Dipping My Toe Into 3 Axis Machining...

I have a little better than twelve years of machining knife scales using CNC... however that involved 2D/2-1/2D design and output. Although my CAD/CAM application always possessed the capability to design and produce g-code for 3D machining... I have been so occupied with the 2D/2-1/2D side of things that I could never find large enough blocks of time to attempt to teach myself 3D design and machining. 3D machining involves contoured shapes from flat stock, sculptured surfaces, and tapered or draft surfaces.

The present inspiration for this is the excellent work product of Aramis Ahmedov... a Russian designer/machinist that is producing some of the most sumptuous, eye pleasing machined scales available today! I am absolutely covetous of his work...!

So... while the planet is engaged in the difficult struggle of home quarantining and social distancing... I have been taking time and I'm attempting to self educate myself 3D CAM design and machining.

The following images may not appear all that impressive... and I would agree with that opinion... it is however the result of dozens and dozens of late night sessions fraught with copious frustration and plenty of humbling error. This stuff ain't easy...!

To start... I decided to covert one of my simpler 2D designs... the Delica/DeliZano.

The CAD render output this...


The machining operations will produce this...


I tested the CAM G-code output on a piece of scrap yellow/black layered G10...


Which look like this once installed...



My choice of the layered G10 was a mistake... the layers do not play well with my eye. The scales look like a garter snake... but at least my first 3D set of scales machined without a single glitch. That at least gives me a scintilla of hope.

I've also run the Delica/Lil'Para and the Military through the 3D CAD process... and actual machining will follow. Loads more to learn though...

 

Sorry... no. I dabbled with wood scales years ago but abandoned the pursuit.

 

My machine is self designed and built... high speed spindle based. With my spindle RPM's I cannot achieve feeds and speeds capable of machining metals.

I'm ignorant of the application Solidworks. I run Vectric Aspire.

 

It's been a spell since I did the first test! It's difficult to find a large enough block of time to be able to play with 3D contour machining a bit more. I finally carved out a half day today but when so much time passes between sessions... what was learned with my last attempt tends to fuzz a little or fade completely. I spent a good deal of time going over my notes and proof checking my G-code.

For today's foray I felt confident enough with things to forgo machining scrap G10 and went with carbon fiber. The following pics are the first Delica/Lil'Para full contour scales to come off the machine. It went OK... I had to tweak the G-code on the fly for two separate operations. That's not all that unusual but I will need to modify the file to incorporate the tweaks so it runs flawless next time. I also will thicken the scales up slightly which is a personal preference.

I've yet to machine a small flat pocket clip mounting pad. I'll do that tomorrow and take some additional pics with the clip attached. I'm going with the Lynch NW shorty Ti clip... a favorite of mine.

ENJOY!

 

Thank you for that...!

I'm nowhere close to the sumptuous work product of Aramis Akhmedov but if I can eventually gain even half the 3D design skills he has... I'll be happy!

The above prototype scales finished out just a bit thinner than they need to be... the g-code has been modified and the MKII set will be machined sometime this week.

Steve