THE NEW MAKO IS HERE!!!

[rungemach]

Hi Richard

I don't sell anything, so I am not a source for parts.
Just do CNC as a hobby like most everyone here.
Just trying to help you folks through problems i already tackled, as that is what this group is for,

The first HD clamp I made, I gave away to another list member who reported back good results.
So the file should be good , dimensions wise.

I can't post or send anything right now through the forum as it won't let me add attachments.
Quota has been reached error.

if you want, send me a pm with your outside email address and I will get it to you that way.

Kindest regards
Bob

[REG]

I experienced the same with the clamp. Bob (rungemach) helped in the background with guidance to cutting in aluminum a new clamp design I came up with. I bought the aluminum (3/4" 6061 plate) and almost got there only to break a bit. I did try my revised clamp in 3/4" construction grade plywood, cabinet grade 3/4" plywood, 3/4" hickory and 3/4" HDPE. Both types of plywood did great as did the hickory. I only chose between two different plywood was because cabinet grade has more than twice the plys layers and would be stronger and grip better. It didn't matter, all the wood models test performed flawlessly. The HDPE was tested over the weekend. I did not have vertical movement at all with the HDPE but if I turned on the collet/arbor really hard (tighter than necessary for tightening or loosening a bit) I could get the 692 to budge just a little.
Point is, my revised clamp makes a larger "jaw" for the securing bolt so the tabs of the clamp don't give as much.

I would attach photos but the board quota has been met. If interested PM me with your email and I will send the photos.

Bobby

[EdThorne]

I experienced the same with the clamp. Bob (rungemach) helped in the background with guidance to cutting in aluminum a new clamp design I came up with. I bought the aluminum (3/4" 6061 plate) and almost got there only to break a bit. I did try my revised clamp in 3/4" construction grade plywood, cabinet grade 3/4" plywood, 3/4" hickory and 3/4" HDPE. Both types of plywood did great as did the hickory. I only chose between two different plywood was because cabinet grade has more than twice the plys layers and would be stronger and grip better. It didn't matter, all the wood models test performed flawlessly. The HDPE was tested over the weekend. I did not have vertical movement at all with the HDPE but if I turned on the collet/arbor really hard (tighter than necessary for tightening or loosening a bit) I could get the 692 to budge just a little.
Point is, my revised clamp makes a larger "jaw" for the securing bolt so the tabs of the clamp don't give as much.

I would attach photos but the board quota has been met. If interested PM me with your email and I will send the photos.

Bobby

Hi Bobby,

Terrific info. I sent you a PM with my email address and would enjoy seeing your pictures. I have some oak that should act a lot like walnut. I also have some nice chunks of 3/4" construction grade plywood left over from the benchtop and shelves of my Shark Tank. I have also become pretty comfortable using Aspire. I really love this software and the Mako Shark even with its few issues. There is nothing that can't be readily fixed.

There are a lot of good suggestions on this forum thread for making the router clamping mechanism better. I am definitely going to make improvements. The plywood idea makes this a less expensive project. We should be able to make a stack of several 3/4" brackets in order to really give it some bite and prevent lateral distortion. Longer bolts don't cost very much and we can get rid of a few T27 heads.

Do you know why the bit broke when you were milling aluminum. I am planning to do some Al work in the near future and want to know what to avoid.

Tim is checking out the error message. I have been getting it for two days. I finally got my first inlay done but I can't put it on the forum until this problem is fixed. Oh well. I put it up on the Vectric Forum. Here is a link.

http://www.vectric.com/forum/download/f ... =32631&t=1

Regards,
Ed

[Wolffie1]

Apparently it is a server problem.
Cheers
Wolffie

[REG]

Hi Bobby,

Terrific info. I sent you a PM with my email address and would enjoy seeing your pictures. I have some oak that should act a lot like walnut. I also have some nice chunks of 3/4" construction grade plywood left over from the benchtop and shelves of my Shark Tank. I have also become pretty comfortable using Aspire. I really love this software and the Mako Shark even with its few issues. There is nothing that can't be readily fixed.

There are a lot of good suggestions on this forum thread for making the router clamping mechanism better. I am definitely going to make improvements. The plywood idea makes this a less expensive project. We should be able to make a stack of several 3/4" brackets in order to really give it some bite and prevent lateral distortion. Longer bolts don't cost very much and we can get rid of a few T27 heads.

Do you know why the bit broke when you were milling aluminum. I am planning to do some Al work in the near future and want to know what to avoid.

Tim is checking out the error message. I have been getting it for two days. I finally got my first inlay done but I can't put it on the forum until this problem is fixed. Oh well. I put it up on the Vectric Forum. Here is a link.

http://www.vectric.com/forum/download/f ... =32631&t=1

Regards,
Ed

Ed, I got your pm and I will send to you shortly.
As for how my bit broke, I believe it was because my toolpath had tabs and the bit broke right past the tab. I had 3d tab which is ramped up and down but it still may have been too much for the 1/4" bit. The secret to cutting aluminum is lite passes and feed rates that don't stress the bit.

Bobby

[rungemach]

To add to what Bobby said, cutting aluminum needs ramped cuts. Never ever plunge straight into aluminum, the bit must be moving horizontally while it lowers. I use very gentle ramps, ( like 1 inch or more in length for a .020 depth of z move.) A short ramp is not good. It also helps to start your z a few thousandths high, so that the cut starts in air and is definitely moving horizontally before it touches material.

I set my plunge speed to match the cut speed, usually 20 ipm, and the bit transitions from plunge to level cut pretty seamlessly. If you use tabs, they must ramp as gently as well.

If I haven't mentioned it before, I have had very good results with this 1/4" bit in aluminum
Freud 75-102 1/4-Inch Double-Flute Up Spiral Router Bit usually around 17-20 dollars each.

Bob

[rungemach]

Here are a couple of pictures of how stacked router clamping might work. I don't have a HD so I can't finish the exact rear facing angle bolt details.

This arrangement may be a good solution for mounting spindles as the stack height can be increased to better support the long body. The picture is with a standard porter cable router and a stack of a bottom aluminum clamp, two 3/4 thick wood spacers, and an original 3/4 plastic clamp, with an angle bracket in the rear to allow the stack to bolt back onto the z axis router plate.

The pictures explain it better than I can in writing. Once it is all bolted and tightened it is very rigid.
I hope this gives you guys some ideas to build on.

Bob

[4DThinker]

I ran a test cut with 1/4" spiral up straight bit in some 3/4" Baltic Birch plywood today. The cut was a profile cut, but only 5/8" in to the plywood. Shortly into the cut the router slipped down. The bit cut through, then dug into the aluminum t-track and ran another 2 inches or so before I hit the e-stop.

The clamp as designed is horrible.

I'm training faculty how to use the Shark HD tomorrow, so I had to at least temporarily fix this. I started by taking the router out and the clamp plate out as well. There is no friction between this plate and the router shell.

The front down-bolt holes on the plate prevent the clamp from closing, so I clamped the plate to my wood mill and using a 1/4" end mill made a slot out from those front holes about 1/16".

I found a latex glove and cut about 2" of the cuff off. It stretched and slipped snugly over the router shell and down to the clamp position.

I put the plate back into the Z-lift bracket. Tightened the rear bolts. Left the front bolts loose.
Slipped the router with it's latex condom down into this plate with no problem.
I put a c-clamp across the open end of the clamp plate and used it to pull the clamp plate closed around the router.
I tightened the front down-bolts.
I'd put large washers under the head and nut of the front bolt, and tightened them as much as possible.

I "seems" like I've got the router in tighly now. I'll see tomorrow. NextWave you own me a strip of 3-slot T-slot. JMHO.

[EdThorne]

I ran a test cut with 1/4" spiral up straight bit in some 3/4" Baltic Birch plywood today. The cut was a profile cut, but only 5/8" in to the plywood. Shortly into the cut the router slipped down. The bit cut through, then dug into the aluminum t-track and ran another 2 inches or so before I hit the e-stop.

The clamp as designed is horrible.

I'm training faculty how to use the Shark HD tomorrow, so I had to at least temporarily fix this. I started by taking the router out and the clamp plate out as well. There is no friction between this plate and the router shell.

The front down-bolt holes on the plate prevent the clamp from closing, so I clamped the plate to my wood mill and using a 1/4" end mill made a slot out from those front holes about 1/16".

I found a latex glove and cut about 2" of the cuff off. It stretched and slipped snugly over the router shell and down to the clamp position.

I put the plate back into the Z-lift bracket. Tightened the rear bolts. Left the front bolts loose.
Slipped the router with it's latex condom down into this plate with no problem.
I put a c-clamp across the open end of the clamp plate and used it to pull the clamp plate closed around the router.
I tightened the front down-bolts.
I'd put large washers under the head and nut of the front bolt, and tightened them as much as possible.

I "seems" like I've got the router in tighly now. I'll see tomorrow. NextWave you own me a strip of 3-slot T-slot. JMHO.

Hi 4D,

I had the same happen when I first started but I am new to CNC and originally thought that I am just stupid. That may still be the case but certainly the hard plastic clamp against the hard, smooth, steel barrel on the router is not a good solution. Maybe NWA will give us a price break on replacement bed pieces.

Regards,
Ed

I am attaching a picture of my first inlay project. I really love my shark ... despite the router clamp. This equipment and the Aspire software are fantastic.

[REG]

Here are my clamp models as described earlier. I thought of using my revised design and stacking at least two the way Bob shows in the above post. I would need longer vertical bolts but it would "choke" the router better as Bob mentioned.