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Software and Information for Machinists |
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Tips & Techniques Pages
CNC Cookbook
Along the way I have written a number of explanatory and other articles about machining and CNC. I find the discipline of writing these articles is a useful way to organize my thoughts and get clear understanding of an area. This page gathers the articles up so others can benefit from my learning curve. If you are new to the CNC Cookbook, you might try the Master Checklist as a handy index to what's here.
Learning Essays
Accuracy and Performance: What factors control the accuracy and performance of my CNC machine?
Breakout Boards: How does my PC talk to my machine?
CAM Toolpath Strategies: Where plunge roughing, trochoidal machining, and other odd beasts are explained.
Chip Thinning and Other Ways to Speed Your Cuts: Learn about cases where you should be upping your speeds and feeds and how to exploit them.
CNC Software: What are the different kinds of software associated with CNC and how do they work together?
Cutting Tools & Surface Finish on the Lathe: Tips & Techniques.
Cutting Tools & Surface Finish on the Mill: Tips & Techniques.
Debugging CNC Electronics: My notes on debugging CNC electronics.
Deburring and Polishing: Techniques other than Vibratory.
Design & Manufacturing Tips: Tips & Techniques.
Drilling, Boring, and Reaming on the Lathe: Tips & Techniques.
Dry Machining: The Fascinating World of Dry and Near-Dry Machining (aka What to do when your machine doesn't have flood cooling)
Enclosure Gallery: Looking for ideas for your electronics enclosure?
Eliminating Backlash Part 1: I'm converting a manual machine or building a new machine, how do I get rid of backlash? Why should I care?
Eliminating Backlash Part 2: My machine has all the "right" stuff, but it still has backlash. How do I get rid of it?
First G-Code and OneCNC Walkthrough: See how I generated my first g-code with a CAM program for the lathe.
Introduction for Beginners and New Visitors: What are you going to make with those machine tools?
Laser Metrology: You can use lasers in the home shop to achieve astounding accuracies.
Lathe Eccentric Turning: All the many ways to turn parts with round features not concentric.
Lathe Workholding: There are many ways to hold the workpiece while turning.
Learning to Love Asian Machine Tools: Do I buy a new Asian or old American Iron?
Mach 3 and GRex Notes: Notes and tips I've picked up on Mach 3 and GRex.
Machine Restoration Tips: Tips & Techniques.
Master Checklist: A checklist of everything that goes into a CNC machine project together with links to appropriate pages here.
Materials, Finishes, and Treatments: Properties of different metals and how to finish them for best appearance.
Measuring and Layout: Tips & Techniques.
Metrology: The Science of Measurement: Different tools for different tolerances.
Mill Surface Finish: Tips & Techniques.
Mill Tips & Techniques: Tips & Techniques.
Noise Problems: Diagnosing and fixing noise problems in CNC systems.
Parting & Cutoff on the Lathe: Tips & Techniques.
Rhino Tips: Some of my tips and techniques for being productive with Rhino 3D.
Rotary Table Accessories and Tips: Some things you'll need if you have a rotab and a few tips on using them.
Stepper, Servo & Backlash Simulator: Wherein we explore the perennial debate over steppers vs servos and the effects of backlash.
Thoughts on HSS Toolgrinding: Notes on how to grind various kinds of HSS tool.
Vibratory Deburring and Polishing: Avoid the elbow grease with a vibratory polisher.
Be sure to check out G-Wizard!
Idea Notebooks
These are collections of photos to help inspire ideas for my own projects.
CNC Control Panels: What should be on your control panel?
Coolant Collars: A handy way to dispense flood coolant that clamps to your spindle.
Electronics Boxes: How to build a neatly wired enclosure for your CNC electronics.
High Speed Spindle Add-On: Attach a high speed spindle to your existing spindle.
Home Shop Hall of Fame: Amazing man caves!
Lathe Tooling Organizers: Keep those QCTP holders in order.
Machine Aesthetics: Just some good looking stuff.
Machine Enclosures: Keeps chips and coolant inside and machinists outside!
Parts Gallery: CNC Parts Made in Home Shops.
Plasma Table Gallery: Got to build one someday.
Other Essays
Epoxy Granite Gantry Mill Design Sketch: A little different approach to building a large and rigid machine in a small shop.
Rhino Pen: A roundup of Rhino 3D CAD drawings I've done so you can see the potential of 3D CAD programs.
Ye Olde Iron Little Shop of Horrors: Notes on problems others have had with used machinery.
Stirling Solar Power Generation