Crazy Idea - 'X-Saw'

[Cosha]

So, looking at my machine last night, i was thinking about different silly/useful attachments i could make for my CNC machine...

I come up with the 'X-Saw'

This is one of them ideas that i dont think this will be useful to anyone else but me, with a limited tool shop!

This idea is to have a hacksaw blade/ cheese cutting wire attached to the Z axis, and using the linear motion of the X axis to make a nice flat cut on stock material, or for my application builders foam...

Ok i expect your thinking why not just use a hot wire cutter. Well i would but the foam i use to make models/plugs etc...wont cut with heat

Gcode would be simple enough, making a .tap file with Sheetcam, with different Z values depending on depth pass per cut..

I need near enough true blocks of foam 300mm x 300mm for my vaccume forming table...

Im at work so excuse the non 3d models design, but you get the idea...

Thoughts?

Similar Threads:

• Crazy Idea
• Crazy New Idea
• New crazy idea....

[CarveOne]

So, looking at my machine last night, i was thinking about different silly/useful attachments i could make for my CNC machine...

I come up with the 'X-Saw'

This is one of them ideas that i dont think this will be useful to anyone else but me, with a limited tool shop!

This idea is to have a hacksaw blade/ cheese cutting wire attached to the Z axis, and using the linear motion of the X axis to make a nice flat cut on stock material, or for my application builders foam...

Ok i expect your thinking why not just use a hot wire cutter. Well i would but the foam i use to make models/plugs etc...wont cut with heat

Gcode would be simple enough, making a .tap file with Sheetcam, with different Z values depending on depth pass per cut..

I need near enough true blocks of foam 300mm x 300mm for my vaccume forming table...

Im at work so excuse the non 3d models design, but you get the idea...

Thoughts?

How about a motorized bread/turkey carving knife on one side, modified to attach a section of band saw blade the length you need, with a springy support for the band saw blade on the other end? A turkey carving knife cuts soft cushion foam easily if there is a little weight on top to slow down the shaking.

CarveOne

[Cosha]

Good thought, but thats kinda what i use now, well with cheese wire not a blade, the only trouble i find with that, is there is alot of vibration going on, and even though it cuts OK i still get a top or bottom taper?

[CarveOne]

Good thought, but thats kinda what i use now, well with cheese wire not a blade, the only trouble i find with that, is there is alot of vibration going on, and even though it cuts OK i still get a top or bottom taper?

How long is your "blade" typically? With foam cutters that use wire there will be a tendency to climb or dive in the material if the tension, wire temperature, and speed of travel are not just right for the material. I would expect similar attention to details would be needed for this idea. If there is too much shaking going on you need to control it somehow, in a way that doesn't also put too much drag on the cutting blade.

CarveOne

[Cosha]

Well for for hot wire cutter a i have a jig that cuts spot on, flat as flat can me, its gravity fed...

Umm around 600mm is the cheese wire, under tention around B (says my guitar tuner )

The building foam is not like to your normal Blue/pink/white foam - it is very dense, you can just about make a nail dent in it - cuts lovely with a normal saw

With a barbed cheese wire, using your had and the bow i can get lovely cuts!

I guess i was hoping to use the stability of my machine to cut slowly...

[CarveOne]

Well for for hot wire cutter a i have a jig that cuts spot on, flat as flat can me, its gravity fed...

Umm around 600mm is the cheese wire, under tention around B (says my guitar tuner )

The building foam is not like to your normal Blue/pink/white foam - it is very dense, you can just about make a nail dent in it - cuts lovely with a normal saw

With a barbed cheese wire, using your had and the bow i can get lovely cuts!

I guess i was hoping to use the stability of my machine to cut slowly...

I have no experience with the barbed cheese cutting wire. Another wire to consider may be the carbide coated wire that is used for hack saws similar to this one. I don't know if it is available in longer lengths. There are diamond coated wires also. I don't think the sawing action needs to be as fast as a carving knife. Anyway, food for thought.

CarveOne

[ErnieD]

Cosha,

Can you elaborate on the foam you are using? Type, brand name etc.?

Thanks,

ErnieD

[Cosha]

Buy Wall Insulation 1200 x 2400 x 100mm Celotex GA3000 Insulation online from express bricks

Here you go

Foil is removed when making molds, makes a mess when cutting great to sand etc...

[awemawson]

Cosha,

How do you find the Celotex machines? Can you post pictres of anything machined in it? I can see it being useful as a tester before commiting to a large expensive block of stock!

AWEM