Makers mark on steel!

I just googled that Fadal 3016 machine - at 8,000 lb that's a real machine for sure!!! I've been tempted a couple of times to CNC my G0619 mill, but that's still a "toy" compared to your 8,000 lb behemoth.

I got the 3040 desktop cnc mostly for making printed circuit boards a few yrs ago where I was removing barely over .001" of an inch, so the levelness was pretty important. You've convinced me, I'm going to get the order to McMaster placed this week (got more small stuff to order).

Ken H>
 
Ted, are doing this by hand or using the CNC machine???

I have tried similar by hand held dremel, with absolutely disastrous consequences, I screwed up a really nice profile! The writing was horrible, (could not keep the right spacing and size to the letters and even when I tried to print it went bad.

I figured what the hey, I had screwed up a good knife blank. So I went to town and I never got one signature that I felt was acceptable!! I figured with the failure rate I had on the one blank, well.......... lets say that is when I went to the etcher! The failure rate was not near as expensive.

So what is your secret my friend????
 
Ted is using his CNC machine for that engraving. Like you, I tried to "engrave" by hand using a dremel tool, but that was a no go for me. CNC is so simple, just type out what you want on computer in the font you want, convert to gcode, feed to cnc and let it do it's work. Usually not quite as simple as it sounds, but cnc does work good, especially in pre-HT'd steel. That's the problem, I like to do all my grinding post HT, and you've got to engrave in a space that doesn't get any grinding. OR - do most of grinding pre-HT.

Ken H>
 
Cliff...the logo is meant to look like a freehand cursive...which is why you might wonder if it is done free hand....lol! My wife says it looks like my signature somewhat.

I have been slowly changing that design for over a year...and now it works pretty good. I had failed many times to cnc it....till I started using dremel cutters! LOL!

Perhaps someone real "artsy" could freehand their blades...but not me!!

If you DID want to freehand I would still recommend that cutter...and as fast as you can run it to reduce the "grabbiness" of the tool.
 
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KenH said:
Ted is using his CNC machine for that engraving. Like you, I tried to "engrave" by hand using a dremel tool, but that was a no go for me. CNC is so simple, just type out what you want on computer in the font you want, convert to gcode, feed to cnc and let it do it's work. Usually not quite as simple as it sounds, but cnc does work good, especially in pre-HT'd steel. That's the problem, I like to do all my grinding post HT, and you've got to engrave in a space that doesn't get any grinding. OR - do most of grinding pre-HT.

Ken H>
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Nailed it.
I kept making this logo smaller and smaller so that hopefully I never have to do it on a bevel...but that day will probably come...lol!
The little dremel style carbide cutters say they can be used on hardened steel...but I'm not ready to experiment...my blade stays flat where I am engraving it. (for this design)
 
Made it through 56 knives on one $5.83 tool....then I ran out of blades...

Pinch me I must be dreamin'...lol
 
56 blades on a single tool for $6? WOW!!! That's impressive. You've got that nailed down, don't do anything, just remember how you did it.

Ted, you said you were trying to make that look like cursive font - is that a font you created? OR - did you "draw" the text in, then convert to gcode? To get cursive look I've always used a cursive looking font in a program (typically "F-Engrave" program) and go from there to create gcode. I'm certainly not knowledgeable enough to hardcode the gcode for any font!

Ken H>
 
KenH said:
56 blades on a single tool for $6? WOW!!! That's impressive. You've got that nailed down, don't do anything, just remember how you did it.

Ted, you said you were trying to make that look like cursive font - is that a font you created? OR - did you "draw" the text in, then convert to gcode? To get cursive look I've always used a cursive looking font in a program (typically "F-Engrave" program) and go from there to create gcode. I'm certainly not knowledgeable enough to hardcode the gcode for any font!

Ken H>
Click to expand...

I hand drew the "Hauser"...then imported the jpeg of the scan. Then created splines over the jpeg. Then tweaked it for over a year(on and off...more off than on...) till it behaved...lol! The "KNIFE" portion I created by using straight lines to get that short but wide look. Then I run and engraving cutter path over the splines.

I think that tool/speed and feed combo will work well on your benchtop mill. What is your highest RPM?...I limit mine to 7k even though it will go 10K...the spindle is a bit tired and it is a grease pack design...they don't like non stop high rpm.

i NEVER design anything in the CAD till I have a sketch in hand...more engineers should try it...keeps the CAD from "steering" your design...specially on non "blocky" stuff.
 
If I remember, my highest RPM with my "good" spindle/motor (added to replace OEM) is around 21,000 rpm. I don't run but around 12,000 rpm or so. Here is an example of cnc engraving with my 3040 desktop. You can see the wife's "Little Red" hen she insists to be on all her knives.

Ted, I'm impressed with your "font" you developed for engraving. It sure looks good.

Ivory_Chef_s.jpg
 
Thank you Ted - from you with so much experience with cnc that's a real compliment. I found a picture of a hen I liked, imported it to a cad program, exported a dxf, exported to PyCam, then tweaked a bit, then exported the gcode. Opened gcode in LinuxCNC, deleted lines to clean up the hen some. Got the hen looking like I wanted. Next I opened F-engrave, generated the "KenHolland" the way I wanted. I think combined both gcode files, did a bit of tweaking there and got the final result.

gcode is fun...... but at time frustrating.

Ken H>
 
Gliden07 said:
Ted you give up on the etcher and stencils then?? The machined logo looms GREAT!
Click to expand...
Yeah...I gave up after my first etch...
Thanks to you guys I did not spend $375 on a tool I would not be using.In trying to make limited production knives I have to be very disciplined to not stack up a bunch of tasks that only I can do. The grinding alone will keep me busy...

But building and using the etcher was a necessary step to getting back to the CNC. I love stamping...but only on a forged blade. I'm a bit leery to see it on stock removal blades...probably my "erring on the side of caution" mentality...The forging guys are in and out of the fire enough that I think the stamp area gets stress relieved.

I'm delighted by how much my engraving looks like stamping!
 
I had given up engraving handles also...the Corian is tough and grabby and snaps tiny endmill too...
after runing 56 blades I thought I'd try that tool on some "checkering". I had tried this before and broke the fancy $29 thirty degree V tool I bought...and pretty much got disgusted....

Here's with the tired out steel cutting engraving tool...No breaks and still fairly clean...I'll try another with a "fresh" tool and see how it goes.

DSC01410.JPG
 
That looks really good on the handle. That had to be a trick clamping job to hold that handle nice 'n steady for engraving. Sometimes clamping is half the job on milling/CNC stuff.

BTW, what program is used for CNC? Mach4? Mach3? Or, some other progam?
 
Not sure how Ted does darkens the logo, but I use this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003YDMJR2

Ed mentioned it in a thread a couple (or 3?) years ago. It works! Paint the logo good, let dry a few minutes, then sand clean. That black holds up better than anything I've imagined.
 
KenH said:
That looks really good on the handle. That had to be a trick clamping job to hold that handle nice 'n steady for engraving. Sometimes clamping is half the job on milling/CNC stuff.

BTW, what program is used for CNC? Mach4? Mach3? Or, some other progam?
Click to expand...
The cad i use is Rhino3d the cam is called RhinoCam Pro...by Mecsoft. They made a deal with Rhino and their CAM runs inside of Rhino...giving you the complete power of Rhino to create your cam boundries etc. I love Rhino Cam Pro....
 
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