CUTTING DEPTH & DISPLACEMENT
The left photo is the same as shown above. The Z was set to 0.0, with Dremel Engraver powered ON. The Cutting Depth was set at 0.005". The engraving results was the best I’ve ever done on the Nomad. Usually I use VEE bits.
The right photo shows my 1st attempt at CNC Dremel engraving a graphic. FAIL. The engraver was OFF when Z was set to 0.0. The Cutting Depth was set at 0.005", as before. With the engraver’s tip extending 0.17-0.20 while vibrating, it was too deep. Even though a failure, one good thing is that the DISPLACEMENT of the aluminum is highly visible. The aluminum is moved around like clay.
Instead of cutting aluminum, we are displacing and rearranging the aluminum molecules. It obvious the detail and resolution is much improved with displacement, rather than cutting.
While setting Z to 0.0, I saw the thinnest lines produced on the Nomad. Above I described the 0.001" lines as “hairs”. The lines would better described as ANGEL HAIRS, the thinnest hairs.
A neighbor visited yesterday. I showed him these two examples. It gave him the idea to engrave the entire graphic at 0.005", and then go over the words and go another 0.005 to 0.010, for emphases. I will be trying that in the next two days.
The Dremel is setting outside in the sun curing the epoxy. My choice of epoxy was Devcon HP250. The cure time is 7 days (not a typo). However, the Florida sun can set it in about 4 hours. This industrial grade epoxy sets rock hard.
I see other advantages of engraving over VEE bit.
- If the working surface isn’t perfectly level, the VEE bit can miss the surface, causing a rework.
- With the vibrating tip, moving in and out approximately 0.018", there is plenty of room for work surface being out of level a couple thousands.
- The cost of saving of replacing VEE mills.
