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!

New feature coming to FSWizard - the ability to save your tools (and later cutting parameters) online for re-use later.

It is now a feature in development, but the online app already has it enabled: https://app.fswizard.com.

Take it for a spin!

This was initially planned only for the HSMAdvisor app. But since it is easier to develop for FSWizard, I decided to implement it there first. Iron out all the kinks and the flow and then roll it out for HSMAdvisor as well.

Yes, that's right. You will be able to share tools between FSWizard and HSMAdvisor!

Cheers!

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

This February CamInstructor.com hosted a virtual webinar event mostly dedicated to advanced MasterCAM programming.

They called it the Big Event.

I myself watched at least 2 streams. But since it was a whole day thing, only missed a few.

Luckily they published all the videos on their web site:

Check it out before the link expires or they take it down!

Did some testing for HSMAdvisor in A36

Tool: 3/16" 4 FL 0.25" LOC 0.7 Stickout

RPM: 5000 Feed: 32.0ipm

Original engagement DOC:  0.25, WOC: 0.083

Was successful and sounded nice, but the TTS holder started to pull out. Had to half both DOC and WOC for the video:

After almost one month of waiting for parts, tracing wires, testing, soldering, and assembling. Here is the finished product!

Milling case hardened t-slot nuts:

Quick Tool change action with Tormach TTS holders:

On the heels of the previous post.

YouTuber Breaking Taps has just published another of his interesting videos:

In it he is testing various High-Speed Machining techniques on his benchtop CNC router.

Also it is mentioned that HSMAdvisor does not seem to like those small high-feed cutters: at some point some calculated values become negative.

This is a legitimate criticism and it actually happens because default cutting depth of 0.024" becomes too large for the 0.24" Lakeshore high feed and mill and an actual Flute length of 0.015" must be entered in order to get proper values:

With actual 0.015" flute length entered the recommended speed and feed values are now in the safe end of the ballpark suggested by the manufacturer.

Task added to the issue tracker!

Just found a very good video of testing a table-top gantry router cutting mild steel.

YouTuber named "Breaking Taps" used speeds and feeds generated by HSMAdvisor to get a starting point.

To see where exactly he was in the calculations I decided to reproduce all of cuts in HSMAdvisor.

A couple of assumptions i made:

1. Tool Type: Solid End Mill. It is not recommended to use the HP/Roughing tool type on such light machines, so i assumed this is the tool BT used.
2. Tool Stick-out looked like about 3/4" so I used that number.
3. Material was set to A36 Hot rolled steel.

Test 1) Minute 4:52

Good, slow and very safe starting point.

Test 2) Minute 6:20

Twice as aggressive as before, but we can still push it further.

Test 3) Minute 7:10

Here we can see the lack of machine rigidity starting to show. But at 65% feed rate it is still alive.

Test 4) Minute 8:30

This last test did not go well at all.

The machine has finally hit its limit and the endmill broke at all S&F overrides at about 100%

Was this fault of the software? Not really!

If that were a heavier machine, the last cut would not even be considered that difficult.

Here is a full slotting cut on a Matsuura VMC:

And here is the calculation that was done using HP/Roughing End Mill tool type:

If i were using the "Solid End Mill" tool definition, i would have to dial the feed override to 176% to match the 45ipm feed rate!

So what can users of light machines do in order to not break taps end mills?

First of all make sure the spindle torque curve is built and enabled in your machine profile settings.

The easiest solution is to de-rate the spindle. There is "Warning at" level in machine profile settings. Set that to 50% for starters and it should save you from exceeding the machine's capabilities.

Overall this was a great test of this little machine's capabilities and of the great help that software like HSMAdviasor can lend in discovering them.

Please head over to Breaking Taps YouTube account and subscribe.

What is new in this update:

• Improved Engraving and Chamfering speeds and feeds
• Improved Deflection calculation for High Feed Endmills
• Removed annoying "Ding" sound on ENTER key press
• Some minor bug fixes and cleanup.

There have been lots of new functionality in the program and i am going to release a video showcasing that soon.
Keep an eye out for it!

Best Regards.