A short Buffalo update: tried to engrave into stainless steel 304 plate and yes, it works! First used a 45 degree V-bit with carbide tip (2 flute), making passes of 0.1mm each time, all the way to 0.5mm deep. A second try, this time with 2 flute 1/8" carbide ball nose, 0.1mm passes and stopped at 0.3mm because the result was good, going deeper wasn't necessary. Feed speed at 60mm/min, spindle at 10K RPM.

So, now off to the design table and create some nice thing to engrave. I will try to make a video of that engraving and share it on the tube.

Who would have thought that an OX (the Buffalo!) can do such a thing?

 

Unfortunately, the garden gate became a Thai Story. Which means that the guy who was making it, starting to screw up more and more wile working on it, resulting in an unacceptable piece of work, which he than (because of his people not coming to work for a week!! 1 of the 99 million lies out of the Great Thai Lies Book)couldn't deliver in time. So we called it of and going to look for somebody else, or….go do it myself (as it most of the time turns out).

The vacuum machine is working excellent and together with a CNC router a very profitable combination, as I found out. Starting to get very, very busy with making all kinds of plugs for vacuuming signs, forms and whatever else you can think of.

So forgive me for not posting any videos or pictures yet. I didn't forget, simply no time to set a camera up and tape some work and machines. It will come though, please be patient with me.

 

Today my Buffalo honored its name! 14 hours non stop 3D work, didn't mis a step! I'm impressed, also about the Makita router that keeps running all the time not giving trouble and even the cheap vacuum cleaner runs without showing fatigue.

But…..I have to find ways to make these runs shorter in time. Anybody advice about decreasing cutting/engraving time? I'm using Aspire, Planet CNC controller.

The finishing part of today was estimated by Aspire at 6.5 hours with a time scale of 2.5. Real work took about 12 hours (the finishing run, with 1/8" ball nose, 10% step over, feed speed of 4000mm/min). The roughing goes fast enough.

 

G540 and Mach3 solved the problem. Back again at a short but steep learning curve (Mach3 and its typical things) but prospects look promising with this combo.

 

I might have formulated it not entirely correct...... not really steep but some studying and getting accustomed to the Mach3 software in a short period of time actually. I like it, though.

 

The Buffalo at work.....

 

Final result.....