2015 POTD Thread Archive

firestopper, i see a prototrak console peeking through in the picture, what you got for a mill? pics please
 
Are we allowed to post links to YouTube videos in this thread? I've started making videos out of projects of mine that i think are interesting.
 
Had another order for propellers, today. Sometimes modelers want the propeller to survive a hard landing and we make folding propellers. They are timed to fold against the fuselage when the rubber band unwinds. There's an aluminum hinge with a wire at each end glued and wrapped onto the prop.

Did Today 14 Oct.jpg

The two blades are made separately, glued to the hardwood hub, the hinge is applied and wrapped with thread, then the glue joint is sawn through.

The numbers written on each prop represents the wood's density in pounds per cubic foot, a measure of the hardness of the wood.
 
chevydyl said:
firestopper, i see a prototrak console peeking through in the picture, what you got for a mill? pics please
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Not a current photo but one of the mill in question. Lagun 2 axis CNC FTV-1 purchased the day of the photo. The machine was re-certified and serviced by Southwest Industries in 07 according to seller and sticker on back of control box. She came with a Torque rite and a lot of tooling as well as various materials (copper,alum,SS,plastics etc. at least 350 lbs). Still training myself for proficiency as the only other CNC machine we have is a plasma table. I have made a few parts with her with great results, however still takes me longer than running her manual little sister mill. It's an amazing machine (to me), the shop she came out of made some sort of IED plasma detonators for DOD until politics mucked up the deal. She was very very dirty as they used a mist cooling system and never really kept up on cleaning. I gave her an eight or ten hour bath prior to bringing her in. The manual Z really helps me in the learning process as no collisions so far. I'm almost to a point now where I can hire someone proficient to teach me more than the manuals have.



IMG_0550.JPG
 
What a nice machine. CNC/Manual is the only way to go unless you are doing all out production. :encourage: I can switch mine back and forth in about 10 seconds. Manual/2-axis/or 3 axis with a button push and a lever flip.
 
Friend of mine has a real SWI mill, conversational programming, but.... you can put g-code on a floppy and run it on the mill, I use BobCAD/Cam, call SWI about the correct post to use, you also have to rename the file type after posting so the prototrak will read it. But it's worth the effort for making parts, model them up in solid works or whatever and then make a tool path in cam software, run it on the mill. The MX2 control may have USB or something else to make getting parts to it easier than floppy. My friend has an AGE2 control, I've posted lettering g-code for him as to be able to do letters (alphabet) is/was an option on prototrak machines, maybe the 3 axis machines have it equipped but the 2 axis wasn't factory supplied with letters unless you put out $$$
 
Thanks fellas, I really like it a lot. I have been playing with BobCAD as this is what I use on the plasma table with sheet cam writing the G code. The machine did come with an adaptor cable/s to take a USB. I just really trying to get proficient with direct programming from the control panel before I start programing from a computer. Both methods have benefits and I would like to advance in one area before tackling another method. IMG_1051.JPG
 
and i do believe you should get to be proficent with the conversational programming, but it will be beneficial to have gcode in your pocket, being able to write tool paths on your computer is boss, i think the more complex a part, the more difficult the prototrak will be, ill be running mach3, using bobcad v26 to do my tool paths. i got my bobcad license for cheap, now they call me all the time hahaha.
 
chevydyl said:
What version of BobCAD are you running?
Click to expand...

chevydyl said:
and i do believe you should get to be proficent with the conversational programming, but it will be beneficial to have gcode in your pocket, being able to write tool paths on your computer is boss, i think the more complex a part, the more difficult the prototrak will be, ill be running mach3, using bobcad v26 to do my tool paths. i got my bobcad license for cheap, now they call me all the time hahaha.
Click to expand...

I have version/s 21-23 (dongle) , bob art and bob nesting. I also get numerous calls from them. The only reason I went with V-23 was after me saying NO to $2300.00 for V-23 for a month, they offered it for $150 (dongle) Haha! I really need to work more with the program, but have gone through 3 windows laptops and finally went all Apple. Now I'm struggling with communication between Window's and Apple. To be very honest, I suck bad with computers and have been extremely busy putting the finishing touches on the shop's interior such as racks, tables,benches and such. My son would be able to help with a "bootcamp" program allowing Apple to talk with Windows but he's been serving for ten years in the military and when he comes home on leave (4-5 days) I don't feel like taking up our time with computer work. My goal is to hit it hard once I get caught up with the shop. I will probably hire a tutor (collage kid) to help with the setup. I do appreciate what the mill has to offer, and look forward to the day when I can do light CNC production with it.

Thanks for all the advice.
 
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