Help with my first job on my New CNC

[neshra]

Hi All,

Tomorrow I will be performing my first attemp with my new CNC. Here what I have prepared and I will mention them in the steps and please let me know which step You will not do it the way I did and why.
Any help will highly be appreciated.
First Here is the tool that I am using for Profile cut of the 3/4" MDF.
WHITESIDE STANDARD UPCUT SPIRAL ROUTER BIT SOLID CARBIDE 1/4" CUTTING DIAMETER 3/4" CUT LENGTH 1/4" SHANK 2 FLUTE.
1/4 plywood sacrificial board.
The holddown for the whole piece are hold down clamps and the cuts will have 0.75"x1/8" tabs.
Toolpath is Profiling cut at:
Start Depth 0.0
Cut Depth 0.755"
tool setup, 12000 rpm, 50 imp feed rate and 20 imp plunge rate with pass depth of 0.1258" (6 Passes)
Machine Vectors Outside and Direction is Climb
Ramp 1.0"

My Main concern probably is the choice of Direction and cut depth (since the tool spec is only 0.75") and size of the tabs.

Thanks

[Leo]

The only thing I would change is the feedrate. It seems a bit slow.

[Xxray]

I have been up to the router cutting, happens sometimes and if you clear by 1/8" or 1", you clear.
Not likely you'll over spec the tool with .125 passes.

You didn't say anything about dust collection, that is my main concern with mdf, very nasty and toxic.

[neshra]

Oh Yes, using the HF 1.5 HP dust collector.

I get nervous about the type of direction that I use with a given bit.

[Xxray]

If you plan to do alot of mdf cutting, very much worth the while to invest in a separator, or make your own [if you haven't already].

I have the same collector, I invested in the pleated filter that costs more than the collector, but it filters far better than the bags and looks alot nicer too.
If I didn't have a separator it would get clogged up with dust quick, bags don't exactly get clogged per se but the fine particles do escape into the air ,,, Especially if you are using that bag that came with it [5 micron I believe], and there is always the worry about punctures that can contaminate your whole work area in seconds.
1 mic bags are available , pleated filters capture even finer than that.

https://wynnenv.com/?s=35A274NANO

[neshra]

Doug, Thank you for the link that is great.

[highpockets]

Along with the filter Doug is recommending (and I use also) you might want to consider building/buying a pre-seperator. http://www.jpthien.com/cy.htm
This reduces the amount of larger debris that will be passing through the impeller of the dust collector (which can cause damage to the impeller).

[Xxray]

Yes indeed, a Thien lid is a must, great buncha guys there and some specific threads and loads of info about HF collectors in particular.

http://www.jpthien.com/smf/index.php?PH ... &board=1.0

Talking about this reminded me to check the dust level in my separators [ I use 2, one 25 gal for the HF and one 15 for my shop vac] - A task I often ignore for months when it gets cold.
Sure enough they were both about filled to capacity with wood, corian, plexiglas and mdf dust. Amazing how much accumulates, and to think that every grain of that would have passed [and long ago clogged] my vac filters without the separators.

I had the bright idea to make a little plexi window in the 25 so I could in theory do a quick visual, didn't work at all because it gets dusted up from the inside and is just a leak hazard, wouldn't recommend it. Would be nice if they made them in clear, maybe they do.

[highpockets]

Doug, build a manometer. You can check the efficiency of your system at a glance.

[Xxray]

I don't think gadgets will be reliable in the long term inside a harsh environment like a dust collecting drum.
Are you using one ?

I've read about the "Dust Sentry", a device specifically made to sense drum levels.
Forgot where, but quite a few guys said it worked great, until the lens got dusty ! I wouldn't spend anything close to that anyhows just to tell me what my eyeballs can tell me in 20 seconds or so it takes to unmount my drum.

https://www.woodcraft.com/products/onei ... GwodAyoNDw

[highpockets]

A manometer won't monitor the level of dust in the dust bin (trash can or what ever), it's more for monitoring the health of your dust collection system. By that I mean the filter and giving you a way to tell when the dust filter needs to be cleaned. Which to me is harder to remember that checking the dust bin. I too put an inspection port in my dust bin, it's about 6" wide and runs almost the whole height of the dust bin (trash can). A few taps on the inspection port seems to clear it enough to get an idea of how much is in the bin. I've thought about adding an LED string to the inside lid to make it easier to check.

There is no way I'm spending as much as Woodcrafter wants for the inferred monitor on my system.

I've got my dust collection system all apart right now, changing the arrangement. When I get it back together I'll post some pictures, if it works

[highpockets]

Wonder if you could put a micro switch in the dust bin so when the bin filled up to the level of the switch it would turn on a light? I'll look into that.... May be a simple solution.

[Xxray]

Would seem be be something relatively simple, main thing is ability to operate inside of a wind tunnel sand blaster environment and transmit a signal when dust reaches a certain level. [I consider 3/4 very full, vac efficiency decreases rapidly after that] So it would most likely have to be side mounted and not lid.
Power could be a complicating factor, would have to be installed somewhat like an O2 sensor in a vehicles exhaust.

Really nice would be to have a small suction/velcro gizmo with a battery that sends a bluetooth signal to your smartphone when full, I bet those would sell like hotcakes.

I'd buy a clear bucket in a hot second, never seen one. Probably because trash typically is hidden from sight by nature.

[highpockets]

Never seen a clear garbage can either

I'll bet I can over engineer this thing.... Not sure about the Bluetooth to my phone though, don't think I'd hear it over the toys err tools running.

[Xxray]

Turns out thanks to Homeland Security, who require clear trash cans at certain locations, there is a market for them.
For only $545.00[plus shipping], I could have this beauty !


http://www.trash-cans.com/p1092/Indoor- ... 5IR-CS093/

Would be nice if it was more in the $30 region, just what I need but would probably be a bit too large.

On the other extreme there is this



For $20
https://www.webstaurantstore.com/contin ... 632CL.html

Price is right but its not actually very clear and is also too large.