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Profile cutting Balsa

Discussion in 'General Talk Forum' started by Tweakie, Mar 4, 2010.

  1. Tweakie

    Tweakie Member

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    Has anyone found a way to reduce the furriness produced on the edges when profile cutting basla ?.
    Any advice would be appreciated.

    Tweakie.
     
    Tweakie, Mar 4, 2010
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  2. Anonymous

    Anonymous New Member

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    I haven't tried it myself, but I would guess that balsa needs to be cut in the opposite direction, "conventional cut" vs. "climb cut" to "smooth" down the edges. I think the quickest way to do this would be to intentionally reverse the faces of the part, then apply the inside and outside cuts. That would trick the gcode into going around the parts in the opposite direction.
    Unfortunately I am at work and have no access to any of our usual software for testing my idea. Sorry. :oops:
     
    Anonymous, Mar 4, 2010
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  3. kram242

    kram242 Administrator Staff Member

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    That's a good idea Dorsal. It may be that if use the stock bit you could have a clean cut as well. I will have to give that a try too.
    Mark
     
    kram242, Mar 4, 2010
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  4. Tweakie

    Tweakie Member

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    Thanks Dennis,

    That is something I had not considered, it would certainly leave the best edge on the work and the worst edge on the scrap.

    Tweakie.
     
    Tweakie, Mar 5, 2010
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  5. rcav8r

    rcav8r Moderator Staff Member

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    HUmmm I have cut a fair amount of balsa, and can't say I have noticed any furry edges. I have been using one of the 1/16" bits from Trish and Mark's kit lately, but I don't remember it either when I was using a 2 flute end mill.

    I just cut a small stack of balsa last night. I'll have to check them out when I get home to see if there is any un-noticed fur.

    BTW, my PS cut files have the blue as the main face, and white as the cutout...
     
    rcav8r, Mar 5, 2010
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  6. Tweakie

    Tweakie Member

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    My root problem is probably my lack of spindle speed with 12,000 rpm being the maximum I can obtain with my present VFD / motor setup.
    Although balsa cuts OK at this speed any technique that reduces the after-cutting clean-up time would have to be beneficial. My best results were obtained using straight flute cutters but these were HSS and really did not keep their edge that long compared with the carbide helical flute type. Obviously there is balsa and there is balsa and perhaps the stuff I am using is extra stringy or something. :D

    Tweakie.
     
    Tweakie, Mar 6, 2010
    #6
  7. rcav8r

    rcav8r Moderator Staff Member

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    I forget what my balsa cuts looked like with lack of spindle speed. The Dremel that I got with my kit was shot. At low speed foam would stop it, and at high it would bog down really bad. I did swap it with the one I use on my bench, and I remember the cuts improving. I now have a Rotozip, so that problem is solved. I checked the sheets I cut the other night. All are nice and clean. Not laser clean, but clean enough to use with no clean up. The balsa ranged from fairly soft, to almost pine hard. It was only 1/16" though.

    I think my flutted bits are getting dull too... I was able to cut 1/8" ply with no problems..but last time I tried it was a mess. I used Fozzy's multi-cut program, and it brought some new life to the bits...for a while.
     
    rcav8r, Mar 6, 2010
    #7
  8. daniel22

    daniel22 New Member

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    Some good idea's here, I'll give them a try.
     
    daniel22, Mar 27, 2012
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