Starting 2024 Right

[whydontu]

I hope this is an omen for 2024.

I make a lot of electronic gear, and I'm always having to make scales for potentiometers. Thought I'd take a stab at making a template that I could use on my manual engraver.

A few minutes in the CAD program to sketch up a 2:1 dial. Then 15 minutes on the 3018 CNC engraver, cutting it into a scrap piece of lexan from a thrift store clock.

Diamond bit in the manual engraver on a scrap piece of aluminum, scaled to proper size of 1:2. The numbers are only 1.8mm high.

For a first try, I'm quite pleased with the results.

My amplifiers are suitable only for townhouses, so the dial only goes to ten.

 

[DavidR8]

I hope this is an omen for 2024.

I make a lot of electronic gear, and I'm always having to make scales for potentiometers. Thought I'd take a stab at making a template that I could use on my manual engraver.

A few minutes in the CAD program to sketch up a 2:1 dial. Then 15 minutes on the 3018 CNC engraver, cutting it into a scrap piece of lexan from a thrift store clock.

Diamond bit in the manual engraver on a scrap piece of aluminum, scaled to proper size of 1:2. The numbers are only 1.8mm high.

For a first try, I'm quite pleased with the results.

My amplifiers are suitable only for townhouses, so the dial only goes to ten.

View attachment 42470

That looks great!
I’d like to try a diamond engraver on my router. Specifically to engrave anodized aluminum.

 

[whydontu]

That looks great!
I’d like to try a diamond engraver on my router. Specifically to engrave anodized aluminum.

These are a pretty close second to a diamond tip. The carbide bit is removable with about a 3/4" long 1/8” shank. Not quite as good as the diamond tip on harder stuff, but on aluminum they work great.

General Tools Carbide Scriber with Magnet

Tungsten carbide tipPermanent magnet

www.kmstools.com

Addie is my dog, this is on a 0.005" anodized aluminum business card blank. Difficult to diamond engrave, I usually use the laser on these because they are so thin they flex away from the cutter and end up ugly, like as shown at the top of the letter A.

 

[Susquatch]

I think it's gorgeous!

Now I need a cnc router.....

 

[YYCHM]

Now I need a cnc router.....

You're going to fall down that CNC/CAD rabbit hole yet LOL 3D printer..... CNC Router......

 

[whydontu]

I think it's gorgeous!

Now I need a cnc router.....

3018 CNC machines run about $200, it's toyish but good to learn on. I have a heavily-modded one, plus a small laser engraver, but my go-to is a New Heremes manual machine. Way more fun than CNC, and for many things like signs it's faster. The dial template took 15 minutes to cut on the 3018, the aluminum engraving was maybe 5 minutes start to finish.

Find yourself one of these.

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

 

[Susquatch]

3018 CNC machines run about $200, it's toyish but good to learn on. I have a heavily-modded one, plus a small laser engraver, but my go-to is a New Heremes manual machine. Way more fun than CNC, and for many things like signs it's faster. The dial template took 15 minutes to cut on the 3018, the aluminum engraving was maybe 5 minutes start to finish.

Find yourself one of these.

Log into Facebook

Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

www.facebook.com

You are right. That's exactly what I need. Fort Erie is too far away though.

I'll start a search on kiji and Facebook nearby.

 

[Arbutus]

You could also try a diamond tipped drag cutter which works very nicely on anodised aluminum. I doesn't rotate so there's no tearing of the surface nor any tendency for the material to lift.

Theres a link in this forum to my post... https://canadianhobbymetalworkers.com/threads/diamond-drag-tool.6670/#post-100383