Machining small aluminum Braille plates

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Phil
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Machining small aluminum Braille plates

Post by Phil »

I've been asked to machine small (.125 x .5 x 2") aluminum plates. The finished product will be a plate with raised "Braille" bumps. I have no experience machining aluminum. I've read a few posts on this forum about machining aluminum but I haven't found something specific to this project.
I'd appreciate any advice and/ or warnings before I agree to the project. The aluminum is 6061.

Thanks,

Phil

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adze_cnc
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Re: Machining small aluminum Braille plates

Post by adze_cnc »

My first thought was I wonder what kind of result could be had by using a centre-punch from the reverse side...

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TReischl
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Re: Machining small aluminum Braille plates

Post by TReischl »

adze_cnc wrote:My first thought was I wonder what kind of result could be had by using a centre-punch from the reverse side...
Probably not much Steven, unless he spotted some divots on the back side and then gave them a whack. But I think he would need some kind of backer plate with dimples in it.

I am thinking just a model with the small spheres on it and then let it do a finish raster pass across the whole thing. Which brings up another question, what about a decent finish?

This might be one of those things that falls into the category of "Just because I can doesn't mean I should."
"If you see a good fight, get in it." Dr. Vernon Johns

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Re: Machining small aluminum Braille plates

Post by Jim_in_PA »

A sign maker friend who does a lot of work work that requires Brail notation cuts a ball pocket and then glues tiny spheres into the pockets to raise the letters. He does this on a variety of materials, although he primarily works in Corian for these building/room signs.

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highpockets
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Re: Machining small aluminum Braille plates

Post by highpockets »

Isn't there a standard for braille signs?
John
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Phil
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Re: Machining small aluminum Braille plates

Post by Phil »

highpockets wrote:Isn't there a standard for braille signs?
Yes, they have to be ADA compliant.

Phil

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Re: Machining small aluminum Braille plates

Post by martin54 »

What sort of time scale are you talking? I would be vary warry of doing something like this, you really need to do some serious experimenting before commiting to something like this, as you already know they will need to be ADA compliant & that might not be so easy to achieve. as Jim has already said most signmakers will buy braille kits which include everything you need to be able to produce the signs. The sizes you have quoted are very small, are these to be a part of something larger?

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Re: Machining small aluminum Braille plates

Post by RobertD »

Phil

I remember that at McGrew's Aspire in 2018 there was a presentation of doing this exact same thing. The fellow who put the presentation together did just as was suggested, pocketed an indent then glue in a "plastic" sphere. I seem to remember he used a tool to do the last steps. I know I have notes somewhere around this junk room I call my office if and when I find them I'll get them to you.

If anyone else out there has the presentation post it, and save me from being the next installment of hoarders.

Bob

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Re: Machining small aluminum Braille plates

Post by phill05 »

This is something I use quite a lot as my wife is Blind and always has a lot of projects and needs/uses for them, I have cut into hardwood, alluminum and brass plate with no problems, I made some brass light switch plates, and chess boards with braille on for her and her friends, I have a computer keyboard set ready to cut and attach, it works very well.

https://touchsee.me

Enter the wording you want in the box select which Std output you need and download the STL file resize to use as you want, you can even have your file printed in plastic if you want.

All the best

Phill
A person who works with his hands, his brain and his heart is an artist"
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Phil
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Re: Machining small aluminum Braille plates

Post by Phil »

phill05 wrote:This is something I use quite a lot as my wife is Blind and always has a lot of projects and needs/uses for them, I have cut into hardwood, alluminum and brass plate with no problems, I made some brass light switch plates, and chess boards with braille on for her and her friends, I have a computer keyboard set ready to cut and attach, it works very well.

https://touchsee.me

Enter the wording you want in the box select which Std output you need and download the STL file resize to use as you want, you can even have your file printed in plastic if you want.

All the best

Phill
Phill, if you could I would appreciate machining details on cutting out the Braille in aluminum. What type of bit, feed and speed rate do you use. The project is a set of 48 Braille numbers 1 - 48 on .125 x .55 x 2" plates.

Thanks,

Phil

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Re: Machining small aluminum Braille plates

Post by phill05 »

Hi Phil,

As below:
DOC.JPG
DOC_1.JPG
These are small 1.65mm thick by 10mm high cut out of alluminum I found if I do a raster cut at 22.5 degrees all 3 axis are working at the same time and I don't have any problems, I use the same cutter to cut the profile out as well.

Just resize the stl to what you need and do a test cut at the same settings and increase from there, on these small items I don't use any lube but you might find you need to use when you take bigger cuts, hope it helps.

Just for interest when cutting these small items I made up a box attached to the vac to suck the piece's up into so they did not get lost.

Phill
A person who works with his hands, his brain and his heart is an artist"
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Phil
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Re: Machining small aluminum Braille plates

Post by Phil »

Thanks, Phill

Phil

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Phil
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Re: Machining small aluminum Braille plates

Post by Phil »

I appreciate the help from all here. I searched for raster braille balls and found out that machining a metal plate to create the Braille "bumps" is not how it should be done. This video shows how it should be done.

Thanks,

Phil

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Re: Machining small aluminum Braille plates

Post by Jim_in_PA »

RobertD wrote:Phil

I remember that at McGrew's Aspire in 2018 there was a presentation of doing this exact same thing. The fellow who put the presentation together did just as was suggested, pocketed an indent then glue in a "plastic" sphere. I seem to remember he used a tool to do the last steps. I know I have notes somewhere around this junk room I call my office if and when I find them I'll get them to you.

If anyone else out there has the presentation post it, and save me from being the next installment of hoarders.

Bob
That's who I was referring to in my post above...Keith Outten who does extensive ADA compliant signs. He's also the owner of the Sawmillcreek dot org forum. There's actually a software utility available that insures that the braille is cut correctly and in a compliant way. Keith's a good resource for this and can be reached via the site I mentioned. He's also an avid Aspire user.

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