Very cool, Tony, and it's wonderful to see your videos more frequently! I'm going to ship you all 46 of my bodywork hammers to be checkered - hope you don't mind.
Hey Tony, you got great results considering the soft wood and the bit used! Here is a tip that helps with the cut being "fuzzy", coming from somebody who has done a lot of CNC checkering on a lot of types of wood. Use a 90-degree engraving bit instead of a V-groove bit. An engraving bit usually has just one flute, it's basically a cone with one side cut flat like a "D bit". But that's NOT the important part. The important part is that it has a slightly off-center tip. A V-groove bit doesn't cut at all in the bottom of the groove because its very tip, rotating on-center, has a surface speed of...zero. So no matter how sharp a V bit you use, the centered point is just dragging in the bottom of the cut and it'll always come out fuzzy in anything softer than, say, rosewood. Not a big deal if you're trying to cut a huge groove, but for the little .025"-.030" deep grooves in your average checkering pattern, a little fuzz makes a BIG impact. The engraving bit solves that problem and gives crisp results. The off-center point technically cuts a tiny flat in the bottom of each groove, but it's not something you would notice.
Thanks, that's a valuable info as I'm in the process of persuading my father in law into trying more work on CNC. He's an old-school carpenter and great furniture maker but these newer technologies always make him grumpy.
@@LBCAndrew Fair enough on the wood, hickory is probably hard enough. I know walnut is soft enough to fuzz up if you use the wrong bit, exotics like ebony are hard enough you get clean results with just about any bit. Hickory is between those two. Regarding the cutter I'm sure you could use 60 all the way but 90 is more traditional and in my view more practical. For the same lines-per-inch, assuming you're making pyramids with actual points and not a flat at the top, 60 would go very deep and the resulting pyramids would be fragile and wear down quickly. For example if you're doing 18 LPI checkering, with a 60 degree cutter you would have to go .048" deep to form pointed pyramids. With a 90 you only have to cut .028" deep for 18 LPI. The pyramids are fatter and have more structural support. Now if you are checkering by hand, it's my understanding that a 60 degree cutter is useful when laying out the lines. It's easier to stay in the groove with a 60. So you can cut shallow grooves with your 60 degree cutter, and then use the 90 degree cutter to chase the lines -- not necessarily making them any deeper, but widening them to change the flats in between the grooves into sharp points. The Gunline checkering guide describes exactly this process of starting with a 60 and finishing with a 90.
For a first go on with a handle that started out in rough shape and a slow spindle, that looks pretty good! I think there might be a much easier way of doing the checker pattern in Fusion just using the outline. Run a 2d Contour for the outline, then a parallel op on the "pocket" inside the outline. Tell Fusion the angle you want it to run the parallel passes at and set pass depth and stepover appropriately for the bit you are using. You can then add another pass at 90 degrees to the first pass (in the dialog for parallel) and voila, checker pattern. That won't make your spindle any faster, but it would give you an easy way to control the check pattern without re-drawing it every time. Great to see the new videos pouring in lately.
I can't speak to CNC, but I have done a lot of hand checkering (with file like hand cutters, not dremel), and in my experience, problem #4 is that checkering is almost always done after the hard finish is applied. This has a dramatic effect on the amount of tear out of the tiny wood parts. I have to imagine it would have the same effect with a slow spinning tool. Even if I am intending an oil finish, I sand with 1000 wet /dry, rub in 2 coats of polymerizing oil, let it harden, and then checker.
I can totally confirm that it's the proper way of doing patterns like that. You only need linear geometry to follow if that pattern involves something rather than straight rows. In that case, it has to be generated as a projected contour limited by the outside boundary.
Heya, gunsmith here. One of the issues with checkering the harder woods is they become brittle and rarely can be shaped to a proper point. I don't know if it was just convenience or secret planning but one way you can help make stable checkering on harder woods is reduce the ratio of the diamonds, so making them squares like you did gave them the best chance. Normally we use diamonds about twice as long as wide. Another way to help the more brittle woods come to points is to seal and bolster the wood first. I am in the habit of brushing the pattern with a thinned oil mix every time I change direction, even on good walnut. A proper sanding sealer can sometimes be just enough that it helps keep the wood together, which is why we usually finish the stock first then checker it, even though checkering a stock risks damaging the finish (beyond the bit we are intentionally damaging that is). It is possible to do the reverse but not having to avoid checkering while sanding down a finish is also very convenient. It is way harder on the tools but about the only way to reliably get a good pattern on maple is to layout your lines, add CA glue, then cut your points and add more any time you notice the wood getting kind of powdery. On layout, we usually set a pair of master lines in the center of the work then we offset from there. The reason we start in the middle instead of the edge is we cut along (usually with a guide) as close to even with the line next to it as we can. Because we often are cutting on curves we tend to only cut a few lines at a time on a single pass of the tool, the cradle we use to hold a workpiece only gives us so much freedom, so it may be that two or three lines are perfectly spaced by the tool then one line is close to perfectly spaced and as you go on with the pattern the tolerance stacking can start to show. We try to find the common minimum distance for the pattern to be from any particular line and make that the master line, be it a fill in or a point pattern. The advantage of cutting a piece by hand in a cradle that lets us put the pattern over the flow of the surface is the points always go out, not merely up, and they do not deform on curves (as much at least) giving a more uniform texture. That can be remedied to some extent with a 4th or 5th axis but as long as (and I say this with all of the love in the world) amateurs put out work like this it just makes good artistry shine even better. Thank you for the video!
If I wanted to make a tool handle and getting good checkering was important, what would be the best wood to use? Strength of the handle is not a major issue.
Man, I would *LOVE* to have a gunsmith like you in my part of the woods. It's hard to find one around here that takes care in their work like you obviously do. It's all about volume to the guys local to me... throw the parts at the gun, and move on.
@@stevewyckoff6904 It depends on the tool I guess if strength is an issue or not but if you say it is not an issue then it can be whatever you like. I assume the handle shown in this video is a typical hickory wood, which is good for a handle, but if you want good checkering and don't mind putting in the work then you can really use anything. As I mentioned in the comment, a thinned finish or sanding sealer than can penetrate into the wood or a cyanoacrylate like "Hot Stuff, Thin" or possibly even a thinned wood glue (if color is not an issue) could be used to fill the pores and grain of the wood so it is less prone to chip off. Might even be able to hot apply wax but I have not tried checkering finicky wood sealed with wax so I can't say for sure. The idea is at that point you are more carving plastic that has wood in it than just wood. You draw on your pattern, use a flexible straight edge to set your master lines, carefully start the groove for your master lines with a single line cutter, then use a spacer cutter that is essentially two or three or four v shaped files except one is smooth and you run the smooth one in the groove you just cut and the cutting side cuts in 1 or 2 or sometimes 3 new lines depending on the tool you use. Do that till you have thin lines expanding left and right to the edged from both master lines, using the flexible straight edge for any areas where there is a break in the line pattern to keep it even, add your sealer/finish/glue, let it set, then begin the always time consuming process of cutting those lines deeper and deeper till you have pointed diamonds, adding more stabilizer as you go. If you break a few off that isn't an issue really, just save the dust, pile it where the points broke out, drop of CA glue and then shape it again. Once you have points then you do the edge then brush thoroughly to remove dust, feel free to use something like acetone or cleaner being sure to mask off any existing finish on the uncheckered surface, then apply your finish. Easy.
@@floorpizza8074 It is very difficult to keep a full time gunsmith fed. Efficiency is a major part of it. High volume is profitable. Literally, for a pattern like what is shown in the video (though nicer) would you pay $100-150? Just that panel, not also for one matching or any other, just that one area shown, would you pay that much? That is what hand work can cost. I have cleaned up checkering on many guns, I have checkered my own guns, I have checkered guns for friends and family, but I have never had anyone hire me for checkering. There are guys that have stocks sent to them from all over the country and they just do checkering and they get by ok. For a few years I was the only full time gunsmith in a city of 200,000, and legitimately I only had about 25 hours a week of actual work at the busiest, the rest was just practice or shop tasks. Guns these days don't usually need gunsmiths so we are a dying breed.
Not only is TOT back, but two videos one after the other? Best Christmas present ever. Hope you're doing well Tony, loved watching you step away from metal and into my material where mistakes are expected and the tolerances don't matter. Loving the fancy checkered hammerhead hammer - hope it doesn't end up as a wall hanger!
Our company does lots of wood checkering - you hit on the main issues, but I would also add you might want to try running your lines fully instead of jumping around (by that I mean, cutting each row in one pass, instead of cutting around each diamond). The changes in direction have inertia to deal with, so it might reduce your chipping. Love your work!
If you are over 18 years old ( ˘ ³˘)♥⤵️ --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ❣️ nude.snapgirls.today/barbie ♀️♂️ RU-vid: This is ok Somebody: Say "Heck" RU-vid: Lost #しかし #わたし #私は愛する #そのような #漁師 #面白い #楽しい #若い女性 #面白い #垃圾
Around the year 2000 I got to do a tour of the Marlin firearms factory and see how they did their forearm checkering. It was a 5 axis set up with a lot of moving parts and miles of hand written g-code. I think I like your way for non production items, software has made small runs and one offs easier. As a side note I was there to give them a price to replace their large CNC router.
Being a guy who actually has checkering tools and knows how to use them.... The angle between the points should be either 30° or 35° not 90. You want diamonds not squares. I have a cheesy CNC router now and hope to actually use it one of these days so thanks for all you do and share, Tony! You should give it one more try.
On our next show, Tony mounts a dremill on the head stock for the smaller bits, and higher speeds.... Thank you Tony for the fantastic vidoes, and the time to make them.
I am really amazed that you were able to turn that Mako into a CNC. THIS is the reason I watch your channel. (That, and my wife actually laughs during your videos.)
Oh wow! An engineer with a great sense of humour and self sarcasm! Instantly subscribed! Still in stitches after I saw you turn on the gadget with the broom stick.... And those cuts are also brilliant!
Tony! Your CAD skills are through the roof! Now that you've mentioned the walnut, you really need to do this again in walnut with the previous "mistakes along the way" corrected, sharper tool, oh yeah spindle speed - flashback.....you mentioned possibly adding a high speed spindle to the MAHO during the early days tear-down. Perfect time for the high speed spindle attachment....woohoo!
I always loved checkering but it's labor intensive and easy to screw up, and you are right this is very impressive. I have done this by hand few times on knife handles and never really got the results I wanted.
Honestly , with this kind of wood I'm surprised you didnt end up with a sad marchland diorama. great job! (PS: you should check the chocolate levels on the wife'n kids this time of years ;)
On the flip side, that would now be the perfect thing to use with an actual checkering file to expose yourself to that particular craft. Just chase the existing pattern with the file to get perfect checkering.
I never knew that I have always needed this. Time to shift priorities to get my hands on a CNC... I'm sure my wife will over checkered salad bowls, wooden spoons, back scratchers, picture frames....
7:30 This Old Tony, whatever you do, don't machine black walnut on your CNC machine. Always be aware that Walnut, and especially black walnut stains everything it touches, even metal. When I did it at Lake Washington Technical, just the chips were so bad that I couldn't get it off the college's VF-2's ways and the mill vice, even using a combination of hard cleaners and scotch brite! just leaving the walnut chips there on the ways overnight permanently stained them. Hope this helps.
Amazing how well that turned out! My first attempt at checkering was also on a hammer handle. Maybe try a smaller 2 flute 30 deg. HSS cutter. Maybe even use a non-rotating drag engraver.
I can only speak for my old self, but I missed those hands, I mean I got used to watching them, and 💥 , just like that they were gone. Glad you back!!!!
The biggest mistake was keeping the checkering separate from the outline. You had a great master line with the center divider on the design. Just make lines following that master line and progress to the end on the pattern, then invert the lines and trim where it goes over the divider in the pattern. You'll have sharper peaks and a little more grip. To get even more though, you need a bit that comes to a sharper angle, which will require a higher lines per inch for the checkering.
I'm not sure point topped checkers on the side grain would work out as it sounds. You would have side grain stacked layers all the way to the point making the sides if each checker all end grain. In my opinion, I don't think the points would last or stay sharp, if you could even get them sharp they would chip pretty easy just by using the hammer or go all fuzzy. Having the flat top would give more support to the entire checker pyramid. Maybe make rounded rectangles instead of pyramids using a tiny curved or rounded cutter bit instead of a pointy one. Just some thoughts. I build and finish custom bedroom furniture for a living. Hopefully that is enough credentials for having an opinion. Love the videos.
Love your work TOT!! How about making a pneumatically powered chuck for your CNC mill to increase the milling rpm (i.e. used with mill motor turned off).
Nice! Could you do some weirder checkering, for example using the Penrose tiling or whatever? I guess it'd give essentially the same result, just maybe look more interesting
I was going to suggest hexagons. _Hexagons._ See, this is what happens when I spend time on other channels, where smart people _don't_ gather. Hey, what if you vary the groove angle to make a low-res hologram...
@@VidkunQL If you mean "real" holography, it sounds really hard since AFAIK you need detail on a scale of 100 nm or so, which seems like about 4 orders of magnitude too small to manually carve with this CNC. You could perhaps get some optical effect here, maybe some Moire-like thing, but I don't know much about these types of things
You can do a pocket operation with a stepover value as your checker pattern pitch and skip all the internal lines. Use the chamfer tool even though the program thinks its a flat mill clearing the whole pocket. There are tutorials for knurling patterns that cover this fusion shortcut.
I cannot express how much I missed watching your videos (even though you seem to have run out of metal stock:-) Really brightens up my day. Keep it up ToT
You're right about the spindle speed. I guess for a project like this you'd need more of a CNC router than an old milling machine. If you're interested check out some of the videos on youtube, some guys even build their own though I wouldn't recommend a beginner like Tony attempt that.
Yaaaaaaaaaay! Hey, if I sent you an old oak toilet seat, could you make it non-skid? You know, for when you're still wet after a shower? (JK, I've already covered mine with 80 grit self-stick sanding disks.)
@@Broken_Yugo With a reasonably cylindrical object (like a hammer handle) a single rotary axis would be sufficient. Obviously for complex shapes you'd need both A and B axes on top of X-Y-Z to keep the tool perpendicular to the surface, and even that fails if there are aggressive overhangs or deep pockets...
Going into the video, I was about to comment about not ending the checkering with Fleur-de-lis. I take back what I almost said. Bravo, TOT. Bravo, on the most classy of checkerings.
Coming from a CNC Router Table perspective, and using Vectric, this seemed overly complicated. Especially the way Fusion handles cut paths. And yes, you'd need at least 60° engraving bit if you are doing this for realsies. Or if you are really fancy, a 15° flat tip detail carver bit.
I'd just draw the 2d curves which would represent center of where the endmill should be travelling -2D contour operation, turn COMPENSATION OFF, disable Lead IN&Lead OUT, set the BOTTOM HEIGHT as how deep the endmill would go and that's it. No roughing passes, no multiple depths, no ramps - the endmill should just go straight down on the center of the line at the set bottom heigh. To get nice sharp pyramid just adjust the bottom height (space between 4 lines define the area of the pyramid). Easy, quick, painless. Edit: You could draw a quick hatch pattern lines and then create an outline which would set the Stock contours - this way you don't have to do any tedious manual trimming of lines. Unfortunately, such a technique on a 3axis mill would not be sufficient for high end firearm checkering - you'd need a 5axis with a 3d model so it could angle the tool properly so you get non distorted pattern.
btw I've been watching you since you began this long journey of dad jokes and terrible puns. Thanks for all the hilarious and very informative lessons! I friggin love your sly since of humor. I hope you and your family have a Merry Christmas.
