CNC Milled Aluminum Sun Visor Thingy

[Ranchero50]

OK, spent the last ocuple hours adding lots of code to try and get the part running smoother and it almost worked. Everything is doing well until it goes into the inside. I'm up over 400 lines of code now;




And the updated part. The tool still started chattering in the cut. I need to get the metal out of the way. It was suggested to do a ton of light depth cuts for the inside pockets and I may end up with that. Today I tried making a wide pocket so only a little bit of the tool was in the cut and I think it may work with some more tinkering.



I'll play with it some more tomorrow evening. I have too much to do during the daylight to sit in the garage playing on the mill. Of course if it was running part that'd be different.

Jamie

[my1stf-100]

hey jamie do you have a cnc are a 2 axis or 3 axis mill G codes nice i had to learn all of that just take your time and it will turn out nice i have been machining for only two years but love it. hagerstown use to race on the duel when i was a kid that was like back in 95

[Ranchero50]

Little bigger than the Enco's. 1991 vintage Bridgeport 308 running BT30 tooling, eight tool changer, 8k spindle running G-code. The CAD stuff is generated on BobCAD Version 18 (yes it sucks). Copy the .txt file on a floppy and dos load it onto the mill.



The only problem I'm having with this part is doing a 1.75" depth of cut in 6061 that will keep the tool alive. 800rpm, 3ipm, .030" per pass roughing.

The dome lamp bezel kits and the ash tray pulls machined out great.


I played with it a little bit last night with the .406" drill and I'm going to build another mini program for the inside cuts. The mill will do macro's too so I may play with that as well.

Jamie

[my1stf-100]

i have esprit 2008 if you want to look at it and pcnc let me know ill bring them over if you want to take a look at the programs it might some things easyer for you

[Ranchero50]

Ok, I'm game. BobCAD isn't a terrible program, just buggy and not very user friendly. I work at Quad Graphics and will be off Thursday through Sunday.

Jamie

[my1stf-100]

thats cool out by 19th hole i live in hedgesville ill give you a call let you try the programs out

[Ranchero50]

Spent some more time today adding lines to slow down the cutting in the center, 600 or so... I hope to try them out tomorrow.

Jamie

[Ranchero50]

OK, been a while. I wasn't happy with how the parts were coming out with a long end mill so I redid the fixture and program to do the opposite side of two parts in one cut process, then flip the parts side for side and cut again. Taking .050" cuts at 25 inches per minute at 2500rpm worked out great. I did a loop function in the program to do the .050" depth cut 17 times.

I went ahead and wrote up the program to rough mill the top edge and then fly cut it smooth as well. So now I have to down to three setups and four cut processes. Still took 25 minutes per cut process today, it's two parts per hour. I may play with the depth of cut to speed it up some, but the parts are turning out really nice. As always, the decent camera has dead batteries so you get the fuzzy phone pics...


Two parts after the first step. The part on the left has the extra step to add the divider bar. The countersunk hole in the center of the fixture is for X0", Y1.00" position reference so I can resetup quickly once I put the fixture in the vise.


A fuzzy close up. Notice the mounting allen bolt holding the part to the fixture.


Six of the eight good parts I made today Took about eight hours to fine tune the program to get good parts that fit. The original program had the openings too tight for the visor tips to go in easily. Now they fit and hold a lot better.


Last two pics are todays bonus... Freebie '92 vintage Cub Cadet 1015 with a 32" deck and a 11hp briggs with no compression. Pulled the head and it was severely warped by the valves. The PO had added some dead soft aluminum to the head gasket to try and make it work. Used the fly cutter on the mill to tune it back into shape. Notice the head gasket...


And the freebie. I have $30 in two front tubes and a couple bucks in the head gasket. Thing even had decent gas in it. I need a key and to get the wiring working so it'll start off the key once the battery takes a charge.


OK, so tomorrow I need to run down to the farm and test fit the parts on some of the trucks down there. How ironic that my holes are drilled crooked from the factory... Wish I would have noticed before I painted it and put the glass back in.

Jamie

[stangconv]

Looking good!!

Send me one!!!

[Joshpow]

Lookin good. Keep us posted.

[marz68]

I need to get me a CNC looks like a lot of fun.
So how much are the visor thingy's?

[Ranchero50]

More better pictures from a real camera. I didn't get to fit them in the other trucks yesterday. Instead I resealed part of the house roof, drilled and planted a buggered gate post 4x4, put the mower back together and got it running and worked on a friends T5 that likes to stay in fourth. Maybe today since it's raining.



Funny, this is a pic of one of the clips I messed up on... The depth cut was too deep on each side and cut the center out.










My $42 lawn mover. $30 for a pair of front tubes, $8.50 for the gasket and $3.50 for an ignition key. Look on the twelve year olds face when he got to run it around was priceless.


As for price I don't know yet, the material for the prototypes was free (scrap recycled). Probably around $30 each since they take so long to make. I'll polish the face and sides before they go. I need to figure out what a 1" x 2" x 12' stick of 6061 is worth right now.

Jamie

[MAK]

Great work!

[Ranchero50]

OK, weird day, snow and sleet and rain all mixed together... Went to the farm, that was fun and muddy...

From the drivers position. Ironically this truck has the holes drilled off center and crooked too... Why me?


One concern is the center rib may be too thick since the visor tip hits it when put away on this truck. Of course they are supposed to be movable.






'72 F600 wrecker. 391 4bbl, five up front and two out back. Absolutely no suspension travel.


Tomorrow is the last day of a seven off period. I'll try to get some pricing info on the aluminum for this project. I have eight good parts so far. I have a bunch of the dome lamp bezels made up and a couple ash tray pulls left. Pirices are definately going up next year.

Jamie

[bjde0b]

Ironically, the holes for my visor holder are **** eyed as well.