CNC milling machines will never be able to match real heavy metal milling machines on hard materials, but this does not stop people from challenging the limits of these DIY machines. One of the usual suspects, [Ivan Miranda] is here again, this time building a knee grinder out of aluminum extrusions and 3D printed parts. (Video after the break.)
Most of the DIY CNC milling machines we see use a gantry layout, where the bed is fixed and everything else moves around it. On most commercial metal milling machines, the workbench is a moving part and is called a knee grinder. On [Ivan]'s milling machine, the table can move 187 mm on the X axis and 163 mm on the Y axis. The 1.5 kW spindle can move 87 mm on the Z axis. All axes slide on linear guides and are driven by large stepping motors using ball screws. The worktable can also be adjusted in the Z direction to accept larger workpieces, and the spindle can be tilted for milling at a certain angle.
Metal is processed according to [Ivan]'s intentions. Rigidity is the name of the game. 3D printed parts and aluminum extrusions will never be as rigid as heavy steel blocks. He said that the shaking seen in the video was due to the uneven surface of the mill. Of course, a shaky base will not bring him any benefit. [Ivan] I also encountered some trouble with the spindle grounding. When he used isopropanol to cool the tool and the aluminum workpiece, he did not notice a tiny spark between the tool and the aluminum workpiece, which almost set his workshop on fire. This problem was solved by adding a ground wire.
Although the machine does have limitations, it does seem to be able to process functional metal parts. It can even carry out metal upgrades for its 3D printed parts. One possible way to increase the stiffness is to cast the frame in concrete. [Ivan] also built several other workshop tools, including a large 3D printer and a camera crane.
>CNC milling machine can never compare with real heavy metal milling machine
Of course, you know not to confuse CNC with DIY in the first sentence of the article...
Now almost all modern "real heavy-duty milling machines" are CNC
Maybe "DIY" was popular from the beginning.
On further reading, the problem seems to be some confusion about the difference between a gantry router (2.5D) and a milling machine (3D or higher).
Although pedantic: most industrial machines use cast iron bases instead of steel bases. Although steel weldments are certainly becoming more and more common as the basis of industrial machinery.
Or granite? Or is it only applicable to CMM?
Granite is used in CMM. Epoxy granite/mineral castings can be found in some (quite high-end) machine tools, although granite and epoxy granite are a bit like chairs and electric chairs
It would be interesting to see more air or hydrodynamic bearings used to make more frictionless surfaces, for example only the spindle bearing in this lathe says: https://hackaday.com/2019/10/31/high-precision- air-bearing-CNC lathe grinder/
https://hackaday.com/tag/air-bearing/
I want to know why no one 3D prints another moment of open source fluid dynamic bearings, as I have always planned to do, if I have time to design fluid bearings for turrets or Dobsonian supports, for RDF source ID tracking devices
I still need to read the math about zooming, for example, from a copy of the camera tripod base.
Find the Light Machines PLM 1000 or PLM 2000 bench milling machine. Its frame is a certain kind of polymer. They have a work load of 100 pounds, and in a machine of the same size, there is nothing closer to them before or after their capabilities. Therefore, when they are sold, they are not cheap. PLM 2000 uses a servo system on all axes and can be used only through RS232-C serial connection. PLM 1000 uses stepper motors, and the original control system is a large, independent box, and a proprietary ISA or PCI card. If your PLM 1000 does not have one or two of these components, the cost of replacing all components except the motor is much lower, and the spindle motor controller can be connected to a new electronic device.
Intelitek acquired Light Machines and continues to release Benchman XT. The granite base, linear guide, servo motor, excellent spindle and tool changer are all in desktop form.
I have ProLight 1000, it is a great grinder. These were heavily used for teaching in the 1990s and are often sold after years of light service in educational institutions such as schools, colleges, and universities (or stored for many years because no one uses it, and now someone wants to reclaim the space) I bought mine from the surplus sales of the University of California, Davis for $1,000, equipped with a control box, ISA card, a computer running Windows 2000 in the late 1990s, installed and configured with software, and one Beautiful heavy-duty cabinet that can hold everything and tools, as well as the grinder/display/keyboard on the top. It also comes with a USB 3.5-inch floppy disk drive, I use it to copy the g-code to the floppy disk generated on my workstation to load it on an old win32 machine.
I want to switch it to CNCLinux (or its successor), but it works well, and I have too many other projects to deal with.
Light Machines / Intellitek is well supported on the LinuxCNC forum because the former Intellitek engineers are very active there.
Granite is used in many CNC machine tools and is not usually metal processing, although I believe the ultra-precision lathes at the National Laboratory are built with granite. Many companies that machine laser-drilled PCB through holes use granite as a support structure, which makes the machine very heavy. The density of granite is roughly the same as that of aluminum. On the PCB drill bits we made while working, we found a substitute for granite, which can reduce a lot of weight.
Cast iron is used because it has the ability to suppress vibration, it does not sing like steel. You may see steel weldments in CNC machines, but they are limited to accessory type items such as tool changers. I don't think I have seen one of the big companies use weldments. There may be some smaller companies that do not want to pay for the pattern work of the castings.
If it is mixed with granite in resin/cement, does lead help in damping?
I hope they have more people reviewing these articles before publishing. If this means an increase in sales of subscription revenue means an increase in quality, I would be happy to purchase HaD subscriptions (a model similar to ars can work, rss, no ads, etc.). And reduce such errors.
Even the DIY CNC milling machine can match the "real heavy metal milling cutter" to obtain certain values of the "real heavy metal milling cutter". Some people are constructing real beats, and they will happily let your grandfather's Bridgeport fight for its money.
If you look at the manufacturing methods of modern milling machines, you will find that many of them are welded from heavy steel profiles. For home gamers, this process is easier to implement than traditional large actors.
Although it is not a rolling mill, PrintNC actually uses bolted steel frames and high-quality hardware (sturdy linear guides, ball screws, water-cooled spindles, VFD, etc.) and some 3D printing fixtures and less important components to produce routers, which can be executed Given the price tag of less than $2,000, the work of processing stainless steel is admirable. Not a Bridgeport killer, but it does illustrate the value of an all-steel frame.
The ideal way to build a CNC machine with a welded steel frame is to weld large pieces together and then use a heat treatment process to release the stress. Then rough machining the machined surface, and then carry out a second stress relief. Then finish machining. It shouldn't be too difficult to fully automate things like production lines to make welded steel lathes.
I recently looked at this building and wondered whether lead alone or mixed with granite/resin might help restrain it. Another fluid dynamic bearing application, like the engine and electric motor I think of, is always the same. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FkGdJMVJ1Fc
I'm not sure if this can be accurately described as a "3D printed CNC knee grinder". Some of the parts that hold the functional parts together are 3D printed. Most of the functional parts appear to be made of metal or other things and do not appear to be 3D printed.
My first CNC router was 3D printed on the Z axis (three times, one of which was made by the manufacturer), and all other materials were made of aluminum profiles and screwed together with M5 nuts and bolts (not used to connect the profiles) The same applies to the 3D printing of the two gantry brackets. The whole person is swaying, and when it gets stuck, the Z axis is distorted...
Yes, it is a pity that they do not provide subscriptions to the ad-free version of the site, and then they may have more income, which may prevent such problems.
I am running Pi-Hole. Every website is ad-free!
There are so many mistakes in such a short article... I would question the rigidity of this combination even compared to ordinary XY drilling machines, not to mention actual rolling mills made of steel or cast iron, even cheap imported rolling mills.
Want to know how much he spent on this compared to buying 2 hands of Sieg or similar products?
What's the next step? LEGO CNC milling machine?
He was lucky that he was not electrocuted. Reminds me of the person who asked his girlfriend to use a 0.50 Desert Eagle to block the bullet with a thick book. Naturally not. But he is sure that he will make a fortune on YouTube.
Many years ago, there was one made of wood (probably chipboard) with some cheap drawer guides instead of linear bearings. It is suitable for PCB milling, which is our goal...
If you are talking about the particleboard and rail structure of Norbert Heinz / HomoFaciens, I have (seen with my own eyes) his particleboard machine cutting (slowly) thin galvanized metal sheets, just like the kind he makes encoder wheels. Yes, you can also cut it with tinsnips...
About this version: https://homofaciens.de/technics-machines-cnc-v3-2-2_en.htm It must be strong enough for plastic or wood.
For PCB milling, you can almost get rid of the frame made of toothpicks, as long as you can dial the Z axis into the correct position and press the part flat. Speed is not important, the side load is small.
https://hackaday.com/2008/02/26/lego-nxt-cnc-mill/ https://hackaday.com/2011/08/20/lego-mill-produces-sculpted-models-with-fantastic- Resolution/
I bet his desk and the base of his machine have similar flatness. The aluminum profile is uneven.
As he admitted, his aluminum speed and feed are clearly wrong. I suspect that his finish will be greatly improved, because when he inserts the circular path, I can see obvious tremor marks, indicating a lack of rigidity and rebound. Considering the aluminum and plastic structure, he is likely to have both. Even if he can solve these problems, the machine will never be square, because neither extruded aluminum nor 3D printed plastic has precise dimensions. He may improve the surface finish, but his circle will never be round, and the 90-degree cut will never be square.
In other words, it is cutting aluminum and even steel. It's just not enough to justify the time and money he invested in it.
"Even if he can solve these problems, the machine will never be square, because neither extruded aluminum nor 3D printed plastic has precise dimensions."
Ah, but this can be solved by software. (Really can)
...The person who set up the milling machine to drill said that a coordinated three-axis movement is required to run the boring head at an angle that is not orthogonal to all axes. This is truly one of the most impressive YouTube videos I have ever seen.
No milling circle is round, just close...you want a better round you use a lathe (or add an axis to the design so that the machine is actually a lathe), hope you get in better Surface grinder with rotating shaft..
Although I agree that the time and energy invested in this area is really not worth it, because you may use other methods to build better parts in a shorter time, but it is a clever engineering design. That should be able to produce useful parts, and ultimately...
It seems that most of the inaccuracies that any extrusion and 3D printing may have can be well adapted, and the tolerances of both are within the range you find on the mill you buy, especially the small Chinesium mill (I should Know I have one, and it's really bad-but as long as you continue to test the size and fit it enough to get the job done) or the old iron that is now very dilapidated but unrepaired...Although both Chinese and old iron models are Should be harder, and possibly have greater power and speed control to get the correct finish..
"No mill is round,"
Well, if you use rotating tables, they are just like that.
I have a Clausing lathe and a milling machine, both of which are not severely worn, and a small Chinese lathe. As pointed out many times, if you take down the Chinese machines, clean them and adjust them appropriately, they are fine. If you take them seriously, they will compete with Chobrin.
As other metal heads have pointed out, this is a very expensive build for an incompetent machine.
David Gingery's design will definitely beat this point.
https://www.amazon.com/Build-Metal-Working-Scrap-Complete/dp/1878087355
When I first saw them, I thought these extrusions were really cool, but after I understood their cost, I lost interest. For the price of the parts, he could have got the Sherline CNC milling machine ready for operation.
In other words, I believe that he has learned a lot, which is really important. There are some things we can only learn by making mistakes. I don’t earn as much as before, but I still earn a lot.
With an old iron, you are taking a risk, or if you did not repair it when you bought it, you must test it first. The ones that are actually used may not look bad on the surface, but they may be very unstable.
According to my experience, the Chinese factory is really rubbish, and the design itself has some flaws, although it is actually quite small-in most cases, this is a reasonable cost-cutting measure...but other than that Except for a very impressive motor, gearbox and electronic equipment-the working head of the machine (it has no problems at all) everything is rubbish and needs constant repairs to work with any accuracy. The amount of usage I get from it compared to the amount of time I spend to make it work, really means that I should buy a decent European, even a new one that looks valuable now... . (Oh, this mill is not that cheap, in fact, I can buy a larger old iron that looks good at the same price, or just a little bit bigger-but these options are not suitable for me Small working space, and new small quality European things that I couldn’t afford at that time (or now))
Lathes are a different story in many ways, so I can expect a Chinesium to be repairable and even run perfectly there-it’s hard to really get bad, it’s just a harder, simpler, and cheaper Structure......
In the past few years, I have two Chinese "7x" metal lathes. There are two main design variants for the 7x lathe.
The most common is also the cheapest. The headstock is usually installed with 3 bolts instead of 4 bolts. The saddle has an "H" shape. The bracket crank axle passes through an ordinary hole drilled in the baffle plate. Induction hardening of the bed surface may be an option.
I have a 7×10 serial number (IIRC) 346 imported by Grizzly. It may be imported from the first year. I am the third owner, and this poor thing has been severely abused. I have done quite a lot of damage repairs and original problem repairs. Any of these 7x lathes called 7×10 will measure the length between the spindle and tailstock point. After installing the 3-jaw chuck, the usable working length will be reduced to about 8 inches. They usually have a speed knob, a power rocker switch, and a direction toggle switch. The speed knob can be maintained at any speed, and the rocker switch turns it on and off.
My first lathe was another style, 7×12 (between the chuck surface and the tailstock) purchased from Homier Mobile Merchants. Its headstock is fixed on the bed with 4 bolts. The surface of the bed is induction hardened. With more iron, the saddle is a full rectangular shape and heavier. The apron is thicker and has two ball bearings supporting the crankshaft. It also has an adjustable nut on the right end of the screw to eliminate any lateral movement. They usually have a speed knob (such as on/off/volume control) that is also used for power, an emergency stop/arm button, and a direction switch. When in use, open the emergency stop button cover and set the direction switch to forward or backward. Turn the speed knob to turn on and set the spindle speed. If there is a problem, please press the emergency stop button. You don't have to lock it, just push it enough to disconnect it to stop the motor. The speed knob must be closed to restart.
Over the years, in various countries/regions, many importers have started to use better 7x lathes to put their names on, then at some point switch to cheaper versions, lose sales, and then go out of business or sell 7x lathes in large quantities.
Harbour Freight still imports cheaper versions, which have always been available, but at some point they started selling only 7×12 (14 inches between centers) online. They added a chip cover to the lead screw, and I think the motor controller used is much improved than the ordinary, rather ugly and super noisy "chopper" that my old Grizzly had, and has a pathetic Low-speed torque controller.
After reading HaD for so many years, do you know what I really want to see?
End the 3D printer bed article, end people saying that the problem can be solved in software, end people "akshewally"-absolute abuse of physics that is not really flat, etc. Or, well, it's not ideal, but he learned a lesson from it? very tired.
Except for those bulls, can we get some real articles about building serious homemade grinders and lathes from the people here, who can actually make something out of metal, and it's useful, there are no more excuses?
Can we get it? Are you serious?
A real investigation of epoxy granite design and cast iron design (yes, there are people who can cast iron, I am one of them), let people try to decide what is really effective? Real spindle comparison?
We have some expensive projects here, so I don’t think there is a reason why we cannot finally have serious discussions about building something that is not halfway but serious. I can't find these discussions anywhere, and at this point, people who know enough are there-but I can't find any accessible way to bring them here to the forefront of a competent technical editor .
I know a large group of people are serious about this, but the conversations are not merged in one place in a digestible format, just to get rid of the bulls and start working. Can we deal with it?
As someone who says "you can solve it with software", I support this. This is not only a way to make an unsuitable machine sufficient, it can also be used to make a good machine more advanced. For example, mapping the ball screw or intelligent compensation of the thermal expansion of the spindle. But I am also a fan of cast iron. This is a 9×20 lathe converted by my CNC. https://photos.app.goo.gl/re3WP8Tjf5BrbMSF9 I don't think you can tell which visible castings are the 6 custom castings I made for conversion. It is also interesting to see the difference between the Chinese 9×20 lathe and the old British 9×20 lathe (in the discussion about machine tools). This is the Chinese tailstock on its replacement bed: https://photos.app.goo.gl/fdsNpf639SxkdMdZ8 The difference in the amount of metal considered suitable is amazing. But, then, I think the price difference will also be large. The depth of Holbrook's bed is getting more and more absurd.
If you have a documented project, or know that one has a hint-submit it, I hope it will get a good article... If you remember correctly, the feature here is Dan Gelbt ( Or something like that—sorry if I remember the name incorrectly) is all about the precision machine tools he made...very cool stuff.
In other words, there is nothing wrong with 3D printing materials in the world of machine tools-and it is indeed a truly usable technology now, so you shouldn’t be surprised to see the successful use of 3D printed parts/accessories for machining-hello 'Manufacturing tools manufacturing tools manufacturing tools can be largely bypassed by additive manufacturing, which can only be a good thing.
I really don't want to spend a lot of money and a lot of time to make everything from scratch, just like the useful and affordable shortcut now, it's 1800 ish. A tool worth making is one that you absolutely cannot avoid, or one that will get many uses from it.
Casting molds with 3D printing is definitely a valuable shortcut. It makes the core box and detachable parts simple Boolean operations. Then you don’t even have to worry about how to change the mode
The iron casting fee of the foundry I use is 10 pounds per kilogram. Why use squeeze?
Yes, the software is suitable for ball screw mapping like Andy, especially for heat maps. There, it makes sense. What I put forward again is the whole "we will ignore all the meaningful things about the machine design, base it on plastic printing parts and compensate in the software, such as bed warpage"
First do something kinematically correct. There are enough people here who should know the basic design principles. We should stop trying 3D printing for real metal milling machines. This is what makes me uneasy.
By the way-Andy-your linuxcnc polygon drilling rig is great.
It is very wise to use 3D printing to print and then cast parts. But no one seems to do this. It is always ridiculous popsicle stick structure or 80/20. Or we say, it is used for pcbs. I want to see a practical CNC metal grinder-with servo motor.
The Taig FB team showed that they are manufacturing custom spindles and frames for small home desktop computers, and they are using DMM servo motors. Even with a ball screw, the basic design can still insert up to 0.002 inch round holes-not good enough for me.
@Foldi-You mean Dan Gelbart's lathe. I know because I have shown it on HaD before (I think it has been released a few times). I used to post as Drew for many years, and then other people started using this name, so I switched to this name.
I have some dissonance when discussing machine design-I would like to see a more collective open source project for real machine design, with real functionality, and explaining the steps to achieve the goal. But I think HaD has the ability to become a member to cultivate people who can do this.
Okay, I heard it. I have created a hackaday.io project to enable it. The purpose of the project is to study the technologies that hobbyists can use to utilize materials and components in a cost-effective way to produce appropriate results. This is the first day.
I hope that over time, many people will contribute to knowledge and experimentation, and we can build a technical corpus, which can then be used to design and manufacture good physical machines. Initially, I really wanted to focus on the mechanical foundation of the machine-the principle of constructing an appropriately flat, square, and rigid frame, and selecting appropriate components (such as linear guides and ball screws).
No materials are forbidden, even aluminum extrusions and 3D printed plastics, but I hope we can find ways to design their strengths and techniques to correct their weaknesses. I would like to see experiments based on cheap granite surface slabs, or use the 3-plate method to flatten cheap granite from craigslist type sources. (Is there anyone using the old countertop as the base of the CNC router? As a recycling step for the base of the lathe?). The technology of constructing a base from composite materials or cast metal. Is it better to spend US$200 in a foundry than US$200 in extrusion? Let us try to answer this question with some evidence instead of logic. Can we adjust the squeeze to make it perform well? and many more.
There are many things to do. I already have more ideas than ever before, so I am looking for any and all volunteers to join the project and contribute. Is there a technical tickle? Bring it, we will do our best to help you achieve good results, and hope to become a "recipe" that others can use in the future.
Software compensation is definitely within the scope, although I would be happy to look at it from a similar perspective-accessible to amateurs. Due to cost reasons, clubs and laser interferometry systems are usually not the case. idea? Take them.
Again, I don't want to build machines here. I want to use the time and money invested to write methods and techniques to make good machines. It would be great if we finally get a set of design principles that people can follow to design and build powerful routers using old kitchen countertops or concrete pouring base lathes.
I don't have a timetable for this project, nor a deadline for it to end. I only know that today is the first day.
https://hackaday.io/project/180820-hackaday-machine-build-techniques
Well, if the hole is small enough, the drill bit on the milling machine will form a round hole, but I understand what you mean. However, a lathe or 4th axis allows you to achieve a true circle on the part in only one dimension-or at least as good as the bearing and cutting force allow. Theoretically, interpolation cannot reach that, but the quality mechanism will be very close. For example, some Kerns can hold /- 1um on the axis, so the interpolated circle will be within the /- 1.41um circle, which is enough for most people... it's not It should be a comparison (which would be very unfair)-I just observed that for many parts of a decent factory, interpolation can achieve results that meet all intents and purposes, and my initial observation is unfair.
If we really want to be critical of perfection, I will only make the following assertions. There is no truly flat physical surface. We do not pursue perfection, because it is impossible to achieve. We should not use this as an excuse for sloppy, especially expensive and unnecessary sloppy.
To be honest, I want to know how much tolerance this machine can achieve and how it can withstand the effects of heat and humidity. We know that plastic will change size according to the absorbed moisture, and 3D filament will absorb moisture. We also know that the thermal expansion of most plastics is several orders of magnitude higher than that of steel, and the same is true for aluminum. (FWIW Kern uses aluminum, but they thermally model the components and actively adjust them to maintain a consistent size.) Nevertheless, I care more about the construction technology here than the components.
I just disagree with the statement that builders have adapted to extrusion and printing inaccuracies. Obviously, it is wrong to just look at the technology used in the construction process. No attempt is made to ensure that the extrusions are straight or their surfaces are flat. 8020 lists these specifications, which are not very easy to read in terms of precision machinery manufacturing. Cheaper suppliers don't even care about specifications. You will have to sacrifice black anodizing to improve extrusion. He used a non-precision saw to cut the extrusion and measured the length with a tape measure to an accuracy of about 1/32 inch. I saw him cut multiple pieces in the same incision only once to make sure they were the same length-that was for the table, this place might not even matter. He drilled to the end of the extrusion by hand, although he apparently owned a drill press with a movable table where the clamps made precise work possible. He used center punches and hand-drilled extrusions to install his rails, when (again) he could bolt the fixture to the drill press. (This is actually not that important because there are gaps in those track holes, but it will make his job easier). The important thing is that straight edges are not used to ensure that the rails are straight during the assembly process. I suspect he just guessed the torque setting used on Makita if he didn’t just screw them so tight. When he installed the bracket on When you are on the Y-rail, you can see the problem of the rail-the movement should be silky smooth, not restrained. The spacing of the Y-rails is set by the extruded length at one end and the plastic at the other end, which does not help-even if he installs them straight and parallel at the beginning, the inevitable environmental changes will have different effects on both ends. Influences, for example, they are rarely parallel, so they are almost always combined. Static friction in the guide rails can cause missteps, poor finishes, and loss of part size.
There is no evidence that these imprecise plates, straight edges, standard squares or gauge blocks need to be overcome. not any.
Yes, plastic parts have great aesthetics, and they seem to be printed well, probably using expensive 100% filled filaments. However, at this point, its lipstick, see the pig. Sadly, the problem is not the use of aluminum extrusions and 3D printed plastic. It is the lack of understanding of how to minimize defects in order to use them to build good machines. It's like he made a machine that looks good on the video, but doesn't know how to make a machine that is actually good. The financial investment in this can be saved through some design adjustments and some reassembly involving some measurement.
The final idea of other builders-don't clamp linear guides in metal jaws without soft protection (woodwork) and actively cool them during the cutting process. You don't want to hollow them out, or cause them to warp or anneal.
By adapting to poor material choices, I don’t mean that they have corrected and sharpened in extrusion or something like that-it’s just that the design itself means that most of the inaccuracies are either averaged out or become inaccurate. So it makes sense, either in the tightening position, the self-correcting component has been installed reasonably.
It's not that it's a good machine at all, and even every design decision is correct-but its well-designed structure can make the machine separate very slow functions from the pig swill parts. As you pointed out, there are problems, but anything made with these parts will have defects in certain areas, and ultimately the wrong choice of materials, or at least failing to add some ready-made "precision" metal parts in critical areas, yes , There are many sub-optimal construction methods.
The static friction on the guide rail really doesn't matter-stepper, basically any stepper will far exceed the specifications of the machine's stiffness, and possibly the spindle. It hopes to survive the operation and create a part that is exactly close to the correct size.
It should also be pointed out that I agree that CNC can forge a very good circle or even a sphere. At this point, I don’t really disagree with you-I just point out imperfect circles, even if they are even more imperfect on this device. Nothing new-everything is for good enough, which may be enough for some people.
The creator has put in some effort for this, but I feel that some welding, some aluminum castings and some epoxy granite in strategic locations will improve the results and may reduce some efforts.
But yes, converting some siegs will achieve better results with less effort.
I have converted G0704 for home use, and my cuts must be very delicate (although it can handle steel all day long). The cost of this thing is definitely much higher, and the ability to remove materials is also poor. Although I am willing to pay any price for a decent xy envelope.
In order to be more critical than others, this is not even a "knee grinder". On knee grinders (such as the well-known and beloved bridgeport series 1), the z-axis is the "knee" that moves up and down under the table. The z-axis here is the main axis that moves up and down. This arrangement is called a "bed mill"
Wait, I'm sorry, but am I right?
Cool with... isopropanol? Am I naive, this is industry practice? Or is it just that I think it is a baaaaaad idea to use a rather flammable liquid as a cutting fluid cooling medium...?
What's the next step, cooling with acetone?
It works, if you manage to get spark milled aluminum, then you are really doing it wrong. WD-40 is also easy to use, and it is also flammable. Technically, the same is true for mineral cutting oils. There have been fires, but they are very rare.
I have used WD 40 and can confirm that it works well on aluminum. I never considered alcohol. Isopropyl alcohol will ignite at 750 degrees Fahrenheit. Could not find any ignition temperature for WD-40. I think the low flash point of alcohol will provide a cooling benefit, but I don't think this benefit is worth the risk of losing eyebrows (or anything more important than eyebrows). As the previous comment said; if you see sparks when milling aluminum, you are quite wrong.
"On hard materials, CNC milling machines will never be able to compete with real heavy metal milling machines"
excuse me? My first project on DIY CNC was to cut large metal cutting saw blades into selected karambit knives. It is true that a did damage some knives, but the tool steel blades I was cutting had hardened. After sharpening the blade without any further heat treatment, I can easily draw deep lines on the glass without damaging the blade.
Now try to perform this operation on a non-CNC heavy rolling mill.
What youtube video are you referring to? Sounds super impressive
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