Knife Handles Youtube Video and Aluminium

How To
1

Just watched the Knife Handles Youtube video which and it is nice to see the Nomad being used once more with Aluminium. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ukGoo6HOhvM

My attempts using Aluminium and Brass have been very limited so far and not very successful. What are the plans to include profiles for Aluminium and possibly other soft metals into Meshcam for the Nomad?

Or does anybody have well working profiles/feed rates etc that they would be happy to share?

mike

2

We have questions, but first here is some info we harvested by watching in slow motion in case others are interested.

The super thin super glue had a label “Bob Smith Industries Insta-Cure” Product Page: http://www.bsi-inc.com/Pages/hobby/ca.html Google Shopping Page: https://www.google.com/#q=bob+smith+industries+INSTA-CURE&tbm=shop

MeshCam was version 6 “Pro License”, tool path settings (all in inches) for the wood handles: tolerance 0.001, machine whole stock, maching margin 0.063 (same as finishing path tool), did not use arc filtering.

  • Roughing settings: Ball .125, dpp .09, stepover .045, feed rate 15,
    plunge rate 10, stock to leave .005.
  • Finishing settings: End .0625, Y-axis, stepover .018, feed rate 40,
    plunge rate 15, surface angle limit 90, don’t machine top of stock.
  • Waterline: stepdown .07, min angle 42.5, depth first.
  • Pencil cleanup: End .0625, feed rate 45, plunge rate 15.
  • The estimated time on the wood handles was 63 minutes.

Now for the Questions:

In MeshCam version 6 Pro License I see buttons to “Simulate Toolpath” and “Save Operation for Later”. Curious to hear options on how well these features work and in general do you consider the pro-version “worth the upgrade cost”?

Do Carbide 3D customers get a break on the cost to upgrade MeshCam standard to the pro version?

The two sticks of mahogany wood were attached to the MDF board with what appears to be carpet tape (assume the same kind that shipped in the kit). The CNC bit later cuts through the wood, AND the tape, and even into the MDF board. Our experience with the carpet tape is that if the bit touches the tape the tape gets torn/pulled leaving the part no longer (firmly) attached to the MDF board. The tape held perfectly in the video, so we’re wondering if we are doing something wrong or if there is a Ninja-Master secret to using the 2 sided (carpet) tape.

Does anyone recommend a place to purchase nice wood and aluminum stock online? We’ve just been buying pine and red oak from Lowe’s and would like to try harder woods.

3

you get meshcam pro with the nomad. a specific version for carbide3d

4

Hi
I use online metals most of the time, http://www.onlinemetals.com/ they have a wide selection of metals and plastics in different forms. I also use Metals supermarket, http://www.onlinemetals.com/ they have retail locations around the US.
A lot of local metal dealers have a “cutoff” room where they will sell ends and pieces by the pound. Bring cash.

I have a few great lumber yards near me so I don’t go on line for wood much, but you may want to google for “turning blanks” or “Pen blanks” much exotic hardwood, tauga nuts plastics and really weird stuff is available, like “stabilized corn cob” Much more interesting than it sounds. Check out Rockler woodworking, http://www.rockler.com/ not cheap but they usualy have a good selection of what have you.
Two places I visit that have an online shop
http://www.globalwoodsource.com/
http://www.japanwoodworker.com/

5

Thank you SWBennett, however those links cost me $100.

6

I guess I downloaded from the wrong place. I went to this link this link on carbide3d, which directed me to this link on grzsoftware where I downloaded MeshCam v6 beta build 27. But this was not the pro version.

So where do I go to download MeshCam Pro v6?

7

It depends on what level of backer you were on the kickstarter project, if I remember correctly not all levels came with the free upgrade to the pro version. I received an email about 4 days before receiving my nomad with a registration code.

8

Thank you, that solves that mystery.