Topic: Milling head?
So i saw this video...
Was wondering if it can be done with the solidoodle too.
I'm sure hard materials like wood or metal cannot be used, but what about wax and the floral/styro foam used in the video?
- Merko
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Re: Milling head?
Well, yes and no. Yes: but you would need to change some parts and also write a new firmware and stuff 
Re: Milling head?
I suppose you could start by googling Sanguinololu +CNC +Milling and see if anything turns up.
4 2012-08-12 00:35:19 (edited by Kyle 2012-08-12 00:35:32)
- Kyle
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Re: Milling head?
Merko wrote:
Well, yes and no. Yes: but you would need to change some parts and also write a new firmware and stuff
Not necesarily, all the firmware does is interpret g-code.
G-code tells the printer when to jump and how high.
For milling foam all you would need is a little rotary tool and a vaccum to keep bits of foam away from the mechanical parts.
If i'm not mistaken, pronterface as a setting for subbtractive manufacturing?
5 2012-08-12 02:53:57 (edited by MeshMoth 2012-08-12 02:54:54)
Re: Milling head?
hmm pretty cool... I can use a Dremel with a flexible shaft attachment....
And then design a mount to hold the shaft and vacuum line... then figure how to calibrate it so I don't drill a hole through the bed. 
Re: Milling head?
MeshMoth wrote:
hmm pretty cool... I can use a Dremel with a flexible shaft attachment....
And then design a mount to hold the shaft and vacuum line... then figure how to calibrate it so I don't drill a hole through the bed.
Using this as a mill is not going to work for any "real" materials. It might work for Styrofoam
I just built a shapoko, and I can tell you that you need a little strong motors when cutting material.
If you do go through with this, use a scrap board on the bed to take the risk out of drilling through the bed.
Also the flexible dremel has a fair amount of runout which will cause you issues.
It's really tricky to build a machine that's good a both 3d printing and milling. Very high speeds are needed for 3d printing, strong motors and a more rigid design is needed for milling/routing.
As for the electronics though, they are pretty much the same. xyz control of a tool.
Re: Milling head?
Thanks for the insight Zim, How do you like the Shapeoko? I just looked it up and it looks like something that I can actually do with my limited skills. I took Ian's advice and researched a bit more and seems that the stepper motors need more torque as well as the milling motor. The electronics also need to be able to handle the current to power said motors. Joints and rails need to be beefed up as well if I want to mill real materials and not just foam... So I guess real materials are out of the question.
I thought foam could be a good start because I can always put a coat of epoxy/fiberglass/carbon fiber over the part to make it stronger. I plan on doing the same with some of the parts that I print from the Solidoodle as well.
I just keep thinking of stupid things because I have no printer to occupy my time.
If one day I stop posting dumb ideas you guys will know that I have received my printer... 
Re: Milling head?
I love the shapeoko. It's not my first CNC machine, but it's by far the best one I've had a hand in building so far.
Foam is not always a bad material to mill... Look up lost foam casting and you'll see you can turn that foam shape into aluminum in your back yard..
Pretty cool demo of that at the CNC conference I went to the last couple years, and again at the maker faire in Detroit this year.
Personally I'm glad to have a machine for each purpose, hopefully I can get a laser cutter some day too.
Re: Milling head?
Yeah Solidoodle is like my gateway drug...
My goal is to either buy or build a 5 axis CNC mill.
Hoping to learn all that I can with the Solidoodle and move up from there.
Casting is pretty awesome, but I'm not so comfortable with metal at that high of a temp. I'm a bit reckless when it comes to things like that, and that's why I rather have the machine do things for me lol.
I read somewhere that making a laser cutter is a total pain in the butt because the lasers cost lots of money, hard to calibrate, and the laser doesn't last long... But if this is the case how come so many companies like Makerbot use it?
Re: Milling head?
I'm not sure what kind of 5 axis I would need. I think I had that dream once and more and more I'm learning that I need specific tools for specific tasks, not a one size fits all machine.
keling out of Chicago sells a very cheap laser cutter... cheap enough it makes me worried.
inventables also sells a low cost laser cutter.
They might be expensive, but they can do things the mill nor the 3d printer can do right. Each machine has their purpose.
If you end up cutting metals instead of casting them there is a sizable cost for your stock material, and then you have a lot of scrap/chips (which eventually needs to be melted down, either by you, or by the refinery)
I'm trying to build my own 1 axis ram EDM machine, it basically only cuts straight down, but you can design whatever shape hole you want using an CNC mill to build the tool, then the EDM can cut easily through hardened steel.
Lets not get into wanting a water jet or a plasma cutter. About 5 years ago I really thought building one size all machine would work, but I'm pretty sure getting it to do more than a couple things is going to be difficult.
HOWEVER on that note, some people have added 3d printing like features to their shapeoko, it's not impossible to add milling to the solidoodle.
Re: Milling head?
if you have a case, take it off.
look at the Y axis, where the X-axis attaches.
there is a white nylon block that slides across the y rod. (of the right hand side when looking from the front). look underneath the rod yuo'll see an air gap.
as soon as you apply upward preassure, (from bringing the work piece up to the tool head) the entire X-axis is going to move.
wood is definitly out of the question. so is ALU.
hard wax would also be difficult with the solidoodle.
strofoam might also be a challenge,
as for the florist block, (oasis), you might get away with that, but only if you took things really slowly.
the solioodle is just not a subtractive machine. and would require extensive upgrades in order to be that.
upgrades include, but are not limited to.
beefier x - y rods to support a larger tool with heavy motor.
better bearings on the y axis
larger stepper motors on the x, y and z axis,
bigger stepper drivers.
as a laser engraver is should work pretty well though. (given that low power lasers are really light, and for lighter power lasers you'll be mounting a mirror, not a laser tube.)