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A Windless for Donfarr

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DocBlake

Wed Sep 02 2020, 09:31pm

Registered Member #4496

Joined: Wed Oct 01 2014, 05:02pm
Posts: 318

mrshanks wrote ...

DocBlake wrote ...

It has to be more than a souped up lathe LOL!

That is exactly what it is. For laser etching cylindrical objects of various dimensions. But it will not cut or shape.

Pretty awesome. Anxious to see how you can adapt it. The windlass is a great idea. Anyone would be able to finish it withe the guidelines etched into the wood! Using the rotary indexer, you can mark stock for accurate repetive procedures like turning balusters and support pillars. Possibilities.

[ Edited Wed Sep 02 2020, 09:36pm ]

mrshanks

Wed Sep 02 2020, 10:24pm

Registered Member #5745

Joined: Sun Aug 16 2020, 02:56pm
Posts: 1285

Ok.... so today while taking a nap. I came up with 2 more ideas on how to improve the efficiency for fabricating Donfarr's windlass. No rotary indexer required.

This is the kinda stuff we will be taking to our private R&D forum soon.

It is going to be very exciting!!!

mrshanks

Wed Sep 02 2020, 10:34pm

Registered Member #5745

Joined: Sun Aug 16 2020, 02:56pm
Posts: 1285

MystRacing wrote ...

I'm thinking a person could build a CNC rotary table setup that would hold the part at the level where the the laser usually cuts. The cheap laser I had ($3000) had a removable bottom so you could set it on a piece of wood like a ...

Did I ever mention I wanted to be a process engineer when I was younger.

Jodie - friggin awesome!!! This is what we will be exploring with our think tank of experts for our R&D group.

A couple of comments on your ideas:

- Some of what you say already exists and is available in my shop
- Lasers have limitations on controlling the "depth of cut". They tend to either go right through material or just "etch" a certain depth. They cannot actually "carve".
- Shopbot makes a lathe/rotary/indexer attachment for my CNC machine. We have already looked into it but as of yet never found an applicable use to justify the purchase. It would allow the turning/indexing and 3D CNC carving of objects up to 4" diameter and 20" long (I think).
- So far, I have been able to achieve full 3D CNC carving via 2-sided machining.
- The other thing being considered is an Automatic Tool Changer for my CNC machine. Reduces time greatly.

Let's keep going with this....

ClairG

Wed Sep 02 2020, 11:35pm

Registered Member #5747

Joined: Mon Aug 17 2020, 10:48pm
Posts: 117

So, what if.... Just what if you could combine a laser with a cnc mill? Im sure it could be done, making it a one machine opperation. Possible?

SteveM

Thu Sep 03 2020, 02:55am

Registered Member #1764

Joined: Thu Sep 08 2011, 03:12am
Posts: 206

mrshanks wrote ...

- Lasers have limitations on controlling the "depth of cut". They tend to either go right through material or just "etch" a certain depth. They cannot actually "carve".

In your experience that may be true, but it is not true of all laser based machines. My employer made a system that was a commercial flop, but it could machine a nearly perfect sphere using a laser and a multi-axis chuck. So well in fact that big brother requires tight regulations on who can access its documentation.

Our other systems don't manipulate the component being machined to such a degree, but the hole size, shape, and depth are controlled to levels that require a high quality microscope to examine the cut quality. I would say that the major difference is that we cut man made materials with a known layering of materials while wood can be more or less random.

mrshanks

Thu Sep 03 2020, 09:36am

Registered Member #5745

Joined: Sun Aug 16 2020, 02:56pm
Posts: 1285

Hi Steve - I was talking more from a practical perpective. We can deep etch and do some minor changes to depth of etch in wood. But not really to the control of being able to do a 3D carving in wood. Besides the char residue left over would be problematic, as compared to CNC or 3D printing.

Clair - my experience has been that any type of combo tool usually results in a compromise of functionality. The cost of such a device would probably be more than the combined cost of buying separate tools and should it break down you are then left with the loss of both functions.

mrshanks

Thu Sep 03 2020, 07:39pm

Registered Member #5745

Joined: Sun Aug 16 2020, 02:56pm
Posts: 1285

After thinking about things during a nap, I improved the process for mass fabrication from the way it was done on the prototype.

Instead of laser cutting the boxwood stock for the windlass, I used my Byrnes saw to precisely rip the milled wood to the dimension needed.

Then I put the part into the jig. I used a 1/16" rod to ensure proper side-to-side registration. I applied a mask of the top to minimize char and zapped the part. I repeated this process 3 times for each part, flipping it each time.