I've been waiting years...

[steve]

i've been waiting years...to be able to cut this. A post with a profile and reeds. My old bot just wouldn't cut it (cable machine)

2253

[toddmaci]

Very nice. What did you use to create the toolpaths?

Todd

[myxpykalix]

Yes Stephen....DETAILS!! This looks like something cut on a indexer? Someone was asking about something like this a while ago and we were trying to figure out the best way to toolpath this (using a profile, maybe?) and then the type of bit to create the reeds that look like on the bottom they are staraight lines but flare out to make a wider reed at the top, or is that just an optical illusion?
What is the size of this piece? Tell us how you made the toolpaths and bits used? Good job!

[scottbot]

Stephen,
That looks GREAT!
Nice work.

Scott

[sailfl]

Stephen,

Very nice work. Yes more info.

[steve]

This is a test piece , in poplar. The basic shape was done in partworks and on the indexer. The reeds however took some manual programing as they have to be cut from the side of the turning not the top , as well I used a long 5" custom cutter.
The reeds are not the same width. The width depends on the dia. of the blank.
This will be a comerical product for me. I will be doing table/island legs , bun feet , smaller and larger pedistals using this method.

[myxpykalix]

I have used this bit on my manual Legacy unit but haven't experimented with cutting from the side on my indexer yet. What is the degee of distance or space between each reed? Is it just a optical illusion or do the reeds splay out and look fatter at the top, and how did you achieve that?

2254

2255

[steve]

Jack - that's the bit! I'm going to take the bearing off next time.
The degree of rotation depends on the dia. of the turning at the point that you want the reed to be the correct size ,ie: 3/8 bit = 3/8 reed. The different size of the reed from one dia. to another will take care of itself. I usualy use the small or very near the small dia. In my turning the small dia. was 5. something inches .
Anyway here is the formula.

(dia. * 3.14159)/(rad. of bit *2) this gives you the number of pases the bit needs to make. This number is offten not a whole number , I just round up or down.
THEN divide 360 deg by the number of passes .

ie: 5*3.14159=15.71 , 15.71/.375=41.89 , or 42 passes.
360 / 42 = 8.57deg of rotation per pass.

Clear as mud?

[myxpykalix]

huh?? You're talkin to a guy who just barely got thru readin, ritin, rithmatic and the only pi I know has a cherry in it.

(dia. * 3.14159)/- Does this mean-diameter of part TIMES (3.14)?

(rad. of bit *2) This means the radius of the bit in its cutting WIDTH, (not depth of cut) TIMES 2?

Now after you figure all that out how are you programming the toolpath?

Am I on the right track so far?

Is this illustration how you made your toolpath?



2256

[steve]

Jack-
yes and yes
the toolpath for the bit is the same curve I used to make the toolpath for cutting the shape. I then added movements to move the bit into and out of the work.

pink line is vector for cutting basic shape , blue line is toolpath for reeding bit.
2257

[mikeacg]

Stephen,

Did you start with a block or cylinder - and how big is this part? If so, how did you rough it down before you started cutting the reeds?

I am learning so much from this forum! Thanks for sharing!!

Mike

[steve]

michael , I started with a square post , 7.5" cut off the corners then turned a cylinder then turned the shape then cut the reeds.

[tkovacs]

Beautiful piece.

[myxpykalix]

Did you use the "turn a shape using a partwizard profile" wizard in the virtual tools to create your shape?

[steve]

Jack , Yes