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best 1/16 bit??

Discussion in 'Original Phlatprinter MODIFICATIONS' started by TAS Foamies, Feb 23, 2012.

  1. TAS Foamies

    TAS Foamies New Member

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    Hey guys, Im liking how the 1/8" bit works, but I'm thinking of going thinner for things like control horn slots etc. What do you guys reccomend?

    Thanks guys!!!!
     
    TAS Foamies, Feb 23, 2012
    #1
  2. rcav8r

    rcav8r Moderator Staff Member

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    For foam & balsa I use the 1/16" bit from the kit Mark and Trish sell. It's kinda of like a rasp, but not like the 1/8" bit Hard to explain, but it appears to sand more than cut if that makes sense.

    For Aircraft ply, I use a 2 or 4 flute straight bit from Enco. I'm sure there is a difference, and all, but I really can't see much of a difference between the two when it comes to cut quality. Both use the same feed rate as I use the same profile when creating the G-Code. Maybe this is because the 2 flute is more worn than the 4 as I was using it a lot more when I first started using my PPP (back in the old MK1.0 days)
    If you do get them from Enco, grab one of each as they are cheap enough and you can see what will work best for you and your setup/materials. The seem to last forever too as they were deigned to cut metal. Like I said I got mine back when I got the MK1.0 and I'm still using them with no noted drop in performance.

    oh yea, almost forgot. There's a speeds/feeds table posted somewhere on here. It has a column for bit size, material, feed rate.
     
    rcav8r, Feb 23, 2012
    #2
  3. TAS Foamies

    TAS Foamies New Member

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    Wow, Awesome! My biggest problem is that I want to cut thin lines and cut fine corners, but I also have alot of pocket work done on all the TAS Foamies. Ill have to look into it. I also would like to look into a 45deg bit for bevels and such, that would rock! Thanks so much for your help!!!!!
     
    TAS Foamies, Feb 23, 2012
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  4. rcav8r

    rcav8r Moderator Staff Member

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    I don't do foam much, but a V-bit would be great for hing lines and such on the foamies... (although Mark showed a way with a straight bit by milling bit width lines that had incremental depths)

    That and homing switches so you could do tool changes to cut with the fine bit, and mill with say a 1/4" bit.
     
    rcav8r, Feb 23, 2012
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  5. TAS Foamies

    TAS Foamies New Member

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    I used to hand router out my foamies with a 1/4" bit haha. sure it was fast, but it was still work lol. What do you mean by homing switches?
     
    TAS Foamies, Feb 23, 2012
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  6. rcav8r

    rcav8r Moderator Staff Member

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    THe way I understand it... You mount switches where you want home.(obviously the X is not need for the PhlatPrinter) Then define it (in Mach3, or I'm guessing you can do so in the CNC software also) Then you can make your tool change ( I know I need to raise the Z and will probably move the Y). Then press the go to home button, and it will go back to home so you can start at EXACTLY the same spot every time.
    I'm sure you could carefully do it without the switches by raising the Z with the program, and being careful NOT to move the Y when changing the bit. I am fairly confident I would somehow find a way to screw it up.

    Hopefully some one who has actually done this will chime in.
     
    rcav8r, Feb 23, 2012
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  7. TigerPilot

    TigerPilot Well-Known Member

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    Tomas, a homing switch is a limit switch that you put, in our case in the y and z axis', that prevent the gantry to go over the the physical travel capacity of the machine. You have to install two on each axis, for each direction of travel, and one of them you use also as the homing switch. Every time the gantry hit that switch you know you are at absolute zero of that axis.
     
    TigerPilot, Feb 24, 2012
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  8. TAS Foamies

    TAS Foamies New Member

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    Ah, Im definetly going to look into it, Id love to be able to switch bit's in the middle! Thanks guys!!!!!
     
    TAS Foamies, Feb 26, 2012
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