- Joined
- Jul 4, 2014
- Messages
- 156
Guys
I need advice. I want to cut 14 inch diameter curvature on 2 inch wide aluminum pieces as below. I made a sketch as attached below.
![untitled1.JPG untitled1.JPG](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/184/184582-c3d1b0c6ed2c41de4a88f1c7b6e1a40d.jpg)
My Grizzly G4000 lathe is a 9x19 and can not be used to turn 14 inch diameter. That leaves me only my mini-mill to do this machining. It is not a CNC and I calculated the x-y movements for the cutter in small steps. The process is moving the milling cutter manually in X-Y steps as if it is a CNC process. Steps are roughly 0.0315" in X axis. On Y axis the cutter is moved in much smaller steps to follow the radius desired. I tried milling it using a 3/4 inch end mill. The result is as attached below.
![20170220_132104.jpg 20170220_132104.jpg](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/184/184587-b40bb47206b4dd877135566cbb49a510.jpg)
The above image is what I made. You may notice curved surface has small steps but that is OK. It is the process involved that makes it tedious. I wish there is an easier way. I do not own a rotary stage and do not plan on buying one either.
Any ideas?
Thanks
Prasad
Eastern PA
I need advice. I want to cut 14 inch diameter curvature on 2 inch wide aluminum pieces as below. I made a sketch as attached below.
![untitled1.JPG untitled1.JPG](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/184/184582-c3d1b0c6ed2c41de4a88f1c7b6e1a40d.jpg)
My Grizzly G4000 lathe is a 9x19 and can not be used to turn 14 inch diameter. That leaves me only my mini-mill to do this machining. It is not a CNC and I calculated the x-y movements for the cutter in small steps. The process is moving the milling cutter manually in X-Y steps as if it is a CNC process. Steps are roughly 0.0315" in X axis. On Y axis the cutter is moved in much smaller steps to follow the radius desired. I tried milling it using a 3/4 inch end mill. The result is as attached below.
![20170220_132104.jpg 20170220_132104.jpg](https://www.hobby-machinist.com/data/attachments/184/184587-b40bb47206b4dd877135566cbb49a510.jpg)
The above image is what I made. You may notice curved surface has small steps but that is OK. It is the process involved that makes it tedious. I wish there is an easier way. I do not own a rotary stage and do not plan on buying one either.
Any ideas?
Thanks
Prasad
Eastern PA
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