Yeah, "Will it machine?" sounds like a cool idea. I've often wondered how I would need to change settings or if a machine is even capable of cutting certain materials.
Thank you for a quick comparison of good / bad results for machining! It's very helpful to see the results side by side with a simple change like climb / conventional instead of something that has to be "tuned".
I cut the butt caps for fishing rods out of EVA on my SO3. But I get it in 1.5" square 12" long blocks and I cut a 2 inch section off and put it into a vise and just cut with my normal ball cutters. It does pretty good.
thank you! I've been searching all week for good information on routing foam including posting on your forum, maybe helped you get this video. haha Thanks again.
I’ve cut foam for making custom toolbox inserts. Both on the Shapeoko and with a hand router. Looks like I need to upgrade my bits! That Datron makes a big difference
I followed Winston’s steps and got PERFECT cuts. I used a 1/8in down cut Amana foam cutting end mill. It cut like butter. I was using EVA foam tiles. This was for a case for a tool. It turned out perfect.
Which side did you attach to your table? The textured top or the smooth bottom? I’m wondering if one side sticks better, but also if one side gives a better initial cutting surface than the other. Thanks!
@@TanyaHakala I'm attaching smooth side with some cheap chinese double side tape, and it's not moving at all. I tried textured top to fix the same way but it's peeling off very easy
Oh, man! I wish I’d seen this yesterday! I was putting the double sided tape on the foam. That was a pain in the neck, getting the backing off… I was using a lower density foam with a 1/4 down cut bit. My depth per pass was 0.5 in (I meant for O.05, it 0.5 was better)… it cut perfectly.
Ah the secret is out... Amana makes a great specialty foam tool for this, 46270 / 46270-K. I have also experimented with some Dremel bits and found similar successes. Your cuts are coming out really rough in some areas, the pockets look fine but the outside edges leave much to be desired. As for securing the EVA, Tape has been the worst, Honestly anything involving the wood sacrificial board was a bust. Enter my solution: Securing in a insulation foam sacrificial board, Forstner bit to level it out, and using tall T pins to secure the EVA to the foam. Gotta be strategic when placing the pins to prevent them hitting the workhead, but I have found massive success with cutting parts using pins to hold place. Currently experimenting with EVA foam carving, I'll be sure to contact y'all once I get some solid results.
Oh and THANK YOU!! I got into learning CNC thanks to your videos, Now I have a S3-XL thanks to a old work friend. Made a lot of my new workflow feel like a dream, I can't thank you enough!
I cut a lot of foam. Ive had good success with compresión bits. But I also use 6 strait flute cutter with very clean cuts at a depth of an inch. It is a tricky material for sure.
Ive had good results using the masking tape+super glue for work holding and using downcutting endmills. The biggest thing to remember is to make sure its conventional cutting.
How well do these cutters hold up with longer use? Many foams are notorious for how quickly they dull knife blades. I've had breakaway knives significantly dull after just three long cuts in high-density EVA (100kg/m³).
Dude. I have cut thousands upon thousands of tool silhouettes for tool box control, all traced and razor cut by hand. Wow. Replaced by a robot, indeed.
"We're not about to start a series on machining random objects"... well, that day has arrived: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-KvumzkL6N8Q.html
