What do you really get for a $350 desk top engraver ?

built a box added some lights and chips still find a way out just a short video cutting my makeshift vise down. i tried to cut some steps in the jaws but it did not hold the part well so plan B is to cut them down so i can make some better low-profile work holding. nothing to exciting. just trying to see what it can do and can't do.

facing i can probably do twice that cut. radial cuts with the side are a little bit more demanding. 1/2 inch depth of cut with a .020 step over seems to be about the limit right now.
i ran out of feed override to test that little bit of cutting. the first few passe are cutting at 400 IPM and the last pass is a finish pass at 200 IPM.

a bit more bang for quite a few more bucks than the $350 toy. something that can at least make some stuff.

better removal rates with a deeper cut of .060 at 200 IPM. sometime soon i will try to see if i can get a .040 DOC @400ipm that would be faster yet

starting my first real project with this machine to give it a real test actually making something. i would probably go about doing these different if i had more to work with but it was a good test on what i think will be a strong point with this machine. A picture of the end result and a video link if you want to see how the machine did.

 


 

i came into about 200 lbs of random off cuts and have to square a lot of material so it's not so random in size. did another test with a 1/2 3 flute to see how the bigger cutter would do. The machine did fine but my homemade work holding is the weak link the parts are starting to lift up so not very practical but fun to watch .03 DOC @ 625IPM with almost full width of the tool for a stepover.



 

I had some time to try out some new work holding, and it does open up ways to go about secondary operations. But what i noticed is working holding factors into these little machines quite a bit. when you start getting into thicker pieces. radial cutting becomes a pain when you want a good finish. one other thing i don't care for with the new clamps is the fact that you have to count on aluminum threads. over time they will fail due to wear and since it is part of the clamp that will become a problem at some point. So i think i will try a new approach with a 3 part clamp that uses the steel T nuts for the clamping force. once I thought of it i was like stupid simple is a Plus sometimes

one other thing i was working with was the uses of work offsets. and came into the issue of table variation on the Z axis. i wanted to try not skimming the table top but i think if i do it will make things much more simple in the long run.

i actually am waiting for some solid carbide High-feed mills to try too. I think they might work well with this machine they are not cheap but if they work well it is what it is and you just suck it up