Large Scale Central

My CNC Router Build

Modeling Technical Modeling
#41

Randy Lehrian Jr. said:

Very nice Chuck! You are going to have some fun with that. I’ll second your initiative to keep the shop clean. I hate dust.

I have an 80’s Bridgeport BOSS milling machine that I am going to convert using Mach as well. Have you had a chance to play with the software much? Like it so far? The Kit I’m getting is actually from a company called Mach Motion. It will come with the front end PC Mach software break out card and new stepper motor drivers. Your build just serves as more inspiration.

Randy,

Was that Bridgeport a Boss II Bandit controller? That’s the machine I first learned to program an NC mill. 2 1/2 axis machine. This was late '89 or early '90! I retired in 2003 running a giant Seeburg mill, a couple of Haas horizontals and a Haas lathe, using MasterCam as the software to draw and program dies.

#42

Well, today was very successful and the machine operated flawlessly. I cut a total of 22 candy canes and 22 bows on 8 pieces of 4’ x 4’ plywood. Of course I ruined one 1/4" solid cardide router bit but that will be replaced by my friend. I’m actually very happy now that I took the time to drill all those holes for threaded inserts. It made clamping the sheets of plywood down very easy.

The follow pictures shows what was cut out. The first picture shows the machine cutting the bows and the second and third pictures shows the completed sheets with the candy canes and the bows. And to answer the question that I know someone will ask, the parts are held in the sheets of plywood with little tabs that are left during the cutting process. If the tabs weren’t there to hold the cut out parts in place they would move and break the cutter.

![|800x450](http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cncrr/Cutting Bows_1_1.JPG)

![|800x450](http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cncrr/Bow cutouts_1_1.JPG)

![|800x450](http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cncrr/Candy Cane Cutouts_1_1.JPG)

#43

That’s purty nifty. Must be a good sized piece of equipment to hold a 4x4 sheet of plywood. You going into the Christmas decoration business?..:wink:

#44

When are the car body sides and roofs coming? I’ve been waiting for years…:slight_smile:

(I have ends and different side patterns if you need to digitize them.)

#45

John Bouck said:

When are the car body sides and roofs coming? I’ve been waiting for years…:slight_smile:

…

Me too, but from a “local” source. It’s getting the 3D software models ready that takes a little bit longer.

@ Chuck That dust exhaust seems to do a very good job … or did you clean the work pieces prior to shooting pictures?

#46

Gary Armitstead said:

Randy Lehrian Jr. said:

Very nice Chuck! You are going to have some fun with that. I’ll second your initiative to keep the shop clean. I hate dust.

I have an 80’s Bridgeport BOSS milling machine that I am going to convert using Mach as well. Have you had a chance to play with the software much? Like it so far? The Kit I’m getting is actually from a company called Mach Motion. It will come with the front end PC Mach software break out card and new stepper motor drivers. Your build just serves as more inspiration.

Randy,

Was that Bridgeport a Boss II Bandit controller? That’s the machine I first learned to program an NC mill. 2 1/2 axis machine. This was late '89 or early '90! I retired in 2003 running a giant Seeburg mill, a couple of Haas horizontals and a Haas lathe, using MasterCam as the software to draw and program dies.

Hey Gary, it’s a series 1 Boss5 ( i think 5) The first BOSS version that could cut a circle. I have to move it in about a year and I’m toying with selling it and finding a series 2 to convert instead. Mainly for the bigger envelope. We’ll see Just be happy to get either running once we move.

HJ, Good observation on the dust. Inquiring minds want to know?

Chuck, That’s great to see it running so well. You should be proud of your self.

#47

Thanks guys, but to answer a few questions;

Ken: Actually the machine is 60" wide by 66" long with a cutting area of 49-1/2" square. No I’m not entering the Christmas decoration business these where for a friend.

John: Bring them on you know the way to my house. Just bring the donuts with you.

HJ and Randy: The pictures of the finished sheets came off the machine just as they show in the pictures. There was a small amount of sawdust still in the cutouts but very little. The dust collection system works great.

I am looking forward to doing some different projects to get back into the swing of things. I’m looking at purchasing some 3D artwork that I can run on my machine with the software I have. I just can’t do any 3D design work.

Chuck

#48

Chuck,

Did you buy that brush-head around the spindle unit or did you build it?
4" hose looks heavy duty, small wonder there’s hardly any dust left!

#49

To answer your question HJ, yes the dust shoe is a purchased item from Kent CNC. It’s a 2 piece unit, the main piece with the dust collector hub attaches to the router base. The second piece with the brush attached mounts to the base with rare earth magnets. It allows you to remove the brush section for changing router bits. The brush is 3" long. You can also purchase a brush section that is 2" long. Here’s a picture of the unit before installation.

![|300x200](http://freightsheds.largescalecentral.com/users/cncrr/KentCNC dust shoe.jpg)

#50

Thanks Chuck,

Something similar is on my Wish-List at Next Wave Auto with a 2.5" hose adaptor.