Great Dane excavating co.

[Cooper]

Thanks guys!! Well my brain has been bleeding out!! Smoke from my ears and sometimes nostrils!!! Not having any background in cnc, cad (very little) and none in cam. I figured what better way to start than making track links in a fixture with multiple parts with multiple operations!! I don't have the stock 3/8" plate I wanted to use to make 12 at a time so I'm using square stock and going to make 4 at a time. Well two and a finishing opp for the other two. Then another rotated for screw holes. I'm in the deep end of my gene pool and no lifeguards ,,,, I don't think my lineage had ever intended for me to do this!!

Some things are starting to come together but just when the do something else!! Now I need to find any good cutters I have and input all those numbers!! The material and tool list keeps growing!! At least the small cutters are not bad price wise.

Hats of to you guys that do this stuff all day!! I've been trying to make my biggest foe my friend,,, the computer,,, but all those times I didn't agree are now paying back!! One day I may be on friendly terms with they keyboard!!! Humm., reminds me I'm out of beer! That makes ugly women look better, wonder if it makes computer work better!??!!?!?

[Rvjimd]

Ha, I feel your pain! For me, the beer just makes it easier for the wife to hear me scream!

Jim

[TRUCKMAKER]

Originally Posted by Cooper

Thanks guys!! Well my brain has been bleeding out!! Smoke from my ears and sometimes nostrils!!! Not having any background in cnc, cad (very little) and none in cam. I figured what better way to start than making track links in a fixture with multiple parts with multiple operations!! I don't have the stock 3/8" plate I wanted to use to make 12 at a time so I'm using square stock and going to make 4 at a time. Well two and a finishing opp for the other two. Then another rotated for screw holes. I'm in the deep end of my gene pool and no lifeguards ,,,, I don't think my lineage had ever intended for me to do this!!

Some things are starting to come together but just when the do something else!! Now I need to find any good cutters I have and input all those numbers!! The material and tool list keeps growing!! At least the small cutters are not bad price wise.



Hats of to you guys that do this stuff all day!! I've been trying to make my biggest foe my friend,,, the computer,,, but all those times I didn't agree are now paying back!! One day I may be on friendly terms with they keyboard!!! Humm., reminds me I'm out of beer! That makes ugly women look better, wonder if it makes computer work better!??!!?!?

You sound like you did when you started making tires for the dump and then the dump it self lol. You got this it'll turn out just fine, might not be cheap but nothing is nowadays! Waiting to see cool parts!

[tc1cat]

Cooper, After almost 30 years of running CNC equipment, the best advice I can give you is "TAKE YOUR TIME!!" Don't rush anything. Since you are paying for everything and have a wife to contend with, this will help save money. She should be happy that you are-1) HOME and not in a bar, 2) Trying to learn something new, & 3) Trying to save money by making things yourself. Now you need to try and hide the cost of tooling and tool holders You can't do this but you can try!!

Enjoy your new mill. You will get the hang of it

[ihbuilder]

Originally Posted by tc1cat

Cooper, After almost 30 years of running CNC equipment, the best advice I can give you is "TAKE YOUR TIME!!" Don't rush anything. Since you are paying for everything and have a wife to contend with, this will help save money. She should be happy that you are-1) HOME and not in a bar, 2) Trying to learn something new, & 3) Trying to save money by making things yourself. Now you need to try and hide the cost of tooling and tool holders You can't do this but you can try!!

Enjoy your new mill. You will get the hang of it

Amen , you can tell yer wife there are some that actually buy there husbands these machines to keep em outa trouble

[Mustang46555]

Cooper, Got to echo Lynn, "take your time."
How you hold parts to machine them is more important to the finished part than the actual machining. Think your work holding through carefully remembering that milling tools will grab. I've seen some descriptions of how parts are held that made my hair stand up! The better you can hold the part the less chatter you'll have and your finishes will be better. And don't hesitate to ask questions if you're not sure on something. There's a ton of experience on this board and we'll all be glad to help you get started. You'll be an old hand in no time.

[Cooper]

Well the other day didn't look like the one befor!!



Spent a few days trying to figure out the cad software and even bigger hurdle on the cam stuff



Some pics of first parts,,

[Cooper]

And still need to cut the bottom , then make another fixture for drilling and tapping holes for track pads.







And broke one mill, I forgot to slow everything down in first run and account for tool path cutting the soft jaws. Changed a few things afterwards to make it cycle faster. I'm not in any hurry but don't like to see the tool moving slowly in empty space. Starting to get a taste of capabilities this cnc stuff will allow me.

[modelman]

Cooper-seems you have the new "cnc gizmo" figured out. Are you making another dozer or making new links for your D11? I know nothing about this modern stuff but have another silly question- wouldn't it make sense to cut the links out of wider stock and not hack up your vise jaws? Keep posting pictures and how about a video of the mill working.

[JAMMER]

Hello DB you should try is out on wood first to see if it is going to work until you get use to the machine and how it works. Ed

[Cooper]

Originally Posted by modelman

Cooper-seems you have the new "cnc gizmo" figured out. Are you making another dozer or making new links for your D11? I know nothing about this modern stuff but have another silly question- wouldn't it make sense to cut the links out of wider stock and not hack up your vise jaws? Keep posting pictures and how about a video of the mill working.

I'm making a set out of alum and then another set from steel. 160 each set. The jaws are just perishable aluminum. I purposely purchased this set up for making parts like these in quantity. I probably have almost $10 in jaws but very little stock on the parts will be wasted. Stock sides are same as part side so just top, and profile cutting, so savings in the long run. I'm sure as I learn a bit more I would prefer to be making a regular fixture that could cut about 20 at a time but then I would have the added cost of stripper bolts, ( not much like a $1 a piece, but wanting 40 or so and also having them for future fixture things) I just decided a simple piece of square stock held and referenced would be simple and repeatable. And my work origin is set to a specific location on one jaw that will never change even if I remove them and replace later. So in some years later I would be able to use same jaws and make new parts very easy and repeatable. But I'm just learning and well, that's what was making sense to me then and now .

[9W Monighan]

When you go to making the links out of steel; Try some 11L17 or other free machining steel. Stessproof (1144)is nice stuff but you can only get it in rounds.

[Cooper]

Originally Posted by 9W Monighan

When you go to making the links out of steel; Try some 11L17 or other free machining steel. Stessproof (1144)is nice stuff but you can only get it in rounds.

Thanks Steve, I did get some in the specific size, 3/8" square from 12L14. Also some new cutters from maritool. I know what have abused the cutters I already have and don't have many in the under 1/4" size so new tools for the cnc mill. Once they get worn I'll use them for roughing and manual milling. It's got me to learn more of the speeds n feeds and realize almost all my cutters are almost new on the sides!! Been learning a great deal of the cutting process, or should I say I've been learning a lot about how much I don't know .

[Northern Farmer]

Happy birthday Cooper hope you have a good one

[Hofabooz]

Hi
Happy birthday Cooper
Hope you spend time doing what you want on your birthday.

Tormach is looking great hope you are enjoying it.
Im looking to import one to the UK end of this year or early next year

[TRUCKMAKER]

Happy birthday RW!

[Cooper]

Thanks guys!! Another day older!!! When we are young we can't wait till the next birthday, now that I'm older I wish I wasn't!! Lol!!
Well I've been messing with the new mill and am slowly getting use to it. I'll try and post some progress pics shortly but in the mean time,, keeping with my scattered off topic thread the mascot of Great Dane construction company,, this was a few years ago.



Hey ed, missed your call but I'll try and get in touch with you sometime today, weather is nice and am doing some early spring clean up around house and barn. Thanks to snowplow dipsh$&s most of my yard is curled up in a pile along driveway!!

[Azonic]

Nice machine and nice parts coming from it. As soon as I get money and space I will start to look for a CNC mill and start lerning.

Very intresting, Keep sharing!

[Northern Farmer]

Originally Posted by Cooper

Thanks guys!! Another day older!!! When we are young we can't wait till the next birthday, now that I'm older I wish I wasn't!! Lol!!
Well I've been messing with the new mill and am slowly getting use to it. I'll try and post some progress pics shortly but in the mean time,, keeping with my scattered off topic thread the mascot of Great Dane construction company,, this was a few years ago.



Hey ed, missed your call but I'll try and get in touch with you sometime today, weather is nice and am doing some early spring clean up around house and barn. Thanks to snowplow dipsh$&s most of my yard is curled up in a pile along driveway!!

That's funny! My 7 year old amstaff is named Kane

[Cooper]

Made another set of soft jaws for milling the other side