I want to make a simpler graphic mill - white area = cutter up, black area = cutter down?
I want to make a "copy mill" that takes it's Z coordinate activation by running an optical tranceiver over a black and white diagram - to mill a small "relief" into a plaster block.
The size is about 180 x 120mm (5 x 8") with around 3 or 4mm depth relief.
I want to make it as simple as possible - probably with full manual traverse on the X and Y coordinates with a threaded barstock and a few nuts - but a simple light / dark operated up / down Z traverse.
I can fit a dremel type cutter for the milling..
I can research this myself... no problem; but some short listing of some ideas or the provision to some links on a "proven device or mechanisim" would be appreciated.
The other alternative is that I could have carved the "damned thing" out using a wax pencil and a few hand tools and a bit of a smarter approach to it all.
Either approch is applicable, the manual method for skills and craftmanship - and the semiautomatic process would work well - for future similar projects AND with making my one CNC router down the track.
But given the circumstances, I could actually start on building a proper CNC routing mill along with an optical trace (perhaps) and to do it properly right from the very word go..... instead of dicking around with all the intermediate steps.
I guess tho - I could do a simple manual Z traverse myself on this unit, as it only has to jump up or down by 3 or so mm.. (~1/8") on the white or black bits on the diagram.
Anyway - a simple light dark switching mechanism is worthy of consideration.... any ideas or links please.
The size is about 180 x 120mm (5 x 8") with around 3 or 4mm depth relief.
I want to make it as simple as possible - probably with full manual traverse on the X and Y coordinates with a threaded barstock and a few nuts - but a simple light / dark operated up / down Z traverse.
I can fit a dremel type cutter for the milling..
I can research this myself... no problem; but some short listing of some ideas or the provision to some links on a "proven device or mechanisim" would be appreciated.
The other alternative is that I could have carved the "damned thing" out using a wax pencil and a few hand tools and a bit of a smarter approach to it all.
Either approch is applicable, the manual method for skills and craftmanship - and the semiautomatic process would work well - for future similar projects AND with making my one CNC router down the track.
But given the circumstances, I could actually start on building a proper CNC routing mill along with an optical trace (perhaps) and to do it properly right from the very word go..... instead of dicking around with all the intermediate steps.
I guess tho - I could do a simple manual Z traverse myself on this unit, as it only has to jump up or down by 3 or so mm.. (~1/8") on the white or black bits on the diagram.
Anyway - a simple light dark switching mechanism is worthy of consideration.... any ideas or links please.
