller 😂

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

Not sure on the feed being too high because as long as the bit was cooled (with the lubricant) it did well as not sure what you mean the "doc" was too aggressive? Also yes to the up cutting bit. Do you have any suggestions for a water based lubricant/coollent?

[@fsecofficial]

Doc = depth of cut. I have this machine and for aluminum you want to use feeds 500mm/s and depth of cut (doc) 0.2mm.

[@shelby50411]

@@fsecofficial you mean 500mm/minute...this cnc cant do 500mm/s

[@fsecofficial]

@@shelby50411 yes

[@ironpark4042]

in cnc never this alu better 7075

[@DIY3DTECHcom]

I have no idea what Alu but will make note. Many thanks for commenting!

[@ironpark4042]

@@DIY3DTECHcom Hello. It is very hard to work in soft aluminum. But if you use hard aluminum, it makes the milling job easier. 7075 Aviation Aluminum The price is also affordable.

[@christurnblom4825]

10 bucks for that? wow! I must be lucky, I get scraps like that from work, for nothing.