Shop Time w/T.W. Friends

This is one of the first production parts we started with on our Milltronics using MasterCam. It’s type 316 stainless steel. We currently have the tool paths set up so well that we don’t run coolant on it.
Being that we had no machining experience, quite a few people who have machining experience are often impressed we pulled it off. We definitely are seeing that the smaller frame machine has its limitations when it comes to vibration.
These parts are then hand polished to a mirror finish.

 

I don't see how you do it with no coolant on 316 ss, that blows my mind!

 

Right speeds and feeds are key

 

316 definitely is one of the tougher stainlesses to machine in my experience, seems like to like more feed. Profiling I've always found the endmill is happier running with air than coolant. Drilling is another story though lol

 

I wish I knew what DRO is haha. Apologies if you already gathered this but im a glass blower, not a machinist. We use some similar tools and methods as far as what I've seen you guys showing, but largely we use other tools and methods.

What is DRO?

 

That must be one fancy horse...

 

Digital read out

 

Ah! Makes a lot more sense now. DRO is a Digital Read Out, tells you were you are at in relation to whatever you set your zeroes to

 

Just bout a new holster this morning from Versacarry who was having a Blem sale, 50% off

 

I've never thought about blem holsters, I just got a new Fobus for my Hellcat

 

That's a nice set-up Creed!
This is on my list of things to do.

 

That’s where having complete control over your tool paths is needed, using cam software allows you to send the chips off of the flutes in the correct direction which keeps the flutes free of chips.
Programming conversational on the machine is great for a lot of things, but this was where we saw the value of offline programming.
We also make a corresponding egg shaped piece which goes inside of the horseshoe. One of the big challenges was holding these parts since they’re all parabolas.
If you knew what these were for you’d agree that some people have waaaaay too much money and spend it on details that probably don’t even matter.
But hey, it keeps our doors open!

 

I was going to say, if this guy MACHINES glass too...

 

Thanks Hobbs, go ahead and do it

 

I gotta finish up with the bathroom remod first...

 

Oh yeah, I need to do that too. Got to run power to the camper first

 

Ah ok, I follow. The bridgeport we have has DRO but its broken currently, also isn't really needed for what we use it for. We mostly use it to mill molds out of graphite for the parts we make out of glass, and checking progress with calipers is efficient enough for how often we do that, we outsource most of our mold fabrication. Other than that my boss uses it to make and repair parts he can't find for his antique Harleys.

Yeah, when you're blowing air into something to create the shape, size, etc.. the tolerances I stated before are a challenge!

 

You gonna bury some cable or go overhead?

 

Bury, it's less than 100'. I need to measure it.

 

Good luck with it!