I had a simular situation recently. I ghosted a pocket operation to simulate the burnout. Then I used surface/high-speed/rest-roughing to machine the remaining stock. Using Mill level 1, I think I would stick with the contour with multipass or other methods, but use high-feed to speed up the air-cutting.

How the time flies.

Experience means so much. I started with Mastercam 5 and taught myself in a job shop atmosphere. I never changed jobs much, I didn't need to be challenged further. I started my own job-shop 8 years ago. The quantities my shop produces range from prototype through small production. Some 2D stuff, some complex 3D stuff. Materials range from plastic to exotic metals. Size range from hundreds of pounds to less than a gram. I'm always amazed how much knowlege it takes to be successful in this trade.

Perhaps it's switching planes? (G18)

There's a bunch of Art pictures in the woodworking area of this forum.

If the changes are minor, and you overlap the solids, booleen-remove may work.

If your cutting CPVC, it's important to realize the material has a free chlorine. When you cut it, the clorine will attach to water and create hydrochloric acid. This in turn will rust your machine, toolholders and everything it come in contact with. Depending on how much you cut, at night or when you are done cutting, I strongly suggest spraying everything with some oil.

What about something like yellow foam? It's a polyurethane foam, available in a variety of densities. It's not too expensive and it machines easy. It makes a bit of a mess, but nothing compared with MDF.

Those with more experience would know more, but I think magnesium effects the coolant unless it is a coolant designed for that application.

Chris, thank you for posting that link to the obituary and funeral arrangements. I forwarded it to some of the people in the industry who knew Larry over the years. Like you, Larry and I, foremost, had a business relationship, and we left it at that. When we talked , Larry would inquire about my family and tell me about his. I always sensed he inquired because he was interested. I think that is one of the reasons I consider him a friend. When I started my own shop, Larry was still working out of his car. I had just purchased a used machine and shipped it from Wisconsin. Larry was working on getting a lease at the present location of Industrial Tool. Money was tight for both of us, yet I needed toolholders, vices ect. I said, "Larry, I don't know if I can pay you in 30 days." As we loaded my truck he said, "Do what you can." I've never sat in his car or he didn't fund a lunch for me, but he helped me when I needed it when most others wouldn't. He did because he knew people their history and their stories. He was a special guy.

I heard about that yesterday, but wasn't able to post anything. I've known Larry for more than 25 years when he worked for Brooks Tool Supply. He will be missed.

For surface/solid file formats, I've had the greatest success with STEP, for 2D, DXF has worked great.

Dragracer, you offer some good advice. Even though "the business" is machining, if you want to be in "business", sales is the word. In a long term business plan, undercutting everyone will delay the inevitable. You will be busy going out of business. Ellett, like this forum, you may be surprised how many shops are willing to help and share. Call them. Introduce yourself. Tell them your story. Perhaps try networking through websites like www.linkedin.com If it were easy, everyone would be doing it. I think this is the most difficult trade to learn and even more difficult to start a business in. I started my shop 8 years ago and I still haven't figured out how to sustain a steady business flow.

If I understand correctly, you "came across" not one, but two VF-5 and now you want to "come across" some work before you own them.

Looks like fun. Nickel, Chrome with some Ti. Based on John's links, I don't see much for additives which would improve it's machinability. I'd start my numbers somewhere on the low side of 304L. Be careful if your drilling. I bet that stuff will harden quick. These are the times that try men's souls.

Leehound, that is lovely.

Shawn, I don't think it would. I don't think there was anything wrong with the geometry. It's my guess that the problem was caused by a rounding error, then multiplied by the manor it was posted. Try this. Create a half circle, one inch diameter. Now create a two-point circle 1.0001 diameter and choose the two endpoints of the first circle. The centerpoint will be significantly different. It's a rare occurrence, but perhaps the circle was 1.00005 and MC rounded half of the circle up and the other half down.

Ron, that was my thought. It's rare that it happens, but a tiny rounding error caused a value of a 180deg arc to mismatch .0001 Been there/done that.

I'm curious how your post outputs arcs. Do you use R or I,J. Do you break arcs?

Call me a cheap xxxx, I never buy my parents or in-laws a Christmas gift. I always make them something. Below are some pictures of my boy which were a gift in 2005, made using MC Art. This year, I'm working on a matching peice, showing his brother who is now about the same age as when this one was done. 1-1/2 y.o.

Scott, it's cast iron. There's a ton of free carbon in it, so it lubricates itself. That graphite does get everwhere. It will make a mess of your machine and turn everything black. If you rub your finger on a newly machined surface, your finger will be black. It's nice to machine though, similar speeds/feeds as low carbon. Cut dry unless you want to throw away the coolant afterwards. If anything, you can push harder than CRS. Unlike some cast iron, Durabar is pretty uniform. When I machined it, I didn't expereince any problems with tool life. I was using TiCN and AlTiCN coated carbide. Both worked well. If It helps to see it cut, I filmed a short video for my website when I was cutting those parts from the same alloy.

Zcorp has an entire package designed for just this application. Mimics Z is able to convert high definition MRI or CT scans into STL. Push "go" on the 3D printer and your done.

Shawn, how complex is your work? Do you create surface files in MC or are files always given to you from a different CAD system? Do you even need surfaces or is this just how it comes in? If strictly creating toolpaths, even though solids will give some ability to chain and select points, those enhansments alone would not justify the cost for me.

quote: American Machinist voted us one of the top ten shops in America last year Congratulations. I didn't realize that was you. Surprisingly, your now one of the top nine shops in America. SPM went belly up. They auctioned everything off in the springtime.

TheePres, you can use an engraving toolpath and project the toolpath to give the sharp corners. I needed to do something like that a few years ago. archive