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Brady many thanks for your advice.
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I have found the Vortex Tool smart phone app to be very helpful. It can give you bit recommendations based on material type and thickness, bit diameter, spindle horsepower and type of cut (through or dado). The bit recommendations come with chip load information. There are also calculators to work out chip load, feed rate and rpm.
I don't know if they make an IOS version of the app but the Android version can be seen here:
Vortex Tool App
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DBDesign,
What Brady said is solid info, read it, then put an 1/8" bit in your tool and cut a piece of scrap. Just do some circles. Layout a bunch of them in the scrap you are using, make sure your hold down is good. As the circles cut hold down the "shift" key and press the ">" key to speed up your MS. I suggest you continue to ramp up the MS until you break the bit. You should then see how far you can push that bit in that situation (remember to always use the shortest cutting bit per job you can)
On the other hand you could chuck up a 1/2" cutter and start plowing things up and stall the machine, this will also teach you limits.
I have done all of the above tons of times accidentally. But as much as breaking stuff is aggrivating you learn what you did wrong each time.......( I just broke a $45 onsrud bit today because of operator error)
In the end you re gonna break bits, they are consumable.
Dave
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Don,
Same as you on software rpm control. so I asked Shopbot and got Ryan's answer within 2 hours(got to love the support);
12/3/13
to dianne, me
Scott,
It was in an effort to keep the cost of the Desktop down. We do have this on the list to have as an option, but do not have a completion day set. Rewriting a section of the software is what is the hold up. The proto call to the Desktop VFD is not the same as that of the Gantry machines (they do not speak the same language).
The spindle RPM controller was not offered on the Gantry machines until the ATC (Automatic Tool Changer) was released. The RMP controller is needed on the ATC because the RMP would most likely need change with the cutter, and the operator may not be there to make the adjustment when the tool change occurs. With a none ATC the operator will be there every time the cutter is changed. You can add a pause statement to the file to post a message telling the operator what to set the RMP to. This pause can also be added to the post so you would not need to edit the files.
I hope this helps to explain.
Ryan Patterson
ShopBot Tools, Inc.
3333 Industrial Drive
Durham, NC 27704
(919)680-4800
David,
You made me smile.
What Brady said about cut quality is dead nut correct.
I always think I'm cutting too slow compared to you guys and had just cut a PERFECT batch of buttons, but thought to maybe make a separate file for Maple/Walnut(vs. Bloodwood) to speed things up on the Cutout. So on last 20 buttons on second batch I SHift > .1IPS every pair of buttons. By the time I reached the last pair I was thinking "NOW we're cooking!"
It was hot and I was tired, and forgot all the testing I had done way back when I first started with 1.25" circles.
Last 20 will all need extra sanding, and last 10 a LOT and will probably be out of round(flat vs endgrain sanding) and smaller diameter:(
Probably trashed as you'd be amazed at how little you have be out of round before someone says "Why are these ones different?"
To save 4 minutes on cutout, I CREATED an extra half hour sanding this morning:)
Everybody's needs are different.
Me, I'm lazy and HATE sanding!
DID find out that GF Woodturners Finish (water based PU 3 coats) was better than lacquer as far as clean release of carpet tape with NO residue,
so I'm calling yesterday a win!
Just a pic of the Slow batch.
Going back to being a slowpoke.
scott
