Tool Thread

[OCD Solutions]

I only use my bandsaws for things I can't jig into one of my other saws. Tubing, conduit, angle, channel and flat bar gets cut up in the miter saw with a carbide blade. Bigger stuff, or anything steel, goes in the Metal chopsaw with the big abrasive wheel. Sheets get cut with a Skilsaw. I work with 99% aluminum though.

The structural steel guys on my last project use metal cutting Skil-saws to cut up to 1/2" plate.
They were ripping 20ft lengths of 8" x 5/16 in half for toe kick plates.

I use my standard Milwaukee corded skilsaw to cut aluminum sheets up to 1/2" but plan to buy the M18 metal cutting one with more enclosed guarding.
the only issue holding me back is that the cordless versions typically use thinner blades that just don't hold up as well.

 

[Jcary85]

All the time, you really have to plan your cuts. Budget and space has kept me from upgrading.

Sean

same - the old delta or delta clones seem to be really popular and relatively affordable. Might grab one at some point myself

 

[smokeysevin]

I don't regret buying it in the least bit, it just has some limitations.

I have been super impressed with the m18 metal cutting saw, the biggest limitation is that the blade is only height adjustable not angle.

Sean

 

[mxmark4]

My portband is fine for pipe and tube but flat bar or other stuff thats wider will definitely make you want a bigger bandsaw. Space is my limitation. So I just try to work with what I have. Its a lot better than using an angle grinder for sure! I made a post a while back about a small mill. I passed on the one I was looking at and havent found anything close to it for sale within several hundred mile of me. Last week grizzly was having a sale on all their machines, so I was gonna pick up a grizzly mill. Held out and decided I would go with the precison Matthews mill that already is belt drive and better warranty. Couldnt pull the trigger and hesitated and while watching yourube videos the lil bitty harbor freight mill popped up in an ad for 200 dollars off. So I got the mill a set of clamping bolts and fixtures and a set of parallels for less than the original price. Its nowhere near what I wanted, but all I need it for is finishing some ar lowers. I am continuing to look for a bigger better machine and I am in this one cheap enough to get my money back out of it.

 

[Jcary85]

My portband is fine for pipe and tube but flat bar or other stuff thats wider will definitely make you want a bigger bandsaw. Space is my limitation. So I just try to work with what I have. Its a lot better than using an angle grinder for sure! I made a post a while back about a small mill. I passed on the one I was looking at and havent found anything close to it for sale within several hundred mile of me. Last week grizzly was having a sale on all their machines, so I was gonna pick up a grizzly mill. Held out and decided I would go with the precison Matthews mill that already is belt drive and better warranty. Couldnt pull the trigger and hesitated and while watching yourube videos the lil bitty harbor freight mill popped up in an ad for 200 dollars off. So I got the mill a set of clamping bolts and fixtures and a set of parallels for less than the original price. Its nowhere near what I wanted, but all I need it for is finishing some ar lowers. I am continuing to look for a bigger better machine and I am in this one cheap enough to get my money back out of it.

WOAH! that HF mill is CHEAP right now. I was looking at that months ago and was so frustrated the 20% off coupon didn't apply. I really want to convert one to CNC (not all that difficult). Good luck with it. interested to hear how it works for you.

 

[mxmark4]

Im pretty excited about it. With all the crazy going on I was really not wanting to drop 2k on a mill and was pissed that the 20% coupon didnt apply. But this worked out great. Will post up once it gets here and up and running!

 

[mxmark4]

Grizzly has 25 dollar flat rate shipping on top of 10% off thru the 29th good way to capitalize cause shipping is pricy.

 

[OCD Solutions]

You will not regret the investment of the machine alone.

How far you take the modifications is up for debate. Some days I wish I had left it stock, others I wish I had invested in a better machine.

Grizzly G0704 with the following mods:
- Ballscrew kit on all axis.
- 520oz stepper motors on X/Y axis
- 1200oz stepper motor on Z axis
- Gecko G540 motion controller
- Mach3 CNC software on Dell Optiplex 980 with 19" Touchscreen Display
- M2 Remote Hand Pendent
- 24VDC Inductive homing switches
- 1.5HP 3 phase spindle motor
- Spindle Belt drive conversion
- LED spindle ring lighting and LED flexible work light.
- Custom built oil misting system
- Ballscrew lubrication lines

Tooling is another beast all in itself and needs to be budgeted for!
The basics;
- 4” Precision Milling vise
- Hold down kit
- Collet kit
- Big and small drill chucks with R8 collets
- Fly cutter
- Round end mill set
- 2 and 4 flute end mills
- Wet/Dry Vacuum system is a must!

 

[mxmark4]

What mill is that @OCD Solutions ?

 

[OCD Solutions]

I updated the above post with details

 

[mxmark4]

Man that setup is awesome! I would love to do cnc but not sure I have space,time, or desire to get into all that. I am trying to get tooling that will transfer to a bigger machine when that time comes. Need a good vise and collet set first.

 

[OCD Solutions]

I built it when I was working a very boring and unrewarding 40hr/week job in a CNC environment.
Now that I'm working 80hrs/week for months at a time, I forget too many little details that it makes using it a struggle.

I keep a journal with specific notes for each setup that really helps but each machine has little nuances that you have to learn to work around, and it sucks when you forget, or just plain don't have the time to deal with it. For instance, the Stepper motors need to be calibrated to account for different operating temperatures. You might not notice it on one-off pieces but when you build jigs that require multiple tooling changes, non-linear movement is devastating.

If I had to do it again, I would go with either Servos or a Hybrid Closed-Loop stepper motor setup so that each axis has an encoder and knows exactly where it is at all times.
That one detail alone would make this setup so much simpler and reliable for how infrequent I'm using it.
I'm working towards the upgrade but it's pretty low on my list of things to invest in at the moment.

 

[mxmark4]

Still have not received the mill I ordered from harbor freight.

 

[OCD Solutions]

I'm all hot to trot on building a CNC plasma cutter setup now.

Gonna start with this CNC ready plasma cutter and build a water table for it with provisions for servo or stepper control using my existing controller.
https://www.amazon.com/PRIMEWELD-No...child=1&keywords=cut-60&qid=1594136864&sr=8-7

When I upgrade my mill to servos, I can use my old controller and motors on the plasma table.

 

[mxmark4]

And to think I would be happy with being able to cut a straight line with a plasma cutter that didnt need cleaned up with a grinder when I was done.

 

[OCD Solutions]

That’s the beauty of CNC; it takes out all the inconsistencies of doing it by hand so you can focus on dialing in the height, travel speed and temperature.

My biggest issue is that I want way more stuff than will ever fit in my garage....

 

[Vumad]

I spent the day yesterday taking everything out of my cabinets on my carport, scraping the mud dobber nests off the walls of the cabinets, the tools themselves, etc. Taking off air fittings to clean mud dobber babies out of them, because why didn't I think to 3d put covers on my air tools right. So much dust I might have to be intubated today. And it's hurricane season so I have another summer of wonder how much open air "shop" I'm still going to have come winter.

Same here, my work area is in chaos still.

"Chaos"

 

[Harbor]

Grew up using this tool box... Mis my dad

 

[Big Kahuna]

Grew up using this tool box... Mis my dad

View attachment 397993View attachment 397994View attachment 397995

That is awesome.... I went and spent some time with my dad last night. May have been the last time...........

 

[OCD Solutions]

That box is awesome!

I get my OCD from my father, not because he was organized, but because he absolutely was not!