Hey!
I was wondering what some good mods are for my 1000mm.
I have an X-Controller, and DW 611, and want to do some aluminum milling, but I’m not sure what I should upgrade.
I hear the X-Axis should be stiffened.
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Search is your friend:
https://discuss.inventables.com/search?q=stiff
The “30-minute” and “60-minute” stiffening mods are both very popular.
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One of the stiffening mods and some support brackets for the Y axis.
For aluminum you might want to consider a mist sprayer or air jet
I upgraded the 6mm GT2 belts and GT2 pulleys to GT3 belts and pulleys from OpenBuilds. They are the same size (6mm) so you don’t need bigger clips or idlers, you just need to change the 2 Y pulleys and the 1 X pulley, add \ install the new belts, then change the $100 and $101 settings in GRBL to reflect the change in the microsteps required.
X and Y stiffening mods, esp when doing aluminum, is highly recommended.
I am milling aluminium at this very moment.
Both x and y are stiffened.
Running dewalt 611
.5 inch router bit and .125 2 flute upcut being used
doc .003 for both bits
.5 bit running 10ipm on the pocket
.5 bit @15ipm face milling
.125 @35 ipm for the cut out
Question: Without the mods can you mill aluminum slowly?
Yes but use small bits and keep doc and ipm low.
The y axis was a free mod till i replace it just 2 blocks of wood super glued to the rail and waste board took them off before with a heat gun.
A good E-Stop button is your first order of business (speaking from experience). Beyond that, I suggest what everyone else has PLUS - this little guy - if you have an air compressor (20-30psi keeps the cut clean and I never use lube anymore):
Plus, a quick metal chip barrier around your machine - some shelf liner, paneling, anything to put on both sides and back and a removable piece for the front. Keeping all of your metal contained while carving is a godsend. I also made covers for my two x-axis plates (like pita pockets made from shelf liner, duct taped together) to keep the chips out of my pulleys.
IMHO - If you use smaller bits like .125, I would move much faster than that. WAY faster than that. It is your depth of cut that matters. Try .005" depth of cut an 50 inches per minute with .125" bit designed for aluminum, not a wood routing bit. if you get chatter, stop and try .003" DOC but keep your speed up. Also, 2 flute aluminum bit would be a good first try. Three flute requires even faster speeds.
where is everyone getting their aluminum end mills?
Drillman on Ebay for many of us. Search “drillman destiny viper” and then pull up drillman’s ebay store.
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Thanks
Hi! I’m reading up about mods for my older x-carve so that I can occasionally mill aluminum and I’m wondering if my dust shoe is still going to be useful, as compared with an air jet? Although, I imagine the air jet is dual purpose; for moving debris and cooling, correct?