[kprice1658]

I having trouble selecting the proper toolpath this partially tapered wall pocket. I thought HS clearance to start - followed by HS scallop to clean it up. Verify looks good, but when I run the part, HS clearance pass pretty much cuts straight down and the scallop pass touches nothing. I made every adj possible with offsets & stepovers - still the same result.

I tried Wire/lofted - which the verify looks great - except goes it goes through the floor of the part.

I'm using X2 - and the angle of the taper is 25 degrees...

I'd appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks,
Kevin

[cadcam]

can you share you X2 file that you made the paths on?I work well with files. ;-) My thoughts real fast are pocket rough then follow up with a surface Scallop using a boundry to keep the too in that area.

[kprice1658]

Sure - this one has the toolpaths that I'm playing with currently.

<<edited>> - the 1st file I uploaded (parta) had geometry messed up. this one is OK (partb)

Kevin

[cadcam]

I programmed like it was 6061. this should work well. you could go of course with smaller tools.I also made your file a solid to make programming faster for me.

Hope this helps.

[kprice1658]

That was quick! I will be studying it closely to learn something. Hope you won't mind some questions as I go along. Just a couple for now...

1. On the Finish/Constant op. - you chose a 1/8" FLAT end mill. I was under the assumption that a ball end mill would be better ti use on the sloped wall surface?

2. Can you tell me why you changed this to a solid ? Just curious if there is advantages - or just personal preference.

I'm just learning, this will be my first part to run in metal (after I test it in plastic -of course). Don't get offended with my questions - just want to learn the right way to do this.

Thank you very much for your help.

Kevin

[cadcam]

I used the flat because of the flat floor and sharp intersections.Realllly for that one I would use a 1/8th with a .010 radi and program it as a bullnose.


as for the solid so when I picked the floors for the pockets i just used the face option. and also I got clean curves for my boundrys.


(Don't get offended with my questions ) as an instructor if I got offened by questions I would of stopped teaching along time ago.

Did you run it thru varify?

[kprice1658]

Verify looked good. I'll run it with the flat mill and see how it turns out. Its for hand poured plastics, so if its not smooth enough - I'll take your advice on the bullnose.

I've just got to add that little ridge on the outside of the tail and I'll probably run a sample in it the morning.

I've got to figure out my speeds / feeds yet. I have an on-line calculator bookmarked somewhere. I am using 6061 - your feed rates are a lot faster than I've been using -the defaults. My machines limit is 4500rpm - unless I break out and install the HSS 10,000 rpm attachment arm that I got with the machine - just in case.

Thanks again.
Kevin

[cadcam]

I was programming like i would run here on my machines sorry.let me know how it goes.

[kprice1658]

Finally got some 1/16" ball end mills and time to play with this. I got an error during the run on the pocket remaching - it just stopped on a line of code around 2380 an error about "found a l-word in a yz arc" . Couldn't skip it or go by it.

I've got to redraw it to make the tails wider - so back to the beginning.

I'll use your toolpath methods and see what I get.

Thank you very much for your help.

Kevin

[cadcam]

letts look when you get ready for pathing at your file I can help with this. what are you running it on?

[kprice1658]

Thanks to everyones help and guidance - I finally ran it Saturday. It came out really nice - very happy with it. (see pic)

Next project is more complicated - being a two-piece old. I'm sure I'll be starting a new thread here any day

Thanks again for everyones help.

Kevin