Scooterman
Well-known member
Don I design on acad for a living so if you need some drawings if they aren't overly complicated I'll do them. I do have a 3D library of pipe fitting, flanges etc, could maybe use them to make what you need.
CNC for acrylic projects
- Thread starter DonW
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DonW
R.I.P.
That would be real cool I'd like to set up sort of a public library. Key hole flanges are probably the first. I have the twist lock flanges being drawn by my brother.
Don
Scooterman
Well-known member
Send me his drawing & I'll use it as a base to draw what you need, once you get one flange it should be easy to modify it to make the next, saves drafting time
In the meantime I'll go dig up them 3d drawing & see if any of that is even useful, probably not but worth a look.
In the meantime I'll go dig up them 3d drawing & see if any of that is even useful, probably not but worth a look.
Scooterman
Well-known member
2D drawing of a 6" I.D. flange. Flange is 1 1/2" wide, with a 3/8" key hole & 1/4" slot. nasty drawing but I'm at work wanted to see how hard it would be to just get a basic drawing. Converted to JPG sorry if it isn't so clear.
DonW
R.I.P.
DonW
R.I.P.
Screen shot of Scooters flange being cut (simulation) works great.
I am not familiar with using the software for making the cuts, and I dont know if making it 3 dimensional would be any help, but you can simply make that a 3 dimensional drawing by using the extrude command. Extrude it .25 inches for 1/4" material and you can use the orbit command to view it. I too work with autocad and would love to help any way I can. Let me know. (Plus Don.. I live in Olympia!)
DonW
R.I.P.
Thanks,
I just set the depth of cut to .5 in Mach3 and set the tool to a 1/8 2 flute end mill and ran the simulation. It took about 30 minutes and a cup of coffee to run which is pretty cool. I think it would take about a hour to do it by hand and of course alot more work with no coffee.
scubajames
Active member
Don
I'm also working w/ Auto CAD 2007, I could help out. I'm just up north in Marysville. Maybe when it comes time you could help me learn how to use the CNC software
I'm also working w/ Auto CAD 2007, I could help out. I'm just up north in Marysville. Maybe when it comes time you could help me learn how to use the CNC software
Scooterman
Well-known member
Not bad, Don!
Yea Jay I didn't have time to go any farther than a simple drawing but can do just about whatever would be needed if time allows.
Yea Jay I didn't have time to go any farther than a simple drawing but can do just about whatever would be needed if time allows.
IAP Brian
Aquarium Nut
Thanks Don. I'll check into that. I get pretty good prices from DSC tool here in Poulsbo and Eden Saw has better prices, but the bits I use most I wouldn't mind buying 6 or so at a time at 1/3 the price !!!!
....and I won't even get into what saw blades cost.... especially the 12" one... $200 plus cough..cough... owuuuuuch!
We need Big-T to chime in here. He has good ideas on flanges and making them by hand, it would be nice to get his input on the CNC swap over.
Scooty - one change I would make to the flange key holes is to have the trailing arc follow the radius of the flange itself. Making them with the slight arc makes twisting and locking easier.
Scooterman
Well-known member
Can do Brian, I went with a straight cut, I see where that would be nice.
Actually just thinking about it, I just guessed at the hole sizes, we may need to tweak that depending on the thumb screw heads used. Also making the mated flange with the O-ring groves & the threaded holes for the Thumb screws, all needs to be considered & easily drawing to scale. Heck I drew my tank fairly easy, now that it is made I could really make a nice set of drawings. Part are parts
Actually just thinking about it, I just guessed at the hole sizes, we may need to tweak that depending on the thumb screw heads used. Also making the mated flange with the O-ring groves & the threaded holes for the Thumb screws, all needs to be considered & easily drawing to scale. Heck I drew my tank fairly easy, now that it is made I could really make a nice set of drawings. Part are parts
DonW
R.I.P.
You can also get great deals on forrester saw blades at the show.
Flanges are easy by hand just time consuming. I can do them very close to cnc quality by hand but they take four times the time. I can even do twistlocks but they take two hours. CNC is really just another toy.
Don
Curtswearing
Mantisfreak
CNC is really just another toy.
Don
We need to keep you busy for the next week or so. Easter is coming up. We don't want you dying little kids pink, yellow, and blue.
DonW
R.I.P.
We need to keep you busy for the next week or so. Easter is coming up. We don't want you dying little kids pink, yellow, and blue.
Oh no I will be taking a break saturday night to dye my grandson.:lol:
Don
btuck
Well-known member
Well it seems we have a small army of Cad operators here. I too have Acad at home and would be willing to draw some plans if needed. I'm a bit old school though and only have 14 so I hope it still works.
Damsel13
Well-known member
What color?
Your grandson I mean.
Your grandson I mean.
Wow I would have loved to have had my own cnc machine back when I was building all the equipment. In fact I would still love to have one, I planned to build one but I just never had the spare funds. Maybe one day in the near future I will build one too.
IAP Brian
Aquarium Nut
Shhhhhhh! Quit telling everyone! :lol:
Once you get the jigs and equipment set up for making them, it's not very hard. But your right Don, time consuming.
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