Routing for RTA's

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Forrest Chapman
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Routing for RTA's

Post by Forrest Chapman »

Hi All,

Is anyone useing a 20 mm bit to punch a single hole for a KD fitting? I'm just curious before I purchase one if the router will pick it up and use it. What about hinge holes and a 32mm bit will the router use that?

Thanks
Forrest
Nick M Singer
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Post by Nick M Singer »

Hi there Forrest. You could do drilling ops with the bits you mention but it is not worth taking up holders with diameter specific cutters because all the holes you mention can be cut very quickly as pocketing operations by the cutter set up as the pocketing tool in the tool settings of RN.
Forrest Chapman
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Post by Forrest Chapman »

Hey Nick,

Thanks for the reply. I have plenty of tool holders and alot of holes to drill per sheet plus its a special bit with a flare at the top to inset the fitting flush. It would be nice to bore for a hinge when I have to start cutting the doors for this customer. I already have 5,8, and 10mm bits dedicated for certain opperations so whats a few more.

Thanks
Forrest
Nick M Singer
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Post by Nick M Singer »

Morning Forrest. Lucky fish I only have 4 holders, but I did buy the 9 spindle drilling head to do all my 32mm in line drilling. I suppose you could set up bits to drill 35mm and 20 mm holes for KDs & hinges. If you had those cutters set up in RN it would use them fdor drilling ops instead of performing pocketing ops. I just found that for the speed with which the router cut those types of holes doing it as a pocketing op it just was not worth the trouble. It is all a time/cost trade off I suppose
Forrest Chapman
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Post by Forrest Chapman »

Good morning Nick,

It sounds like you don't have the typewriter tool changer on the head. That should be your next upfit you'll wonder how you ever did without it. I now have 12 tool holders thanks to a fairly cheap upfit for the end of the table. I went from 4 seperate bar style holders to 7 holders mounted on a plate plus the existing 5 on the head. You may be able to upgrade to the 7 bit plate and it only cost $1600.00 US plus shipping. I mounted it myself and had it operating in about 3 hours. One of the reasons for me to dedicate a tool is I never have to worry about tool diameter mistakes. I think when I need the drill block I'm just going to buy a second machine because the add on is $15000.00 and I'll probably need more production capacity anyway.


Thanks
Forrest
Jason Susnjara
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Post by Jason Susnjara »

Hi Forrest,

You can buy a tool for the kd fitting and for the hinge holes. A couple of things to remember. If you buy a tool that is for drilling, you will have to slow the rpms and feed rates for that tool. You can buy a custom tool for a router but the cost will be high for those tools. The machine will be able to drill those holes but like Nick said, the .375 or .5 tool will circle interpolate that hole without having to buy a special tool. The same goes for the hinge hole. Machine might take an extra second to do that or it could be quicker depending if you have to slow the feedrate and rpms for that tool. Hope this helps.
Zach Froble
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Post by Zach Froble »

Jason,

Where is the setting to let the 3/8 and 1/2\" cutter to interpolate the holes for kd/rta holes and hinges. When I try to write the code it says there is not a tool avialable for those operations. Just wondering if there is a setting I am missing that would allow those operations with one of these cutters.

Thanks,
Zach
Jason Susnjara
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Post by Jason Susnjara »

Hi Zach,

You can actually have any cutter interpolate those holes but the smaller you go the more material there will be left in the center of it. Here is a picture that shows the setting. It is located when you open Rolling Nest and click on the Tooling button. For each operation you can have a max interpolate set to a number that is bigger than the tool. I have mine set at 5\". I use a different number at shows because using a .5 tool will leave some material in the center of that hole because it is 5\". I will then pocket that out. But for kd's and hinges, I use a .5 tool for the circle interpolating.
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interpolate.JPG
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Zach Froble
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Post by Zach Froble »

Jason,

Thanks for the quick reply, like always you guys are on top of everything when it comes to helping us out.

Zach
Zach Froble
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Post by Zach Froble »

Jason,

Where is the setting to let the 3/8 and 1/2\" cutter to interpolate the holes for kd/rta holes and hinges. When I try to write the code it says there is not a tool avialable for those operations. Just wondering if there is a setting I am missing that would allow those operations with one of these cutters.

Thanks,
Zach
Forrest Chapman
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Post by Forrest Chapman »

Thanks Guys,

I finally ran these closet parts with RTA's and used a dedicated 20mm drill bit. Long story short I'll never go back. I used the rpm's from my blum machine and decided to go with 18,000 rpm and plunge at 300 ipm. It drilled flawless holes very quickly. I used a standard 20mm bit with 10mm shank in one of my set screw adaptors. One of the other reasons for using a single bit is for a flare or counter sink which allows the fitting to go flush. You can't do that with a router bit at least not easily. Hope some of you guys try this.

Forrest
Jason Susnjara
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Post by Jason Susnjara »

Hi Forrest,

I noticed that you ran this bit at 18000 RPMs. You might want to check the manufacturer of that bit to make sure that it can run at 18000. That seems a little fast for a tool made for drilling using a smaller spindle. I just don't want anyone to get hurt.
Forrest Chapman
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Post by Forrest Chapman »

Jason,

Thanks for the heads up. I checked on the 20mm tool I used this time and the max is 10,000rpm but the new tool that I just received is only 3,800rpm. Just from looking at it I'm not sure why the max is so slow. It looks very robust. In any case I'll keep you informed of any potential problems.

Thanks
Forrest
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