Large Scale Central

Cutting some Styrene with my CNC

Modeling Technical Modeling
#1

Thought I would post up some of my plastic experiments. I’ve been working with some 1/8 inch styrene sheets. I’m trying to cut out a generic sort of N&W depot (for reference- Winfall Virginia depot from the Virginia Tech Archives at http://spec.lib.vt.edu/imagebase/norfolksouthern/full/ns1130.jpeg). I’ve melted more than a couple of sheets into a mess but I think I’m finally getting the hang of it. I’m using a 3 flute soft media bit from precise bits, MM3I8-0370-017F and running it at 7500 RPM with a 25 inches per min feed rate. For engraving the grooves for the .080 square strips I can do a single pass but to cut all the way through the .125 sheet I have to do three passes .030 deeper each time. If I go deeper or faster I get a melted mess. Nasty and ruins the part.

Here is the raw cut of the end of the depot-

The .080 square strips and window trim roughed in and finished with a shot of brown primer-

Not great but it’s looking pretty decent. Progress! :slight_smile:

#2

Posted Twice, sorry.

#3

Looks good. What is the size of the Battens you are depicting on the siding?

#4

Hmm. Good question. I just sort of eyeballed it. I’m using .080 square strips whatever that scales out to in 1/29. Between the battens is about 9 scale 1/29 inches. I think it’s close but it’s hard to tell exactly from pictures.

#5

To progress is better than to regress. Looking at pic of actual depot, that 9 inch width between battens seems about right. And, if one assumes 3 inch battens, then about 1.5 inches of each edge of siding board is covered by batten, making total siding board width about 12 inches, which is within the realm of reason.

It’s working, keep going!

#6

Looks good Martin. I’ll have to keep that cutting information for future projects. How are you holding your material down?

#7

Chuck

One way I hold things, is I have a couple large pieces of granite, I 2 sided tape the pieces on the granite,

this is when I rout like the board bat siding,

a formica counter top would work too.

This allows me to rout 1/2 way through 1/16" thick.

Dennis

#8

I’m using double sided tape for the styrene since they are small sheets for now but that gets pricey. On wood sheets I use nylon toilet bolts on the four corners, I drilled holes in my MDF spoil board for those. I put a thin sheet of that packing sort of foam between it and the spoil board when I’m cutting. I’ve just ordered a bunch of 18x18 inch styrene sheets, I’m not sure how I’m going to approach those yet.

#9

I’ve been doing something similar, Martin, but with 3D printing. I’m able (sometimes) to print the wall, battens, window frames, mullions and munitions, all in one piece. If I can figure out how to put up a photo of the end of my Boron station, I will!

#10

Got tired of circuits and software so I worked on my styrene depot a bit today. Been a while. It’s cut out of .060 sheet. Perhaps if I make enough of them I will eventually get the hang of it. Or not. But it’s fun even if most of it is figuring out what not to do :slight_smile: