Working with plywood, HELP!
#1
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Working with plywood, HELP!
Currently I form all of my plywood pieces with my clamps & a Dremel tool, but I know there is a better way (& they look like I made them with a Dremel). Can anyone tell me the tools to research to produce factory looking wood pieces?
I see some guys making truly professional looking UAT holder etc, but I don't know how they do it. I'll attach some example pics.
thanks in advance, Jay
I see some guys making truly professional looking UAT holder etc, but I don't know how they do it. I'll attach some example pics.
thanks in advance, Jay
Last edited by BlueBus320; 08-18-2016 at 12:12 PM.
#2
I only know of three ways to do the parts shown in the left hand picture and they all take time and patience:
1) Laser cutter
2) Scroll saw
3) Spindle and stick sanders, files and Exacto knives with the miniature saw blades(http://www.micromark.com/no-15-blade...of-5,6792.html )
I built the following boat frame with a scroll saw, band saw and Ridgid horizontal belt and spindle sander as shown below. The end result was the boat shown at the bottom picture
1) Laser cutter
2) Scroll saw
3) Spindle and stick sanders, files and Exacto knives with the miniature saw blades(http://www.micromark.com/no-15-blade...of-5,6792.html )
I built the following boat frame with a scroll saw, band saw and Ridgid horizontal belt and spindle sander as shown below. The end result was the boat shown at the bottom picture
Last edited by Hydro Junkie; 08-18-2016 at 01:09 PM.
#5
I would recommend a variable speed 16" scroll saw and 14" band saw if you are looking to buy one as anything smaller tends to actually get in the way
Last edited by Hydro Junkie; 08-18-2016 at 01:18 PM.
#6
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Anyone here using some of the CNC routing tools
(e.g. https://www.inventables.com/technologies/x-carve)
for modeling purposes?
There seem to be several companies offering similar machines in the $1K to $2K range and look like they would be excellent for a lot of what we do. Would work for plywood (thicker than you can do with laser machines), fiberglass and even carbon fiber. I've seen some posts of folks doing carbon fiber parts while submerged in a 1/8 to 1/4" of water to control the unpleasant dust .. using a clever "swimming pool" to hold the part.
Would be nice if there were a community of like-minded users to join in our RC world..
btw, nice work, Hydro!
Dave
(e.g. https://www.inventables.com/technologies/x-carve)
for modeling purposes?
There seem to be several companies offering similar machines in the $1K to $2K range and look like they would be excellent for a lot of what we do. Would work for plywood (thicker than you can do with laser machines), fiberglass and even carbon fiber. I've seen some posts of folks doing carbon fiber parts while submerged in a 1/8 to 1/4" of water to control the unpleasant dust .. using a clever "swimming pool" to hold the part.
Would be nice if there were a community of like-minded users to join in our RC world..
btw, nice work, Hydro!
Dave
Last edited by ww2birds; 08-18-2016 at 01:54 PM.
#7
Anyone here using some of the CNC routing tools
(e.g. https://www.inventables.com/technologies/x-carve)
for modeling purposes?
There seem to be several companies offering similar machines in the $1K to $2K range and look like they would be excellent for a lot of what we do. Would work for plywood (thicker than you can do with laser machines), fiberglass and even carbon fiber. I've seen some posts of folks doing carbon fiber parts while submerged in a 1/8 to 1/4" of water to control the unpleasant dust .. using a clever "swimming pool" to hold the part.
Would be nice if there were a community of like-minded users to join in our RC world..
btw, nice work, Hydro!
Dave
(e.g. https://www.inventables.com/technologies/x-carve)
for modeling purposes?
There seem to be several companies offering similar machines in the $1K to $2K range and look like they would be excellent for a lot of what we do. Would work for plywood (thicker than you can do with laser machines), fiberglass and even carbon fiber. I've seen some posts of folks doing carbon fiber parts while submerged in a 1/8 to 1/4" of water to control the unpleasant dust .. using a clever "swimming pool" to hold the part.
Would be nice if there were a community of like-minded users to join in our RC world..
btw, nice work, Hydro!
Dave
As far as the boat goes, thanks guys. I only posted the pictures of it to show what can be done with the tools I mentioned. I can post pictures of others I'm working on when I get them done, if you want, even though it's off-topic. It may be a while though since my job keeps me hopping.
#9
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Hi cutters like laser or cnc however small and cheap need to be driven by code, if you are not relatively competent in Rhino or AutoCAD you have a long and potentially frustrating journey ahead.
Many years ago I did a build thread for the Skygate Hawk "virtual build thread', I made a lot of parts out of carbon plate or FR4 (G10) and a few ply parts, for this I used a Proxxon hand milling machine, they have simple 2 axis movement (by thumb wheels) if you draw out the lines it gives avery nice finish - that is provided most of the parts are small and have straight edges, curves are not possible. Other option is the Proxxon scroll saw, in fact all Proxxon tools are superb and well worth the investment.
marcs
Many years ago I did a build thread for the Skygate Hawk "virtual build thread', I made a lot of parts out of carbon plate or FR4 (G10) and a few ply parts, for this I used a Proxxon hand milling machine, they have simple 2 axis movement (by thumb wheels) if you draw out the lines it gives avery nice finish - that is provided most of the parts are small and have straight edges, curves are not possible. Other option is the Proxxon scroll saw, in fact all Proxxon tools are superb and well worth the investment.
marcs
#11
My Feedback: (24)
You can get a lot cut by independents, like Laser Design Services (and others; I just am familiar with Bob) for what a laser or router costs. I'm still fumbling around trying to get a recycled CNC router (an old ISEL) up and running. It's not so much the hardware as it is a massive amount of time setting up the tooling path (drawing to CAM to Machine Code to machine via electronics compatible with stepper motors). There are places like Build Your CNC dot com that help for the "budget minded", however you're still looking at a chunk of experimental money.
Right now, I'm trying to learn Inventor and finish Mach 3 set-up using an old-fashioned HobbyCNC controller on top of an approximate 2 foot by 2 foot router bed. It's a whole hobby within a hobby and really distracts. Now, learning to draw in a program like Correl Draw, AutoCAD etc. where you can get a real vector based drawing out that you could send to someone with a machine would allow you the full creative ability without the investment in the mechanics. Of course that doesn't give you the immediate, unrestricted freedom either... That's about all I've got - a lot of spurts and starts and not hours at length to dedicate to setting it up, because of work and family. You know, the usual song and dance..
Right now, I'm trying to learn Inventor and finish Mach 3 set-up using an old-fashioned HobbyCNC controller on top of an approximate 2 foot by 2 foot router bed. It's a whole hobby within a hobby and really distracts. Now, learning to draw in a program like Correl Draw, AutoCAD etc. where you can get a real vector based drawing out that you could send to someone with a machine would allow you the full creative ability without the investment in the mechanics. Of course that doesn't give you the immediate, unrestricted freedom either... That's about all I've got - a lot of spurts and starts and not hours at length to dedicate to setting it up, because of work and family. You know, the usual song and dance..
#12
Join Date: Aug 2002
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I built a cnc router a number of years ago and thus cut all my parts with it. Parts fit and look great but you have to know how to use a program like autoCAD or such. The drawings are then changed to gcode for the cutter.
Glenn
Glenn
#15
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Hey Marc S, have you ever worked with the "Proxxon Micro mill MF 70"? This is the one i'm thinking of ordering, but I'm having a hard time finding videos of it working with wood. I'm pretty sure that this is the type of machine that if you can draw it on the wood, carbon etc, then you can make it, correct? can it make perfect circles?
Thanks, Jay
Thanks, Jay
#16
I draw out all of my previous parts on AutoCAD LT. It a 2d program that outputs a vector file as a .dxf file. Then I import the .dxf file into sheetCam which produces the GCode to drive an XY table with a water jet cutter I built a few years back for work.
The obvious disadvantage using a water jet is the parts are a little wet after cutting but they dry out beautifully. I cut with just water, no abrasives and can cut up to 1/4" plywood no problem.
The obvious disadvantage using a water jet is the parts are a little wet after cutting but they dry out beautifully. I cut with just water, no abrasives and can cut up to 1/4" plywood no problem.
#17
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I'd love to see how that water jet cutter works on wood - the results/photos or any video you've got on it; quite interesting.
BlueBus - the mico mills don't give you the ability to cut perfect circles without an additional and usually expensive accessory. At least not by hand. They can be converted to CNC, but that isn't a simple nor quick task - just possible as it's been done numerous times. Same thing for the Harbor Freight mills; you can even get conversion kits with the motors and the hardware, just not all the electronics (drivers, computer, couple of different software packages, etc.). If your really interested in automatic/CNC on the cheap, I think one of the most friendly web sites is "builldyourcnc" dot com. Still not cheap...
BlueBus - the mico mills don't give you the ability to cut perfect circles without an additional and usually expensive accessory. At least not by hand. They can be converted to CNC, but that isn't a simple nor quick task - just possible as it's been done numerous times. Same thing for the Harbor Freight mills; you can even get conversion kits with the motors and the hardware, just not all the electronics (drivers, computer, couple of different software packages, etc.). If your really interested in automatic/CNC on the cheap, I think one of the most friendly web sites is "builldyourcnc" dot com. Still not cheap...