Another DIY CNC router, part 8 (better flatness, preparing aluminium parts)

0:00 replacement ball screw for X axis
0:27 stone surface plates for sanding
2:40 flattening Z axis plate
3:46 using epic converted drill press tapping machine
8:18 fitting straightening bars under main table
14:20 tweaking gantry parts to fit
19:28 flattening back of gantry plate
22:40 machining front of gantry plate
34:41 making Y plates again, but square this time

[@robmckennie4203]

Of course it's true that you'd have to do a lot of drilling and tapping to make up the time you spent building the machine, but in my opinion building a cool machine like that is it's own reward 👍

[@Terry_Fritz]

Saturating the MDF with epoxy resin would most likely make it stable and waterproof enough for a permanent structure. Worth a try if anybody else has been inspired by Chris to make one for themselves. Looking good there mate; beautiful job.

[@izobretilnitsa]

You might want to check spiral taps. They don't need reversing, because they move the chips upwards. Also much more suitable for aluminium.

[@PiefacePete46]

"Curly chips" at 26:40. The only answer I can think of is that they are coming from the bottom face of the cutter, where it contacts the horizontal surface.

[@d1986ben]

Consider getting a magnetic base. I bought an old surface plate holder and use it for my needs. Works great! Cheers.

[@petermoore9504]

Perhaps use a slot mill cutter to finish the blind hole or even a normal milling cutter should work. Cheers

[@steamlogger]

When cutting aluminum with an end mill use your air compressor to blow air on it to keep it cool

[@ludwigbre]

Really happy to see the progress and impressed by the mag-drill&tap®. Imagine how good the final CNC will cut if the MDF version already is that good! Btw maybe you can fill the bolt holes with 2k epoxy, should be tight as well as flat/flush.. or if you only want tight maybe also playdough will do..

[@PiefacePete46]

The most anticipated video ever! (It didn't disappoint). I think endmill number one deserves to be cast in clear resin and mounted on a pedestal. :o) We had an "engineered stone" benchtop installed a couple of years ago. There were very strong warnings regarding its strength over unsupported spans, like dishwasher openings etc.. Apparently there is no warning of impending failure... the first you know is the "click" sound. Thought I would mention it because it appears to be massively strong.

[@avejst]

Great walkthrough, like the progress Thanks for sharing your experiences with all of us :-)

[@3dkiwi920]

Ive got a bunch of that same 30mm white stone from a place in wairau, they just leave it out the front for free!

[@felderup]

yah, blind holes take bottoming taps, maybe in future. if you were using grbl i'd say try using the camera support on bcnc to line up on holes, then you don't have to fiddle around manually aligning it.

[@oldestnerd]

Looking very good.

[@johnkelly7264]

Nice work... Love the explanations, makes the vid super helpful. Subbed here!

[@13FPV]

Let me make you a little predrill cheatsheet for the most used threads in the (far superior 😉) METRIC system: 2.5mm for M3 3.3mm for M4 4.2mm for M5 5.0mm for M6 6.8mm for M8 8.5mm for M10 10.3mm for M12

[@jeffbluejets2626]

Careful using a milling bit as at 15:25.......ok on a light cut but anything heavier, due to the rotation and feed direction, the bit will drag itself into the work and snap off the tool at least. Better to come from the other direction so the bit is cuttung against the feed direction.

[@iforce2d]

If I'm not mistaken the direction I was using is called 'climb' because it will tend to climb out from the material.

[@rjung_ch]

Thanks for the update!

[@DoRC]

You could fill those unwanted holes in the top of the plate with epoxy and then sand them flush

[@iforce2d]

Yeah that's probably what I'll do. The extra few threads in the gap will help hold the epoxy plug in.

[@PiefacePete46]

The new cutting strategy at 35:00 is much better. Those little cylinders could have easily been fired out of there like a bullet from a .45.

[@iforce2d]

Actually the problem was more that the entire spindle got jolted upward about 5mm when the little cylinder broke free and got jammed between the cutter and the wall of the hole. I would have filmed it but I was too busy shitting my pants. I'm not really a fan of this new strategy either, because it spends 100% of the time plunging - works ok but very slow. I think the ideal approach would be to spiral plunge all the way down in the center, then take the rest out by sidecuts, stepping down 2mm or so each time. But that's not an easy option in the CAM software and is basically almost the same as standard adaptive clearing, so I think I'll just adaptive clear holes like this from now on.

[@PiefacePete46]

@@iforce2d I didn't realise it was plunging, that's not ideal! You'd think there would be a helical option.

[@iforce2d]

It's a helical path so not really full-on 'plunging' as in moving straight down, but the front of the cutter is engaged the whole time is what I meant.

[@fredflintstone8048]

We can visually see the wiggle slop in the shaft as the chuck turns on film. Drill presses tend to make inferior milling machines, especially when they're worn out. But even when new the precision generally isn't there in the way the machines were manufactured. Yes, wood working saw blades can generally be used on aluminum. It's often good to spray wd-40 or some other lube on the blade because the aluminum tends to stick to the cutting edges fouling the cut.

[@PiefacePete46]

I can't see where he is using a drill press as a milling machine? There are saw blades made specifically for mitre saws used in aluminium fabrication. A quick call to your friendly aluminium window fabricator will get you good recommendations.

[@incubatork]

You will get blind flat bottomed holes using en end mill rather than a drill bit

[@rcbroadcast8207]

A regular M8 has a Pitch of 1.25mm, so you should use a 6.8mm drillbit and you are fine. 6.5mm is too small and the Tap is stucking as in the Video....

[@PiefacePete46]

If the closest drill bit I had was 6.5mm, I would use it, and tap with caution. Only specialist engineering suppliers stock drill bits in 0.1mm increments in New Zealand. Hardware stores only stock them in 0.5mm increments usually.

[@alexscarbro796]

Could you place a thinner sheet on the other side of those straightening extrusions. Would that further improve the rigidity?

[@benhill391]

Spray medium tack cntact spray for sandpaper

[@robmckennie4203]

Ados or super 77 work great

[@remainsmemories626]

11:27, you can probably make screws sit flush with the top part

[@PiefacePete46]

Did anyone else notice the Kiwi Z-axis alignment tab at 15:20? I've looked hard, but I can't find the number 8 fencing wire anywhere. ;o)

[@iforce2d]

I'll have you know it works quite nicely :)

[@PiefacePete46]

@@iforce2d Sourced from the same place as the shim-stock maybe?... waste not, want not! :o)

[@EnglishTurbines]

Those are HAND Taps you are using, not machine taps...The last thing you need is an undersize 6.5mm tapping hole..instead of 6.7mm. Spiral Point tap for through holes. Spiral Flute tap for blind holes. Paraffin is a good substitute if you have no cutting oil ....At least you didn't use lubricating oil...A mortal sin TBH...lol ...🤔🤔😳😳😀🇬🇧🇬🇧

[@Shreyam_io]

in the end we all you will be making your own cooling system for bits... mists?

[@iforce2d]

I guess it depends how much of which material I end up cutting with this machine. I'm getting a bit tired of standing by like a nurse at a bedside dabbing IPA on every time it sounds a bit sticky an aluminium, so it would be nice to have a light mist for that. kzbin.info/www/bejne/lZezhYygiMiXldk For carbon fiber I will be using a water trickle like I did with my last machine.

[@Shreyam_io]

@@iforce2d looks like i have already watched the video you provided

[@muh1h1]

Are you wearing some kind of mask in this video? Your voice sounds a bit muffled. Not to the point where it is bothersome, but it is noticable. Or is it just me?

[@iforce2d]

Yeah, I get hayfever around this time especially on windy days and in areas with a lot of..... grass. Wearing a mask is preferable to having my nose run like Niagara falls.