Carbon Fibre Skateboard in Cut 3D

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LarryG
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Carbon Fibre Skateboard in Cut 3D

Post by LarryG »

Some school holiday fun to keep my son amused. We drew the skateboard deck using Rhino then machined a female mold into MDF. Released the deck from the mold tonight and very happy with the result.

I will post some more pics when all finished.

Larry
Attachments
IMAG0438.jpg
skateboard1.jpg

tjmac44
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Re: Carbon Fibre Skateboard in Cut 3D

Post by tjmac44 »

Cool. Cant wait to see more pictures. Please post many and any tricks you used and lessons learned.


Great job.



Thanks,

Todd

LarryG
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Re: Carbon Fibre Skateboard in Cut 3D

Post by LarryG »

Couple of more pics. The sticker is from our other products. This was a project for fun only.

I did find it difficult to get a nice finish around the profile of the mold. It would be great if a profile cut could be done for internal radii like this rather than a raster cut. It seems no matter how fine I make the step over there is still a very rough corner. I should have taken more shots of the mold sorry so cant show how it was off the router but I did have to do a little hand finishing prior to sealing and surfacing the mold.
Attachments
SB5.jpg
SB4.jpg

SSCNCROUTERGUY
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Re: Carbon Fibre Skateboard in Cut 3D

Post by SSCNCROUTERGUY »

Wow LarryG, beautiful work! Did you use a core, or build up the thickness using just CF layups? Did you then use the router to trim the part (would be nice!), or have to hand trim it?
I tried making a similar project, but could not configure Cut2D or Cut3D to trim a profile. Anyone know how to get a Vectric product to trim the Profile of an object (in X,Y,Z)?
I'm also having a similar problem with tool path Rastering (http://www.vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=12&t=14885). Like you mentioned LarryG, Rastering about the Part Profile would produce better results, and possibly reduce your machining time.

LarryG
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Re: Carbon Fibre Skateboard in Cut 3D

Post by LarryG »

I machined a female mold from MDF, sealed and painted it then polished. I sprayed a clear coat into the mold then layed up the carbon cloth around a pvc foam core (cut with Cut2D) then vacuum infused with epoxy resin. A quick polish post mold is all its had. Bolting the trucks on today.

I trimmed by hand as I can't program to cut a 3d profile either. It would be great if we could with this software as a lot of my projects need this. A profile raster for internal radii using the appropriate size ball nose cutter seems to make sense it would be great to know if it is possible.

Larry

garylmast
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Re: Carbon Fibre Skateboard in Cut 3D

Post by garylmast »

Larry, I've been talking to my grandson about a similar project, but was planning on just applying resin over some plywood. This looks like a lot cooler and more fun way of doing it. I guess I need to investigate more about the equipment and supplies (and technique). Thanks for the insight. Gary

SSCNCROUTERGUY
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Re: Carbon Fibre Skateboard in Cut 3D

Post by SSCNCROUTERGUY »

Guys,
One of the reasons I acquired my cnc router is to make molds for composite parts. The two CAM programs I have now are Cut2D and Cut3D. While trying to cut master patterns, molds, and foam cores, I've exceed the capabilities with both programs, and I'm currently trying to determine if Aspire will fill in these gaps.
Like you mentioned LarryG, profile raster toolpaths are a must for this type of work. Also, one of the major pains of making composite parts is trimming them. If the cnc router can make the pattern and mold, it is surely capable of trimming the parts. However, through discussions with my cnc router mfg (my only source of real-time Vectric support), Cut2D/3D can't handle the task trimming in 3D. I needed to notch a carbon fiber tube (picture attached), however I couldn't get Cut3D to program the toolpath. When I spoke with the tech on the phone, and explained what I needed to do with the tube, I mentioned the video on their website of a skateboard deck being cut out of a contoured sheet of plywood. The router toolpath followed a 3D profile of the skateboard deck, cutting the deck out in a single operation. The tube I needed to notch required a similar 3D profile cut. The tech mentioned that neither Cut2D or Cut3D were suited for such toolpath profiles, and that they had used RhinoCAM Pro. He said I may be able to use Cut2D to generate the XY toolpath, and then edit the G-code manually to insert Z-height commands. Short of dusting off my calculus books, I'm again faced with the decision of what additional CAM software to buy to solve these deficiencies.
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Need to create this notched tube
Need to create this notched tube

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Mike-S
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Re: Carbon Fibre Skateboard in Cut 3D

Post by Mike-S »

Larry, is the problem that there are mill lines at the edges of the mold after the 3D finish cut?

I have Aspire so don't know if you can do this. Make an offset vector and use a ball nose (not a ball) to run a profile projected onto the 3D model. Outside and 0.08" offset.
If you used that same bit for the finish cut, you should get a smooth, matching edge. The ball nose needs side cutters with enough depth for your model thickness.
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SK8BrdBit.jpg
SK8Brd.jpg

LarryG
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Re: Carbon Fibre Skateboard in Cut 3D

Post by LarryG »

Mike-S, yes that is the problem I have. I am not sure I understand what you mean.There is no way I can see to program a 3D profile cut on the finishing tool path in Cut3D. I am guessing its a limitation with the software. Perhaps Aspire can do this where Cut3D can't?

I may try a roughing tool path with reduced step over and a profile cut last.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated and thanks for the comments so far guys.


Larry

LarryG
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Re: Carbon Fibre Skateboard in Cut 3D

Post by LarryG »

garylmast wrote:Larry, I've been talking to my grandson about a similar project, but was planning on just applying resin over some plywood. This looks like a lot cooler and more fun way of doing it. I guess I need to investigate more about the equipment and supplies (and technique). Thanks for the insight. Gary
Gary you can find a lot of info online about the vacuum infusion process but it can take a while to master. Any questions I'm happy to help.

Larry

SSCNCROUTERGUY
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Re: Carbon Fibre Skateboard in Cut 3D

Post by SSCNCROUTERGUY »

Yes, can Aspire users can tell us if profile rastering is available in Aspire?
LarryG: Have you made other molds with your machine? After seeing your CF skateboard, I'm inspired to make a mold from MDF.

LarryG
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Re: Carbon Fibre Skateboard in Cut 3D

Post by LarryG »

SSCNCROUTERGUY: This is the first MDF mold I have made on the router this way but there will be many to come. I have cut "kits" to fabricate molds with flat geometry as it is more efficient from a material and machining time aspect to sometimes fabricate in flat panels that slot together. This may be a good way to do your project.

SSCNCROUTERGUY
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Re: Carbon Fibre Skateboard in Cut 3D

Post by SSCNCROUTERGUY »

LarryG:
The foam sandwich composite parts I'm making now are 14 individual parts of a whole. Both the size of my table (well, 49"x97"), the size of my laminating space, and door openings between the shop and house require that I make the parts individually, and then epoxy/glass them together. I've posted a picture of the 3D assembly. It's a cat skywalk that will be mounted 6' up in my living room. No, I'm not a crazy cat person, just a crazy person. The major span is 23 feet. The parts consume three 4'x8'x2" sheets of foam board, and as seen in another post, I tricked Cut3D into populating a sheet of parts in one go (though contingencies are being dealt with).
Not that my project is cooler than your carbon skate deck Larry. For one, your project actually exists, lol. I also checked out your other projects. Perhaps you should give the good people here your website?
Oh, and I've almost got the toolpath raster issue sorted out. Perhaps everyone is enlightened but us?
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Cat Walk Assembly.jpg

garylmast
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Re: Carbon Fibre Skateboard in Cut 3D

Post by garylmast »

Larry, looking at the picture of the rough profile that Mike-S shown, since you have Rhino, do you think that if you did a slight taper (a few thousandths wider at the top), and did a smaller step with the rough tool-path, that may eliminate the rough edge. Just a thought, don't know if it would work. I remember trying a taper hole that seem to work that had a fairly good profile. Gary.
http://www.vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=27&t=11414

LarryG
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Re: Carbon Fibre Skateboard in Cut 3D

Post by LarryG »

Garylmast: I think I understand what you are saying and yes it may well help but Cut3D does seem to leave a certain amount on the roughing cur regardless of the machining margin set. This has been my experience to date but I am a new user. I will run some tool paths and see how it goes. Thanks.

Dave that looks like an interesting project, lucky cats. Are there side to it? Perhaps you could start a new thread so we can see it evolve.

Larry

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