Hi Joe - Most of my work is 3D profiling. So, yes, the first segment after a plunge into a new level is cutting a slot which is 100% of the bit diameter, which causes a higher load on the machine. But all subsequent toolpath segments at that level are done at 40% overlap. Meaning that the width of the new material cut on each pass is 40% of the bit diameter.
Cristian - It looks like your CAM software provides many settings for tool path generation.
Fusion 360? I might have to give that a try.
Yep, fusion 360. Works like a charm 
So my problem with Easel and aluminum has been that I’ve been going too slow? I have the Shapeoko 2 with a Dewalt spindle and a SuperPID controller for the rpms. I’ve never considered trying to go 30ipms or anything close to that. I think 10ipms was the most I tried. This was with an uncoated 2-flute.
I tried the 4-flute that came with the Shapeoko 2, but it ended up getting chalked full of aluminum slag and ultimately threw the work piece.
I think that the more flutes you have, the faster you have to go to make up for that. This is why most people choose a single flute bit when doing aluminum. I have had more success going faster at the conservative depth of cut, slower and deeper cut.
Turns out awesome. My settings now are around 25 ipm at .003" with a two flute upcut or similar.
I’m still in the process of putting a machine together but when I do I will be using Boelube to cut or engrave aluminium. Before I retired I worked for a sign company with an 8’ x 6’ Multicam CNC and we went through a period of snapping cutters on 5mm aluminium because of swarf welded to the cutting edges of 2 flute cutters. We called the supplier, who sent a tech guy to check all our feed rates etc. and he brought with him a small bottle of Boelube with him. After just coating the surface of the work piece with the liquid the job ran as smooth as silk and at a faster feed rate and we always used it after that. It’s not cheap but nor are good quality cutters or ruined material. I am not connected to Boelube suppliers in any way just a happy user.
1 Like
A little oil made my aluminum cutting jobs so much more forgiving (and faster), so I can believe that an aluminum specific lube would be a big help. But the oil did make a mess. I plan to try delivering a very low concentration of Boelube with this, hoping to minimize lube contamination of the XCarve.
I am using that now. FYI - at the home depot there is a air compressor accessory kit with a yellow coiled hose. It just so happens that if you cut it, it fits right into that blue fitting. I have an electric air valve that comes on when the spindle turns on. I am not using it with lube. Everything seems to be cutting fine without lube.
Sorry to reawaken the thread, I was using those settings and I got some chatter on my machine using a 1/8" 2 flute upspiral flat end mill. (I did the 30 min mod for my x axis and the z axis eccentric nut switch out).
Any advice on how to adjust? Should I lower the DeWalt setting or slow my feed? These bits are so pricey I’d prefer not to break them. Thanks.
I recently had my first try at some 6061 aluminum and it also didn’t go too well.
My settings:
1/4 inch two flute upcut spiral
40 IPM
.005 DOC
dewalt setting 1 (16000)
The project was trying to cut a 2 inch circle 3/4 inch thick. After 15-20 minutes I tried to touch the aluminum and it was very hot. I paused the carve and felt the bit and it was just barely warm. I resumed the carve and a few minutes later I started to get some chatter and eventually it got real bad and start taking chunks out of the side wall that it had already cut. I’m fairly certain the chattering caused it to lose some steps.
Question 1: should the aluminum block get hot even if the bit doesn’t? The block was FAR too hot to touch.
Question 2: Based on this thread I think I should maybe decrease to .003 DOC and the IPM to 35 also?
Keep your speed up. Keep it at 40 ipm. Take your doc lower. Start at .001" and work up from there. If it is not working, your machine is not rigid enough for this operation.
1 Like
Will do. I did the 30 minute X axis (bolts between the makerslide) and have planned to do the 60 minute (steel bars on top and bottom) and also adding 2x2 angle bracket between Y axis and wasteboard to stiffen the Y. I’ll do those first and then try again.
Under normal condition (resulting in a good cut) should the material heat up?
Mine didn’t. I’m not sure what that means. Dull bit? Also, just sandwich a steel plate between the two x axis makerslides. It doesn’t take long and is fool proof. These other mods make no sense. 3/16" steel plate, make a sandwich, drill through it, Bolt together, use furniture bolts. Then, when it is all together, shave the ends square on your squared up chop saw. On the Y, you just need one good angle bracket midway on each side.
The mods make sense to us, especially considering you are assuming people have access to a drill press or whatever and a chop saw, which some of us don’t. (Smaller apartment in a city without space for all that shit.) So we’re doing what we can; maybe don’t be a jerk about it?
Theo, that may be the case, but I believe Ear was just offering his honest advice. I read and re-read his post and unless he modified it, I heard nothing in it that justified you taking your rage out on him. Everyone asks and gives their time on these boards to continually improve their machines and the products they make. If you come up with a problem of sourcing a mod, say so. You’d probably get someone to jump in and help you further your objectives. Ill be willing to help you regardless. What major city are you located by? I might be able to find a resource to help with the mod.
Although convenient, you don’t have to have the chop saw or drill press. You can use a piece of steel that is shorter than the makerslides, and it’s possible to drill the holes with a hand drill. Not the most accurate solution, but there’s no need to get .001" accuracy on the drilling. Just drill a larger hole in the steel so you have some wiggle room as necessary.
If you don’t have the Y axes stiffened, you definitely need to take your DOC down to .001" and see how that works. Also make sure your cut path is cleared after the bit passes, if there are chips left in the path then the bit ends up re-cutting them, which dulls the bit and causes the chips to rub on the material. The rubbing will cause a poor surface finish, and can cause the material to heat up more than it normally would.
2 Likes
@CoreyMitchell If you send me your two x-axis Makerslides, I’ll perform the steel mod for you and square up the ends and ship it back to you no charge. How’s that @TheoRetos?
P.S. Socks.
2 Likes
Thanks I appreciate the offer but I should be able to manage. The aluminum isn’t a big deal for me right now so I’m in no hurry.
I had good luck (clean cuts and no destroyed bits) using Easel at these settings:
- 1/4" 2-flute endmill
- Dewalt at speed setting 3
- Feedrate 650 - 800mm/min
- plunge rate 228mm/min
- DOC .2mm
These settings and wiping the cut path with a Q-tip soaked in clean motor oil worked nicely. Here is a picture showing a pocketing operation in progress and a completed contour and small facing pass.
I disagree, but I think it’s because we are reading it differently. I read his original post as, “Why would you do that other senseless thing when you should just do my thing with the power tools you should obviously have in your home shop?” That’s why it doesn’t sound good to me, b/c it’s unfair to assume we all have access to the same tools and space, and to imply that anything short of that is a senseless maneuver sounded mean. I really wish I had access to those kinds of tools, but unfortunately I don’t and this machine was an enormous purchase for me anyway. 
I understand how you read it differently, so I promise to be more intentional when stating I don’t have access to certain tools.
@Earwigger But it’s all good now, the offer to do the work was very nice, I appreciate it a lot. 
I’ll have an answer after these questions. I’m actually very thankful for all the help on the forums and say so every time. (My family is filled with mechanics and contractors so I 100% believe in the “pay it forward, pay it back” karma around help.)
My ultimate goal with the X Carve was to cut aluminum, so I have some follow up questions:
-
The 30 min mod actually doesn’t actually create that much play. ~1mm & that’s with me pulling hard up on the Z. Should there be ZERO? Will the steel mods make it effectively zero?
-
Is the Y mod just angle brackets or if I’m going to do it is there something I should really be doing here?
-
Below are some photos of the cut, the top was supposed to be a perfect circle, but as you can see the sides of the circle were a tad long. This has happened to me on some recent wood cuts too. (Checked the belts and pulleys and those seemed fine and I adjusted the pots.)
-
For all the folks who help, I promise if you ever come to the Bay Area I will buy you a beer as a hearty thank you.
