Home built CNC Mill - Gonna make a 1911

[dskinsler83]

Any thoughts with this for the Harbor Freight?

http://www.littlemachineshop.com/products/product_view.php?ProductID=1905&category=

[StraightUp_OG]

Not a bad idea it sure would save a ton of handle cranking and you could set a constant speed.

[msg73]

Ok so at the extreme expensive of sounding stupid. Please tell me if there is an instruction book for the yavapi slide jig. Do you take the slide off and reverse it for the 45° cuts when tri topping and what are the angle cuts along the length of the jig on the flat side?

I do take off the slide and reverse it but I re-indicate the jig each time. I also had to make a few mods to the jig to use it with the barrel in the slide. This is what I did when I tri-topped my open gun so the comp and slide had the same cuts and was blended.

After messing with the jig a bunch I really think the angle table is a much better way to go. But the jig is perfect for JUST slides.

I don't know what the angle cuts are for on the jig but would love to know.

Did you just mill out a slot on top of the Yavapai jig a little wider than the lower lug width to be able to put the barrel in with the slide? Any other mods and were there any issues with the structural integrity of the jig after the mods?

I have the Yavapai jig and am also looking to tri-top my slide. I was looking for the 5x7 angle plate you got but can't seem to find it.

[dskinsler83]

The angle plate is not listed at Shars anymore :-/

[kevinj308]

Really down and dirty video. Had a few technical difficulties but got it done. I fast forwarded most of the milling to shorten the vid. I was taking .005 per pass. I also negated to center the cutting tool on the y but still worked fine for the vid.

Nice vid, thanks

[kevinj308]

A bit off topic but maybe you guys who is missing a spindle speed readout might find this interesting.

http://macpod.net/misc/sx2_tachometer/sx2_tachometer.php

I found it very interesting, thanks a lot!

[StraightUp_OG]

Ok so at the extreme expensive of sounding stupid. Please tell me if there is an instruction book for the yavapi slide jig. Do you take the slide off and reverse it for the 45° cuts when tri topping and what are the angle cuts along the length of the jig on the flat side?

I do take off the slide and reverse it but I re-indicate the jig each time. I also had to make a few mods to the jig to use it with the barrel in the slide. This is what I did when I tri-topped my open gun so the comp and slide had the same cuts and was blended.

After messing with the jig a bunch I really think the angle table is a much better way to go. But the jig is perfect for JUST slides.

I don't know what the angle cuts are for on the jig but would love to know.

Did you just mill out a slot on top of the Yavapai jig a little wider than the lower lug width to be able to put the barrel in with the slide? Any other mods and were there any issues with the structural integrity of the jig after the mods?

I have the Yavapai jig and am also looking to tri-top my slide. I was looking for the 5x7 angle plate you got but can't seem to find it.

I did. I milled the slot on both sides of the jig. It did not mess with the integrity too much. But I still think the angle table is the way to go.

Here is the link and they do indeed have it in stock.

OOPS it was the 7x10 they have in stock.

Edited December 28, 2014 by StraightUp_OG

[StraightUp_OG]

Ebay

http://www.ebay.com/itm/5-x-7-Tilting-Table-for-Milling-Machines/271405319144?_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3Dffcde64c202d46b69e64b52fb49fe53e%26pid%3D100005%26prg%3D20131003132420%26rk%3D6%26rkt%3D6%26mehot%3Dpp%26sd%3D181369486406&rt=nc

MSC

http://www.mscdirect.com/product/details/00675348

Edited December 28, 2014 by StraightUp_OG

[dskinsler83]

Lol I started to say that isn't the same one brother cause it's almost double the price of the one we talked about. The ebay listing is the correct one.

[StraightUp_OG]

I have something being delivered today from the everything store. I will shoot a quick vid after it gets here. Not a game changer but a nice alternative solution.

The jog wheel input device I was talking about did not work on the linux box. Works great on the mac for video so it stays.

[msg73]

Thanks OG! Got the one from ebay.

[StraightUp_OG]

Edited December 29, 2014 by StraightUp_OG

[dskinsler83]

Very cool!!!

[kevinj308]

I've got the same tach, they're awesome!

[hanau]

Didn't even think about a digital tach.

I went with a digital readout. think I payed about $50 for it.

http://macpod.net/misc/sx2_tachometer/sx2_tachometer_kit_v2.php

[dskinsler83]

OK so here is what the other slide was supposed to turn out like lmao! Looks great to me but!!! How do I stop getting the damn swirl marks and the ripples in the cuts? And when blasting this thing to get it back to a bead blast finish what media do I use?

[jid2]

Take smaller finishing cuts and see if that helps with the surface finish. At some point though it just takes a bigger more rigid machine to get good surface finish. My 1000 lb RF45 gave better surface finish than an X2, but it still left a lot to improve on. The 6000 lb Brother gives really nice surface finish, but still can't do what say a 15,000 lb Okuma can.

I use some 80 grit glass bead.

[dskinsler83]

Thanks Jared! Oh and again welcome to the Vendor table!!!

[Zoomy]

Like Jared said, take a small finishing cut. Especially when machining thin cross sections on light machines. If you have some cutting oil run a bead of it across the slide and then try a .001 finish cut. Many times swirl marks are caused by a build up of material on the inserts that get dragged back across the finished machined areas and cause galling. The cutting oil should help prevent that.

Edited December 31, 2014 by Zoomy

[Toolguy]

Good post Zoomy! Also, if you're getting ripples, that means the part is vibrating in that area as the cutting tool goes over it. You need tdo find a way to stabilize that area so it can't move any during the cut. For example, if a part is hanging out the ends of the vise, make some new longer vise jaws, make a Delrin movable jaw to make the part mate up to the solid jaw better (on a cheap vise), etc.

[kevinj308]

I don't think that stepconf has joystick controller. The first time I tried something I found it on the LinuxCNC forums it was a huge PIA. I would post a link but this is SO MUCH easier I won't waist your time.

I know you got yours dialed in but if anybody out there ends up with mesa cards I tried the usb joystick set up on pncconf. A Sony wireless ps3 controller will not work when plugged in with a usb cord. I'm wondering if the cord is just for charging and all the signals are bluetooth.

This Sabrent brand gamepad from amazon however

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AEWTSWU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

worked great, it's only $10.

Here's a shot of the pinouts I'm using. Pretty easy to set up.

Ecstatic with having a pendant. Thanks StraightUp for motivating me to get one working.

@Toolguy you're absolutely right its great to have one!! So much easier to set things up.

Kevin

[SPRSkip]

The angle plate is not listed at Shars anymore :-/

I ordered one and he said he would have one in January

Sent from my SM-N900V using Tapatalk

[StraightUp_OG]

I don't think that stepconf has joystick controller. The first time I tried something I found it on the LinuxCNC forums it was a huge PIA. I would post a link but this is SO MUCH easier I won't waist your time.

I know you got yours dialed in but if anybody out there ends up with mesa cards I tried the usb joystick set up on pncconf. A Sony wireless ps3 controller will not work when plugged in with a usb cord. I'm wondering if the cord is just for charging and all the signals are bluetooth.

This Sabrent brand gamepad from amazon however

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00AEWTSWU/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

worked great, it's only $10.

Here's a shot of the pinouts I'm using. Pretty easy to set up.

Ecstatic with having a pendant. Thanks StraightUp for motivating me to get one working.

@Toolguy you're absolutely right its great to have one!! So much easier to set things up.

Kevin

Very nice man! It's sweet to have the freedom when just doing something quick and easy on mill. It's really Toolguy that got us off the snide!

Edited December 31, 2014 by StraightUp_OG

[CJDOUBLETAP]

To get a better finish I would try holding the slide in the vise so that the ends are not hanging out. Just mill it with the serrations centered in the vise in 2 different setups so you will have better rigidity. You can also try holding the slide between a pair of 6inch long, tall, .500 thick parallels to "extend the jaws" and help control the vibration if you want to use 1 setup. Also hold the slide as deep in the vise as possible. Make sure the endmill is chucked up in the collet within .100 of the top of the flutes. For a finish pass I would go with a .002 depth of cut, 5 IPM feed rate and 2500 RPM spindle speed (assuming a 3/16 carbide endmill). If you can flush the chips with a strong air blast and no coolant on the finishing passes that will also help the finish. Milling over chips will really hurt the quality of finish you get. If you are still having trouble getting the chips to clear, rough the serrations leaving .002 on the walls and floors. Switch to a new, sharp endmill smaller than the width of the serrations, take multiple passes, and climb mill to finish the serrations. This will help the finish on the side walls more than anything because the chips will have room the clear. I'm not sure if you can on your mill but if possible raise the table up closer to the spindle so the spindle won't have to extend as far from the head of the mill.

If your mill has locks on the x,y, and z axis you can just lightly snug them down and feed through them, this will help tame the vibrations especially when taking deep roughing or forming cuts.

Remember that a good finish will not necessarily be "shiny." If you are getting a shiny finish it is probably because you are taking too light of a cut and/or using a dull cutter. The cutter is just rubbing the surface of the steel and not cutting.

[msg73]

I just got the 5"x7" adjustable angle plate from StraightUp_OG's link: http://www.ebay.com/itm/271405319144?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I decided to stick with the jig and return the angle plate. It cost me $65+$18 shipping. I figured I'll see if someone here wants it first and save $18 on shipping. $65 shipped (which is what I would get back from returning it to the vendor)