Hello Everyone,

I don't know for sure where I should post as my "Phlatprinter" is not a real Phlatprinter, but I'm hoping to have as many sets of eyes find my post as possible, so I'm placing it here.

Here's a link to my Wannabe Hybrid post, in case anyone's curious enough to have a look at what I built: http://www.phlatforum.com/xenforo/posts/37107/

I got all the bugs worked out and have been cutting 3D Puzzles from $$$ Tree Foam Board with great success. I've been using a plain old drill bit for a rotary cutter on the foam board.

Recently, I picked up some nice used carbide router bits from eBay. They all are 1/8" shank . I've included a picture of a couple of them as examples. The first one pictured is a 1mm fluted fishtail bit. I have others similar to this in different diameters. I also picked up a few that have a drill point. Also, as I'm not clear on the technical name for this other type of bit pictured it has more of a diamond shaped cross hatch pattern for cutting.

Is anyone who has a bottom up cutting style Phlatprinter; theMkI or MkII, cutting balsa wood on their machine and can you in as much detail as you care to divulge, describe the settings you use and the type of guiding mechanism used to align the balsa sheets in the machine? I'm more the visual type of learner, so the more pictures the better.

Thanks,

g

 

Here's how I've decided to mount the balsa sheets in the machine. Since I'm set up to cut sheets of $$$ Tree Foam Board with guides in place for that size sheet. All I'll have to do is make a cutout in a sheet of the $$$ Tree foam board the same dimension as the size of the balsa and use that as a carrier to position the balsa sheet for cutting. I've included a crude to drawing to illustrate how I'll go about it.

I'll just have to sacrifice some balsa I suppose to figure out tool sizes and feed rates. I'm hoping someone might weigh in with settings they've used.

 

I have been using the $tree foam as carrier all the time. I use it to cut wood, like 3/4" hardwood, MDF and so on. It's the only way to get a good traction. I use spray can glue to stick the wood to the paper on the foam. Don't bother to cut a pocket in the foam. When I cut a narrow piece of wood I put it on one side of the printer and put another piece, the same thickness, on the other side so that the pressure bars sit evenly. Otherwise I get shifting.

As for tool size, I use mainly 1/16" bits. Make shallow cuts. Start with low speeds, 30ipm and go up from there if you feel the machine can make it.

 

Hey thanks for the advice.

Do you have any pictures of your setup with the wood or MDF mounted? As previously stated, I tend to be more the visual and less visualize type of information processor.

 

Thanks, rcav8r. That's also some useful detailed info I can use.

I was thinking about 1mm cuts which would require approx. 3 passes for a sheet of 1/8" balsa and plywood. Your recommendation of 3/32" passes are around 2.5 times what I was thinking. Part of my dilemma is in that my stepper motors aren't as powerful as what the PPMk1.5 uses. I can't use as much roller down force to hold the material. I guess what I'm trying to say is that in order to make the same DOC on my machine as what you would use it will most likely require more surface area to maintain traction on the rollers rather than a dependance on weight from above to prevent slipping. So the carrier sheet might be a necessity in my particular case.

I do appreciate the information. I just need to find me some scrap and make some test runs to find out what it can tolerate.

I hope everyone had a Merry Christmas and good wishes from me to all of you on the New Year.

g