Adding new tool/ Sabre cutting

[pclscl@netup.cl]

I am interested in adding a 2nd. Z-axis tool carriage fitted with a "CUTOWL"Co.(a division of J.F.Helmold & Bro.,
Inc./www.helmold.com) cutting tool .
They say to have a customer (Shopbot tool?, anybody out there?)with a 3-axis table using one Cutowl.
This tool looks very promising when you need a sabre type cutting tool. The cutting head swivels around 360 degrees following
carriage movement direction, leaving jigsaw type cuts.
Will apreciate inputs with Cutowl experiences.

[Gerald D]

Interesting tool the Cutawl (small spelling difference).

See photo on:

http://www.displaycostume.com/products/111097.jpg

This found after Google.com search on Cutawl

Looks like it is hand-held like a router, therefore can see no reason why ShopBot won't handle it. Maybe a little bulky as a 2-nd Z, will depend on Cutawl size and space available behind 1st Z.

[birdsofplay]

Hmmm ? intersting, but ...

Is the point a smaller kerf ?
Otherwise a smaller router bit would do just as well.

I would suspect that only large radius cuts
would be possible, depending on blade width.
ie. Square corners would be out of the question

And what about plunging into material ?
Your cut-starting points would have to be Off
the material otherwise.
I suppose starting holes could be done with the 1st axis.

Intersting ...
Keep us posted on what you discover

[props@themeprops.com]

Gerald, Bob and Bill,
I've been using the Cutawl for about fifteen years. The joyous advantage of this tool is that it will plunge and cut and do as tight a curve as you can. The best medium(s) for this tool are usually soft goods, fabrics(sandwiched in card board) or paperboards such as homosote or upson board. My shopbot is a week old and I am already thinking of how to adapt one of my cutawls to the mounting bracket.

[Gerald D]

I seem to remember that there was another contribution to this topic after Bob's last post, and before Bruce's. Was this removed by the moderators? (if it existed at all.....)

[srd1@bright.net]

Bill,
I have a cutawl and a shopbot. To make the cutawl really work well with the shopbot you would have to have an axis that will turn your blade and keep it parallel with the cut. The blade won't turn on it's own on a smaller radius, it will just bend and make your cut out of sqaure with the board.I make steel rule dies and the cheapest cnc die saw is $140.000!!! And a laser is even worse!! The width of my cut has to be .028 so a router bit is out of the question. I called shopbot and asked them if there was any way to make an axis that would turn the blade while it was cutting and they promptly said no way. But after doing some research I am well on my way to making this work. I bought a program that has the capabilities to make this happen for $895.00. The rest of the set up is costing me aprox. $1200.00. One axis will have the router with the drill bit that will drill the starter holes for the blade first. The other axis will turn the saw blade in the direction of the cut at all times while it is cutting. The blade raising and lowering into the board is controlled by a pneumatic cylinder that is controlled by one of the 4 switches in the shopbot controller, There is some fabrication that has to be done to your cutawl of course. And you would need a small air compressor. I don't know what your application is, but this set up will do the exact same thing as a $140.000 Kongsberg die saw will, it just doesn't look quite as pretty doing it!! And by the way, right now I am using my shopbot to make 4 point dies (.056 slots) with a bit that will cut through 5/8 birch with one pass at pretty impressive speeds.

[sheldon@dingwallguitars.com]

Greg,

What are you using for the .056" bit? What RPM are you running it at?

[davidallen]

any opinions on mounting a jigsaw on (or just below) the table? if you used a spiral blade, you could then hold the wood with the z-axis and cut with small kerfs.

da

[douglas]

The Cutawl from my experience will not plumb.
A lower guide has to be installed is it worth the trouble?
My die making intentions are in line with Gerber Scientific Innovations. Route from the middle with a 1/32" shaper bit then lam together?