Hi all ... I hope it is ok that I also post a question related to EstlCam V11 in this thread ... (?) As it is I already own/use V11 and in many respects find it to be a very good and easy to use program (I am saying this with some humbleness as it is my first entry into CNC milling so I am not familiar with other CNC CAM programs). However, one "challenge" has come up and that is how I may mill something like the shape in the attached image? I reckon I could use a cutter with the shape of a ball end mill: ball end mill - Google Search: but I cannot see how I can make EstlCam accept a tool like this ... As far as I can see EstlCam cannot mill "inward & upwards curvature" - don't know how this would be said in English - shapes on the outside "upper inside" of a material. That is if I want to mill the outside surface of the attached shape how can this be done (Pls FYI look at the attached picture) ... ? Anyone knows how this can be done WITHOUT moving the material to be millled? Or, if EstlCam cannot do this - is there another price-wise accessible software that can? Thanks for any input and advice Jesper
Hi, evalon. Unless you have a 4 or 5 axis machine, your CNC isn't going to be able to do this either. Most normal CNCs are capable of cutting in the X, Y or Z axis only. To get what you want you'd have to have at least an A axis as well as a Rotary axis. I think you need to do a bit more research before attempting to carve an item such as the one shown here.
It may be possible - OUTSIDE only - if milled on its side. You need to lay it out in such a manner that the endmill can get to all the surfaces. However it would have to be done one side at a time and then flipped. On YouTube, Winston Moy shows how to do this using pinhole registration to align the pieces perfectly after being flipped. There are a number of videos showing how to do it including some from Vectric showing how to do it with their V Carve software. I have never done it, but I was thinking of trying to do a two sided item this weekend and I use Estlcam. I was going to purchase some round aluminum rods to cut for the pins today.
This is in German but the first thing i thought of. Good luck. Also the ball end is done with the last part of the tool specs on the right side of the table, it's tool radius for ball end mills.
Hi all, & thanks for your feedbacks. A couple of comments: @GrayUK: I have looked a bit into 5 axis machines over the weekend and, yes, this appears to make it possible to mill the shape I posted an image of. However, it also appears to not be a cheap solution if I am to buy it myself .. So I guess in reality this is somewhere in the land of dreams @Giarc: I actually have been thinking about the precise pin placement approach as an option. One challenge here, though, is that the height of the material where these curves are to be placed is at 300 - 330 mms. And my mill can't cut at this height ... Also the aim would be to cut shapes more "overall organic" - i.e. where these inwards millings are on all sides except for at the bottom surface ... BTW: Regarding Winston Moy's video on pinholes you wouldn't by any chance have a link - or maybe a few keywords? I searched his video collection on youtube but didn't find the pinhole registration one ... @Gary Caruso: Hi Gary. Thank you also for your reply & link. However, as I wrote above in my comment to Giarc's post if I were to rotate the material to be milled I would have to be able to work at rather significant heights which unfortunately is not possible. As a general comment: I do think that - if Estlcam or some other software - was capable of taking into account the diameter difference between the shank and the diameter curvature on the ball end mill I posted a link to then it would be possible to make real inwards double curvature millings with a cutting depth which is the difference between the shank & the ball end mill diameters. Or maybe it may be possible to "cheat" the software by telling it that it is using a different mill type ... Anyway - thanks again for your feedback Jesper
this video shows a guitar neck that is flipped over to machine the other side using locating pins ...the back is machined first, then at around the 3:28 point the top is machined. They don't explicitly show the pins in use, but you can see pin locating holes in the piece...this was done on a workbee.
Here is an interesting one. I like his style of explaining things. Basically, for two sided machining, you need extra stock in your work piece so you can drill holes that will match the hole locations on your waste board. Also this one is cool and was the follow up that goes further into depth for two sided machining.
Hi all - a bit delayed (have had much to do) but thank you very much for your video links. IMHO impressive with the leaf made with the Vectric software and the Elder Wand that Winston made. I am not quite sure if the dual side milling will fullfil my wish here but I reckon it will get me part of the way .. Will have to give inspiration a bit of time ... Thanks again Jesper
Hi Gary, I'm hoping you can help me. I have a workbee (lead screw) with XproV3 and have been using Estlcam, I used the settings you showed and accuracy of my cuts is out by about 1% which is a lot over 500mm. How do I calibrate estlcam to be more accurate or is it a problem elsewhere? Many thanks.
Hi Miles, if you are using the Estlcam controller then you calibrate by changing the "distance per revolution" to better match reality. (default settings shown below) If you have confirmed the difference is 1% then adjust the distance per rev by 1% (either subtracting or adding 1% ) should take care of it. Maths! Cheers Gary
