don_roy
01-13-2014, 10:58 AM
I' have heard of cutting Aluminum and brass and other materials but never cast iron.
It started out that I had a craftsman jointer, that I had used in the beginning of my wood working days. As I started to get more skilled I was not happy with the quality of the joints I was producing with my jointer. No matter what adjustments I made I either got a bow or a crown on the edge of the board:mad:. So about this time I started other projects that did not require a jointer. My Jointer sat in the corner gathering dust. The time came around to spruce up all my tools to make them as good as I could. the jointer was last. I finally had the time to scrutinize all aspects of the machine:confused:. Bing a retired machinest and Machine tool builder I tore the jointer apart and started rebuilding it from scratch using parts available.
Finally came to the in feed table. While putting a striate on the surface I noticed that there was about a .02 of an inch bowed towards the middle making the surface con caved.
I contemplated taking it to a local machine shop and started thing of their hourly charge. I didn't know if the machine was worth it. All of a sudden I glanced at by bot and realized I could fix it there.
It took about 30 minutes to get the job done. I had a speed reducer for my router so I was able to get the router down to about 8000rpm which is a little fast for a 3/8 3flute carbide end mill and at about 1.5 ins/sec and .002-.003 depth of cut. Any faster and it sounded like a bell ringing. the surface is now flat within a .001 of an inch:). My Shopbot is about 2003 with a 4g up grade and serves me very will:).
I'm happy to day I now have a cabinet grade jointer that gives a fine straight edge.
Never under estimate the power of a Shopbot.
Don
It started out that I had a craftsman jointer, that I had used in the beginning of my wood working days. As I started to get more skilled I was not happy with the quality of the joints I was producing with my jointer. No matter what adjustments I made I either got a bow or a crown on the edge of the board:mad:. So about this time I started other projects that did not require a jointer. My Jointer sat in the corner gathering dust. The time came around to spruce up all my tools to make them as good as I could. the jointer was last. I finally had the time to scrutinize all aspects of the machine:confused:. Bing a retired machinest and Machine tool builder I tore the jointer apart and started rebuilding it from scratch using parts available.
Finally came to the in feed table. While putting a striate on the surface I noticed that there was about a .02 of an inch bowed towards the middle making the surface con caved.
I contemplated taking it to a local machine shop and started thing of their hourly charge. I didn't know if the machine was worth it. All of a sudden I glanced at by bot and realized I could fix it there.
It took about 30 minutes to get the job done. I had a speed reducer for my router so I was able to get the router down to about 8000rpm which is a little fast for a 3/8 3flute carbide end mill and at about 1.5 ins/sec and .002-.003 depth of cut. Any faster and it sounded like a bell ringing. the surface is now flat within a .001 of an inch:). My Shopbot is about 2003 with a 4g up grade and serves me very will:).
I'm happy to day I now have a cabinet grade jointer that gives a fine straight edge.
Never under estimate the power of a Shopbot.
Don