Programmed and machined a T-800 head from thingiverse:

Here is a finished scull video from all sides: https://youtube.com/shorts/mdclf5LvdyM?feature=share

In the 1st op I milled the base with a 1/4-20 tapped hole right where my Z0Y0Z0 will be.

Then I mounted the base on a square fixture using the tapped hole. This way as I index the square fixture in the vise, my part Z0Y0Z0 remain in the same spot.

2nd op was the back of the scull

3rd op was the face, and the 4th and 5th were the sides

Here is a YouTube video of some of the 3rd op machining. Warning Loud Noise!

Ever since getting my benchtop CNC running, I have not been very happy with the lack of manual control over overrides and buttons.

This DIY Engineering video gave me a great idea: build one myself.

I wanted the smooth speed and feed overrides, so I decided to not go with HID device, but instead with a full serial control paired with a custom plugin on the UCCNC side.

Here is the Fusion design of the enclosure:

And here it is 3D-Printed.
Acrylic face engraved from the back side and painted.
And all buttons and controls mounted:

All I have to do now is wire the Arduino board, program the plugin, and test it!

Update:

Here is the video of the pendant in action:

1. PCB Design

Design notes:

• All resistors used were 10K
• Speed and Feed potentiometers are 10K
  Their pinout goes Wiper->ground = 0%, Wiper -> +5V = 200%
• Axis and Handwheel Increment rotary switches are 4-position and their pinout goes like this:
  Axis select 1-X, 2-Y, 3-Z, 4-A, C-Common (+5V)
  Handwheel Increment 1-0.0001, 2-0.0010, 3-0.0100, 4-0.1000, C-Common (+5V)
• All function buttons such as Jog +/-, M1, M2, etc are sending +5V signals to the digital pins D2-D12
• D13 digital pin is connected to a LED indicator and is used to tell the user that the Pendant is allowed to send signals to the plugin.

Design files:

• Electronics Design: https://a360.co/3NGWRTP
• https://a360.co/3NLhfDk
• https://a360.co/3JObaVh 

2. Enclosure Design

https://a360.co/3fG3jgI 

If you don't have a 3D printer and/or a CNC Mill, please contact me and I will send you a 3d-printed enclosure and the 3d-printed or milled acrylic face plate:

• 3D-Printed Black PLA Enclosure (shown in pictures): 30$ + shipping
• 3D-Printed Black PLA Face Plate (optional): 15$ + shipping
• CNC Milled and Engraved unpainted (clear) acrylic Face Plate (shown in pictures): 30$ + shipping

3. Arduino Setup

• Install the Full Firmata library onto your Arduino Nano (Or any other Ardiono that supports USB Serial Communication): StandardFirmata sketch used for Arduino NANO is also added to the release package

• Please note that you might need to install Arduino USB Driver in order for your Arduino to work on the target computer!

4. UCCNC Setup

• Download the latest LEETArduinoPendant from the releases and extract it to your PC.
  https://github.com/swindex/LEETArduinoPendant/releases
• Copy the LEETArduinoPendant.dll plugin file to the C:\UCCNC\Plugins directory!
• Copy the Solid.Arduino.dll file from the Solid.Arduino release folder to the C:\UCCNC directory.
• Please note that you might need to install Arduino USB Driver in order for your Arduino to work on the target computer!
• Launch UCCNC.exe, go to Settings->Configure Plugins, and mark the LEET Arduino Pendant plugin as Enabled and Call startup
• After everything is installed, Arduino is connected and UCCNC is running, press the "Enable" (+5v to D2-B-ENABLE ) button that will tell the plugin that the pendant is ready to send signals! D13 (LED+) will then have a continuous +3.3V signal alerting you of that!

Hardware Acquisition (Amazon)

Fusion F360 desing files Size:2.55 MB

The job of a software developer is to solve problems.

So naturally, when I wanted to easily edit a screenset for UCCNC motion control software, I decided to create an app for that!

You can find it here: https://snapwebapps.com/uccnceditor/

In my days machining blow molds there were lots of parts where I had to make a completely through hole. Sometimes those were up to 4 inches deep and I had to go from both sides!

The trick to machining cores like that is to leave about 0.05" on skin all around AND pick milling direction and start point such that when the last bit is milled through, the core gently pushed away from the cutter instead of jumping out.

Small stripper plate. 1.75" high Big stripper plate. Also 1.75" high

This update fixes the no-message shutdown when your trial expires!

Have you ever wondered how much tool life can deteriorate when using coolant with High-Speed Machining (HSM)?
Or maybe you never really saw the boost in tool life when using HSM techniques because you had to use coolant?

Well, here is a test result I just got from running the same tool at the same Speed and Feed with and without coolant.

We all know what the CNC Milling Machine spindle is used for - to hold the tool. But it is old and boring. Everybody does that.

Here are the 6 interesting and maybe less common ways to utilize machine spindle, increase productivity and solve some problems you never thought you had.

Use your Spindle as a fan to blow chips and coolant off of your work-piece, table and fixturing.

I saw this little gadget at a local IMTS show and it was quite cool. It is installed into a tool holder like a regular cutting tool would be and at the end of the program you can call the it up and run a little table-cleaning program to make your work a lot cleaner!

We all have heard hundreds of times that when chatter is happening during machining, we should reduce our feed rate. The same advice we also hear for compensating for extra-long tools and unstable setups.

Let me explain why I think this is mostly incorrect.

Let’s list  the effects of reducing the feed rate:

1. Reduces tool life.
2. Reduces productivity.
3. Increases deflection.
4. Causes chatter.

Let me explain from my own experience and research I have made each of these points and a simple way to avoid chatter's adverse effects.

Being a CNC Machinist/Programmer is sometimes more than simply creating a program and machining the actual part, often times it is about creating efficient and accurate fixturing.

In this little project:

I had to machine rectangular cut-outs and drill holes through an already-turned steel ring. Then I had to part each ring to 4 equal pieces.

There were about 100 such rings that worked out to 400 pieces in total.

After drilling holes on an indexer I had to machine a fixture to hold my part through 2 remaining set-ups.

First half of the fixture consists of the expanding mandrel:

The work-piece would be mounted on it like so. A hole on the side is used to properly position it:

Being a professional CNC Machinist myself with a good manual background I often find myself watching various machining videos and blogs.

Unlike others I do not often share somebody-else's work, I could just not walk past this one and not tell everybody how great I think this is....

This story was posted on "Russian reddit" and here is the direct translation of the author's post:

Lets begin with tyres. Vladimir (guy's name) decided to create the mould to make the rubber tyres himself. Here it is:

Here are the tyres he made with it. Beautiful aren't they?

He also made little differentials. Housings, gears. Everything made himself: