Indexer parts

[gundog]

I am buying the indexer for 4x8 standard model and I want to make this part. I will be useing a router for my cutter is this part feasable with a router? The material is 6061 AL 1" dia. I plan to buy the Milwaukee router rather than the PC if that makes any difference. I think the Milwaukee has better speed control but I am not sure I am mostly going with the Milwaukee for the lesser noise level I have heard reported. I have another part to make on the indexer for now so I am not buying it specifically for this part doing this part would be a bonus. If I need to get the spindle to do this part I will do that a little later.
Thanks Mike

http://www.ifish.net/gallery/data/500/medium/DSC04385.JPG

[gundog]

Has anyone ever considered mounting one of these spindles on the bot? My thought is to buy the mini mill and canibalize the spindle and motor fabricate a mount for machining aluminum.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=44991

[stevem]

You can buy the complete mini-mill head from littlemachineshop.com and save the cost of the rest of the mill.

[gundog]

That is cool Steve I wonder if it has ever been put on a Shopbot or if the weight of the head would be an issue. I am thinking that part I showed above might work well with this type head and it can be bought for the price of a router. I would not replace the router with that head permanetly but rather change to it when maching that part or other aluminum. The specs say that spindle head weighs 38#.
Mike

[bcammack]

A 5HP Colombo weighs approx. 30#

[br928]

Michael,

I machined quite a bit of 6061 Al with my PC router on my last project. Most of it was 1/4" and 1/2" plate. I did the whole job with one 1/4" Onsrud Super O bit and it still has some life in it. I was impressed. I am not sure why you would need a mill head unless you move to steel and then you have a cooling problem. I did use a vortex cold air gun for spot cooling, but I think this did more for clearing the chips than cooling. The chips themselves carry most of the heat away. Let a few of the chips land on your arm while cutting and you will understand.

[Brady Watson]

"Let a few of the chips land on your arm while cutting..." Yep...feels great!


Just be sure to wear your safety glasses...Keep them on even after the cutting is done. In many cases, especially with vacuum hold down, the chips can fly into your eyeballs without rhyme or reason.

-B

[gundog]

Stan,
What RPM were you running the router at when machining the 6061 Al?

The reason I was looking at the small mill head is when I talked to The guy @ Shopbot he said he would not recomend milling the aluminum with a router and I do not have the extra $$ at first for for a spindle so I was thinking this would make a good option. I will try the router first and if that doesn't work I will either buy the small mill head or buck up for a spindle.

I have a UHMW roller to make on the indexer and that is the main reason for buying the indexer. I am spending $10 a roller now to have that part machined and I do 50 or so a month last month we did 100 so you can see the indexer will be paid for quite quickly.
Mike

[Brady Watson]

Mike,
You can run 13,000 to 15,000 and between 1 and 2 In/Sec (with ramped entry in Z) with your PC router. Routers bog...spindles don't - that being the main issue when routing AL. I have set many customers up running a PC router to cut AL. A spindle is preferred, but not necessary if you want to just get going until you can afford one.

-B

[br928]

Michael,
Brady is right on with the speed and feed. The router will not develop the HP of a spindle and will bog down. I had to limit my passes to 1/16" even though the bit specs said it would do 1/4". It's just something you have to fine tune to get the finish quality you are looking for. The router is quite capable of the cuts you described.