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Salty's

Homebrew Crankbait Machine

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Bob and Dave...you guys thanks very much for your input on this mess. Today everything clicked together and I got some of the first 3d stuff done. Wrong bit right now, speeds and motions are going to be enhanced ALOT, I think I can get these down to 3-4 minutes finished. I have been working on this for almost 6 months. Bob I picked up Vectrics3d...check it out. It's the missing link to post process files...

First one..

bananaroughcut.jpg

2 sides done..

bananaraw.jpg

Quick sanding.

bananaquicksand.jpg

I now have a GOLDEN BANANA LOL

bananagolden.jpg

You know, its funny. I almost didn't buy it. I was turned off by a response I got when I asked Punch about it and using it for my type of applications. I commented about it on CNC ZONE and got read the riot act. So I downloaded it to a different computer in the shop and and spent a weekend playing with it and designed three different bait molds while I was learning.

I found it to be one of the easiest CAD programs I've tried to learn how to use. You can generate shapes directly or work backwards. A couple I have done like carving stone just to see if I could do it that way.

Later I realized Punch is Broderbund. Which is a bigger company with a ton of products. Probably explains the terse reply I got originally.

Make sure you always save your work in ViaCad's native format first, so you can make changes and adjustments if needed. I export STL files for use in Cam Bam when I think I have it right.

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Glad to see you got it. I knew once it clicked you would be all over it.

I haven't used Vectric 3D. I can do most of my CAM with CAMBAM. Sometimes I'll reverse a mold plate by hand ediitng a reverse scale G51 X-1 and at the beginning of a file and G50 at the end instead of reversing all the elements and generating the code all over again, but for the most part it works. Since you hand code already you know sometimes its just easier to tweak the code by hand.

I may look to see if there is a demo period for Vectric3D and find out if its any easier or has any other features. Well, if its not to expensive for me. Like I said. CAM BAM works.

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I did some more work with the files today. I see alot of the time has to do with how the rough/finish stage is setup. I got an idea today to eliminate the rough pass and just go straight to finish. It's only a .650 thickness. No sure if it's going to let me do that. Definitely try that program Bob it's very intuitive in how it works and you go go forward and backward in each "step". Each of their "steps" is something like stock size, roughing parameters, finish parameters, cutout, etc.

Glad to see you got it. I knew once it clicked you would be all over it.

I haven't used Vectric 3D. I can do most of my CAM with CAMBAM. Sometimes I'll reverse a mold plate by hand ediitng a reverse scale G51 X-1 and at the beginning of a file and G50 at the end instead of reversing all the elements and generating the code all over again, but for the most part it works. Since you hand code already you know sometimes its just easier to tweak the code by hand.

I may look to see if there is a demo period for Vectric3D and find out if its any easier or has any other features. Well, if its not to expensive for me. Like I said. CAM BAM works.

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VIACAD 2/3D Version 8 just downloaded. Hope you pre-bought. $49 what a GREAT deal.

I did some more work with the files today. I see alot of the time has to do with how the rough/finish stage is setup. I got an idea today to eliminate the rough pass and just go straight to finish. It's only a .650 thickness. No sure if it's going to let me do that. Definitely try that program Bob it's very intuitive in how it works and you go go forward and backward in each "step". Each of their "steps" is something like stock size, roughing parameters, finish parameters, cutout, etc.

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This machine has now run two batches of these banana lures in the past several months. The latest batch was 92 pc total. It hiccupped once in all those lures. Shut the computer down restart and back cutting again. That's 184 half shells. I am figuring roughly 3,000,000 lines of code just for this batch. All exactly identical. I load it, walk away and run something else while it's working.

Dust collection has been an issue. Trying to dust collect while still having clearance around quick clamps etc has been a big problem.

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Make a ring to go around your spindle with a vacum port on a convenient side. Then have brush bristles go down from the ring to the stock surface.

I'm still working on my big mill... and I'm picking up another mill Friday that I plan to convert to CNC as time and money allow. I'll probably dedicate that one to wood work.

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