Bottom plate shows the first outside cut with the mill, the stack shows the bevel cut into the rest. The bevel cut is the fifth step. The yellow dots are index marks so I load each peice the same each time so the cuts stay concentric.
Doing the inside cut with the mill 1/4" bit one pass through 1/4" aluminum at 2000rpm and 4ipm, took about three minutes to turn around each part (slowest step on the mill). It also makes a lot of fine slivers. You can see the part is screwed to the fixture thats clamped in the vise.
The stack moving from one place to the other as the step gets done. After the center is cut out I ran the parts through the same program again with a 90 degree counterbore to bevel the inside edge at 12ipm.
Now I have to do the reliefs on the underside of the part and then polish them up. I've learned a lot about machining and the steps it takes to process parts through. The lead machinist was pretty impressed when I was discussing the work with him this evening about how I drew out the parts and wrote the points down before starting and how much thought has to go into each step so you can hold the part and not do something that may damage or mark a machined finish. He's said a couple times that I could transfer back there if I wanted to. I may go back part time to learn some more.
Jamie
nice work. I would like to be placed on the list for the 1st or 2nd batch. Please PM me if I would be able to be on the list.
