I am still at it.
Having, I think, made a usable jig I am still at it. There are two reasons for this.
One is a simple reason of wanting to cut through a plate in one go, as is shown in the following movie. Here, I am trying to make a simple incision in a simple, vertical plate.
This plate stands perpendicular to the milling machine column, and therefore the rotating disc is moving, except for its translational motion along the plate surface in order to change its cutting edge trajectory, at the right angle to this imaginary perpendicular line.
Given that the plate is only 10 mm in thickness this motion ensures that the surface cut across and again perpendicular to the plate surface is flat to all intents and purposes.
Another reason for still dwelling on this jig is the need for better visibility of corner cutting process. I need to be able to see both sides of the corner at the same time as the cutting disc moves along.
In order to achieve that I need to optimize the angle and even the lateral position of the supporting aluminum plate, by trial and error. It is taking time.
For that matter, even my 45 degrees cutting jig has had its fair amount of tragedy, as indicated by the next photos.
Some were cut to disaster levels and were being discarded as shown in the first photo. Some ended up being cut shorter than intended length. The second photo is showing that.
Altogether, only 4 out of original 10 plates have survived the ordeal. Too many casualties and I think I will have to produce another set of 10 pieces, before distribution is ever contemplated...
On the other hand I have had a degree of satisfaction with my planing jig. Next three images should suffice to bear that out.
The first one indicates uneven planing, but it is largely due to the narrowness of the starting material, which is barely good for sawing out one pair of hashies. Working with a wider material should solve this problem.
As you can see in the second image it is a testimony to what plan I had in mind. No heat generation and clear tapering, after half a dozen planings each side. The final image is the pointing and thinning end of the material. Two auxiliary lines can be seen. Planing is reaching very close to them and that is very good, indeed...
Having, I think, made a usable jig I am still at it. There are two reasons for this.
One is a simple reason of wanting to cut through a plate in one go, as is shown in the following movie. Here, I am trying to make a simple incision in a simple, vertical plate.
This plate stands perpendicular to the milling machine column, and therefore the rotating disc is moving, except for its translational motion along the plate surface in order to change its cutting edge trajectory, at the right angle to this imaginary perpendicular line.
Given that the plate is only 10 mm in thickness this motion ensures that the surface cut across and again perpendicular to the plate surface is flat to all intents and purposes.
Another reason for still dwelling on this jig is the need for better visibility of corner cutting process. I need to be able to see both sides of the corner at the same time as the cutting disc moves along.
In order to achieve that I need to optimize the angle and even the lateral position of the supporting aluminum plate, by trial and error. It is taking time.
For that matter, even my 45 degrees cutting jig has had its fair amount of tragedy, as indicated by the next photos.
Some were cut to disaster levels and were being discarded as shown in the first photo. Some ended up being cut shorter than intended length. The second photo is showing that.
Altogether, only 4 out of original 10 plates have survived the ordeal. Too many casualties and I think I will have to produce another set of 10 pieces, before distribution is ever contemplated...
On the other hand I have had a degree of satisfaction with my planing jig. Next three images should suffice to bear that out.
The first one indicates uneven planing, but it is largely due to the narrowness of the starting material, which is barely good for sawing out one pair of hashies. Working with a wider material should solve this problem.
As you can see in the second image it is a testimony to what plan I had in mind. No heat generation and clear tapering, after half a dozen planings each side. The final image is the pointing and thinning end of the material. Two auxiliary lines can be seen. Planing is reaching very close to them and that is very good, indeed...