recomendations for table top milling setups?

[pyotr filipivich]

thinking of doing some small (and I do mean _small_) milling, to
make a set of molds for casting type for hand setting printing (aka
"Letter Press").
Not sure it is a cost effective method of getting a font, but this
would be a hobby, not a business. Unless maybe I get into the type
casting foundry bizz.

So, what I am looking for is something which can give good
precision at the .005 inch level. (I'm sure, finding the mills is
going to be another issue, but one thing at a time.)

[Jim Wilkins]

Post by pyotr filipivich
thinking of doing some small (and I do mean _small_) milling, to
make a set of molds for casting type for hand setting printing (aka
"Letter Press").
Not sure it is a cost effective method of getting a font, but this
would be a hobby, not a business. Unless maybe I get into the type
casting foundry bizz.
So, what I am looking for is something which can give good
precision at the .005 inch level. (I'm sure, finding the mills is
going to be another issue, but one thing at a time.)
--
pyotr filipivich.

Freehand carving on a milling machine is very difficult, even a
rectangular panel meter cutout can go astray from backlash. Smooth
curves and straight diagonals are nearly impossible.

If you can define a line by an equation you can have a spreadsheet
print a list of x,y points along it and then plunge cut them. I would
first rough cut them somewhat shallow with a fairly wide spacing, then
finish at final depth and tighter spacing to minimize tool deflection
or backlash jumps. Define the spacing between points in a cell so you
can change it.

My antique Clausing mill is nice for milling small details because the
table handles have very low initial static friction and enough
rotational inertia that they don't jump from a light push. I can
divide 0.001" of travel into 4 or 5 steps. Currently manufactured
small mills I've tried were the opposite, sticky and jumpy.

I spent a year drawing the fonts for a new printer, dot by dot, the
full IBM character sets, in regular, bold and italic.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/B%C3%A9zier_curve

[Bob La Londe]

"pyotr filipivich" wrote in message news:***@4ax.com...


thinking of doing some small (and I do mean _small_) milling, to
make a set of molds for casting type for hand setting printing (aka
"Letter Press").
Not sure it is a cost effective method of getting a font, but this
would be a hobby, not a business. Unless maybe I get into the type
casting foundry bizz.

So, what I am looking for is something which can give good
precision at the .005 inch level. (I'm sure, finding the mills is
going to be another issue, but one thing at a time.)
--
Pyotr,

A small CNC mill like a Taig, Sherline, or Ximotion/MaxNC would be good for
this sort of thing.

I V-lead Taig can be adjusted to hold better than .001. A ballscrew Taig is
around the same, and is much faster, but wear can not be adjusted out.

A MaxNC may need to be adjusted. I totally changed the one I had so.... It
held better than .001.

I know little about Sherline, but there are plenty of Sherline users around.

Some of the better built CNC gantry mills (CNC routers) like the Velox
machines might also produce satisfactory results.

Cutters are readily available, atleast in the USA.

And since you are dead set on being a type setter I decided to offend your
sensibilities with this paragraph. The exact nature of this offense may
only be of importance to a certain type of type setters. I feel that the
current level of obsession of some on this issues is crazy. A huge portion
of the population was taught this was correct, so the small core of psychos
should just get over it. Period.

[Jim Wilkins]

Post by Bob La Londe
And since you are dead set on being a type setter I decided to
offend your sensibilities with this paragraph. The exact
nature of this offense may only be of importance to a
certain type of type setters. I feel that the current level of
obsession of some on this issues is crazy. A huge portion of the
population was taught this was correct, so the small core of
psychos should just get over it. Period.

[Jim Wilkins]

Post by Bob La Londe
And since you are dead set on being a type setter I decided to
offend your sensibilities with this paragraph. The exact
nature of this offense may only be of importance to a
certain type of type setters. I feel that the current level of
obsession of some on this issues is crazy. A huge portion of
the population was taught this was correct, so the small core of
psychos should just get over it. Period.

I right-justified it on my screen but it doesn't read back that way.

[pyotr filipivich]

Post by Jim Wilkins

Post by Bob La Londe
And since you are dead set on being a type setter I decided to
offend your sensibilities with this paragraph. The exact
nature of this offense may only be of importance to a
certain type of type setters. I feel that the current level of
obsession of some on this issues is crazy. A huge portion of
the population was taught this was correct, so the small core of
psychos should just get over it. Period.

I right-justified it on my screen but it doesn't read back that way.

I use "Full justification" in word processors, because the fiddly
bits are handled by the machine. When (if) I ever get to setting
type, what it is, will be what it is. "monospace" and left justified.
With the first line of a paragraph indented five spaces.

[Jim Wilkins]

Post by pyotr filipivich

Post by Jim Wilkins

Post by Bob La Londe
And since you are dead set on being a type setter I decided to
offend your sensibilities with this paragraph. The exact
nature of this offense may only be of importance to a
certain type of type setters. I feel that the current level of
obsession of some on this issues is crazy. A huge portion of
the population was taught this was correct, so the small core of
psychos should just get over it. Period.

I right-justified it on my screen but it doesn't read back that way.

I use "Full justification" in word processors, because the fiddly
bits are handled by the machine. When (if) I ever get to setting
type, what it is, will be what it is. "monospace" and left
justified.
With the first line of a paragraph indented five spaces.
--
pyotr filipivich
"With Age comes Wisdom. Although far too often, Age travels alone."

Good luck on your quest to become a Printer's Devil.

[pyotr filipivich]

Post by Jim Wilkins

Post by pyotr filipivich

Post by Jim Wilkins

Post by Bob La Londe
And since you are dead set on being a type setter I decided to
offend your sensibilities with this paragraph. The exact
nature of this offense may only be of importance to a
certain type of type setters. I feel that the current level of
obsession of some on this issues is crazy. A huge portion of
the population was taught this was correct, so the small core of
psychos should just get over it. Period.

I right-justified it on my screen but it doesn't read back that way.

I use "Full justification" in word processors, because the fiddly
bits are handled by the machine. When (if) I ever get to setting
type, what it is, will be what it is. "monospace" and left
justified.
With the first line of a paragraph indented five spaces.
--
pyotr filipivich
"With Age comes Wisdom. Although far too often, Age travels alone."

Good luck on your quest to become a Printer's Devil.

It is on a long list of "I'd like to be able to do that..."

[Gunner Asch]

Post by pyotr filipivich
thinking of doing some small (and I do mean _small_) milling, to
make a set of molds for casting type for hand setting printing (aka
"Letter Press").
Not sure it is a cost effective method of getting a font, but this
would be a hobby, not a business. Unless maybe I get into the type
casting foundry bizz.
So, what I am looking for is something which can give good
precision at the .005 inch level. (I'm sure, finding the mills is
going to be another issue, but one thing at a time.)

If you need Small fonts...why not simply spray them rather than cut
them?

__

"Poor widdle Wudy...mentally ill, lies constantly, doesnt know who he is, or even what gender "he" is.

No more pathetic creature has ever walked the earth. But...he is locked into a mental hospital for the safety of the public.

Which is a very good thing."

Asun rauhassa, valmistaudun sotaan.


---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

[pyotr filipivich]

Post by Gunner Asch

Post by pyotr filipivich
thinking of doing some small (and I do mean _small_) milling, to
make a set of molds for casting type for hand setting printing (aka
"Letter Press").
Not sure it is a cost effective method of getting a font, but this
would be a hobby, not a business. Unless maybe I get into the type
casting foundry bizz.
So, what I am looking for is something which can give good
precision at the .005 inch level. (I'm sure, finding the mills is
going to be another issue, but one thing at a time.)

If you need Small fonts...why not simply spray them rather than cut
them?

Dunno how to do that either.

[Jim Wilkins]

16:42:26 -0700

Post by Gunner Asch

Post by pyotr filipivich
thinking of doing some small (and I do mean _small_) milling, to
make a set of molds for casting type for hand setting printing (aka
"Letter Press").
Not sure it is a cost effective method of getting a font, but this
would be a hobby, not a business. Unless maybe I get into the type
casting foundry bizz.
So, what I am looking for is something which can give good
precision at the .005 inch level. (I'm sure, finding the mills is
going to be another issue, but one thing at a time.)

If you need Small fonts...why not simply spray them rather than cut
them?

Dunno how to do that either.
--
pyotr filipivich
"With Age comes Wisdom. Although far too often, Age travels alone."

http://www.alternativephotography.com/photopolymer-printing-budget/

The molten plastic ink jet printer I helped develop in the 1980's
could 3D-print mirrored and color-separated (CYMK) offset printing
press plates.

[pyotr filipivich]

Post by Jim Wilkins

16:42:26 -0700

Post by Gunner Asch

Post by pyotr filipivich
thinking of doing some small (and I do mean _small_) milling, to
make a set of molds for casting type for hand setting printing (aka
"Letter Press").
Not sure it is a cost effective method of getting a font, but this
would be a hobby, not a business. Unless maybe I get into the type
casting foundry bizz.
So, what I am looking for is something which can give good
precision at the .005 inch level. (I'm sure, finding the mills is
going to be another issue, but one thing at a time.)

If you need Small fonts...why not simply spray them rather than cut
them?

Dunno how to do that either.
--
pyotr filipivich
"With Age comes Wisdom. Although far too often, Age travels alone."

http://www.alternativephotography.com/photopolymer-printing-budget/
The molten plastic ink jet printer I helped develop in the 1980's
could 3D-print mirrored and color-separated (CYMK) offset printing
press plates.

Which is so totally what I do NOT want to do.

If I wanted build a printer, I'd have asked how to do that.

[Jim Wilkins]

07:28:18 -0400
................
Which is so totally what I do NOT want to do.
If I wanted build a printer, I'd have asked how to do that.
--
pyotr filipivich
"With Age comes Wisdom. Although far too often, Age travels alone."

I'm also struggling with difficult tasks I don't fully understand yet,
making and using man-powered log handling equipment for my homemade
sawmill. These log weigh up to half a ton and need to be lifted from
storage and moved over the track, rolled to inspect and best
compensate for irregularities, then lowered into position and set at
different heights on the ends since they taper.

Observing and researching what the problems are and how others have
addressed them has been very helpful, although I have found my own
apparently unique solutions which work quite well.

[Gunner Asch]

On Wed, 03 Jul 2019 21:54:15 -0700, pyotr filipivich

Post by pyotr filipivich

Post by Jim Wilkins

16:42:26 -0700

Post by Gunner Asch

Post by pyotr filipivich
thinking of doing some small (and I do mean _small_) milling, to
make a set of molds for casting type for hand setting printing (aka
"Letter Press").
Not sure it is a cost effective method of getting a font, but this
would be a hobby, not a business. Unless maybe I get into the type
casting foundry bizz.
So, what I am looking for is something which can give good
precision at the .005 inch level. (I'm sure, finding the mills is
going to be another issue, but one thing at a time.)

If you need Small fonts...why not simply spray them rather than cut
them?

Dunno how to do that either.
--
pyotr filipivich
"With Age comes Wisdom. Although far too often, Age travels alone."

http://www.alternativephotography.com/photopolymer-printing-budget/
The molten plastic ink jet printer I helped develop in the 1980's
could 3D-print mirrored and color-separated (CYMK) offset printing
press plates.

Which is so totally what I do NOT want to do.
If I wanted build a printer, I'd have asked how to do that.

??? So you would rather machine very small type fonts..with all the
issues that will have (and milling this will have MANY! issues) rather
than use 3D technology and simply print them?

Ooookay. Keep me informed as how your attempts at this work out. Im
very interested.

Gunner
__

"Poor widdle Wudy...mentally ill, lies constantly, doesnt know who he is, or even what gender "he" is.

No more pathetic creature has ever walked the earth. But...he is locked into a mental hospital for the safety of the public.

Which is a very good thing."

Asun rauhassa, valmistaudun sotaan.


---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

[Leon Fisk]

On Thu, 04 Jul 2019 12:50:25 -0700
Gunner Asch <***@gmail.com> wrote:

<snip>

Post by Gunner Asch
??? So you would rather machine very small type fonts..with all the
issues that will have (and milling this will have MANY! issues) rather
than use 3D technology and simply print them?

Sometimes the journey is more important than the destination...

[Gunner Asch]

Post by Leon Fisk
On Thu, 04 Jul 2019 12:50:25 -0700
<snip>

Post by Gunner Asch
??? So you would rather machine very small type fonts..with all the
issues that will have (and milling this will have MANY! issues) rather
than use 3D technology and simply print them?

Sometimes the journey is more important than the destination...

It usually feels pretty good when you stop beating your head on the
locker. Shrug.

Each to their own.

Gunner
__

"Poor widdle Wudy...mentally ill, lies constantly, doesnt know who he is, or even what gender "he" is.

No more pathetic creature has ever walked the earth. But...he is locked into a mental hospital for the safety of the public.

Which is a very good thing."

Asun rauhassa, valmistaudun sotaan.


---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

[pyotr filipivich]

Post by Leon Fisk
On Thu, 04 Jul 2019 12:50:25 -0700
<snip>

Post by Gunner Asch
??? So you would rather machine very small type fonts..with all the
issues that will have (and milling this will have MANY! issues) rather
than use 3D technology and simply print them?

Sometimes the journey is more important than the destination...

Yep.

and sometimes I can do it "by hand" means I don't have to find
space for A Machine.

[pyotr filipivich]

Post by Gunner Asch
On Wed, 03 Jul 2019 21:54:15 -0700, pyotr filipivich

Post by pyotr filipivich

Post by Jim Wilkins

16:42:26 -0700

Post by Gunner Asch

Post by pyotr filipivich
thinking of doing some small (and I do mean _small_) milling, to
make a set of molds for casting type for hand setting printing (aka
"Letter Press").
Not sure it is a cost effective method of getting a font, but this
would be a hobby, not a business. Unless maybe I get into the type
casting foundry bizz.
So, what I am looking for is something which can give good
precision at the .005 inch level. (I'm sure, finding the mills is
going to be another issue, but one thing at a time.)

If you need Small fonts...why not simply spray them rather than cut
them?

Dunno how to do that either.
--
pyotr filipivich
"With Age comes Wisdom. Although far too often, Age travels alone."

http://www.alternativephotography.com/photopolymer-printing-budget/
The molten plastic ink jet printer I helped develop in the 1980's
could 3D-print mirrored and color-separated (CYMK) offset printing
press plates.

Which is so totally what I do NOT want to do.
If I wanted build a printer, I'd have asked how to do that.

??? So you would rather machine very small type fonts..with all the
issues that will have (and milling this will have MANY! issues) rather
than use 3D technology and simply print them?

Sometime I want to do something a little old school. Maybe even
before old school. "If John from the Jewish Hill can make it by hand
..."

Post by Gunner Asch
Ooookay. Keep me informed as how your attempts at this work out. Im
very interested.

Considering that the earliest molds were carved in iron with very
small /fine tolerances - "What could go wrong?"

As with some many things, it is a gas seeing people working with
CAD Cam (and the like) to reproduce "analog" mechanical systems &
devices
From the "original" CGI videos

"This is just CGI. You can't actually make a music machine using
marbles."
Wintergatan: "Hold my beer."

Along comes the Marble Machine.

And the "improvement"

Some times, I want to do it the old fashioned way. Sometimes, the
way before the old fashioned way was invented.

Fnord, I saw a video about Masahiro Kikuno making a "temporal
clock" watch. This is a watch which keeps "natural time" i.e., every
day has 12 even hours of daylight. Yeah. So I've been mulling the
calculations necessary to compute that, sidereal v tropical time, that
the day is an average over a year, blah, blah ... . Yeah, I do need a
life.
But sometimes, for what I want, "knowing why power tools were
invented" s part of the process.

[Gunner Asch]

On Tue, 02 Jul 2019 18:58:20 -0700, pyotr filipivich

Post by pyotr filipivich

Post by Gunner Asch
If you need Small fonts...why not simply spray them rather than cut
them?

Dunno how to do that either.
--

https://3dprinting.com/what-is-3d-printing/

__

"Poor widdle Wudy...mentally ill, lies constantly, doesnt know who he is, or even what gender "he" is.

No more pathetic creature has ever walked the earth. But...he is locked into a mental hospital for the safety of the public.

Which is a very good thing."

Asun rauhassa, valmistaudun sotaan.


---
This email has been checked for viruses by Avast antivirus software.
https://www.avast.com/antivirus

[Gunner Asch]

On Sun, 16 Jun 2019 12:02:15 -0700, pyotr filipivich

Post by pyotr filipivich
thinking of doing some small (and I do mean _small_) milling, to
make a set of molds for casting type for hand setting printing (aka
"Letter Press").
Not sure it is a cost effective method of getting a font, but this
would be a hobby, not a business. Unless maybe I get into the type
casting foundry bizz.
So, what I am looking for is something which can give good
precision at the .005 inch level. (I'm sure, finding the mills is
going to be another issue, but one thing at a time.)

What size letters do you need? Ive got a shit load of type that Id
give you simply for the shipping. Mostly linotype or monotype. I was
going to melt it down for rifle bullets but havent gotten that far
yet.

__

"Poor widdle Wudy...mentally ill, lies constantly, doesnt know who he is, or even what gender "he" is.

No more pathetic creature has ever walked the earth. But...he is locked into a mental hospital for the safety of the public.

Which is a very good thing."

Asun rauhassa, valmistaudun sotaan.


---
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https://www.avast.com/antivirus

[pyotr filipivich]

Post by Gunner Asch
On Sun, 16 Jun 2019 12:02:15 -0700, pyotr filipivich

Post by pyotr filipivich
thinking of doing some small (and I do mean _small_) milling, to
make a set of molds for casting type for hand setting printing (aka
"Letter Press").
Not sure it is a cost effective method of getting a font, but this
would be a hobby, not a business. Unless maybe I get into the type
casting foundry bizz.
So, what I am looking for is something which can give good
precision at the .005 inch level. (I'm sure, finding the mills is
going to be another issue, but one thing at a time.)

What size letters do you need? Ive got a shit load of type that Id
give you simply for the shipping. Mostly linotype or monotype. I was
going to melt it down for rifle bullets but havent gotten that far
yet.

I'm at the "I've no real idea what the scope of this project will
be" stage, other than to figure "It is going to be somewhere between
industrial sized and a metric buttload."

When I get the current dozen projects done, then I'll be
addressing this.

[Gunner Asch]

On Tue, 02 Jul 2019 18:58:20 -0700, pyotr filipivich

Post by pyotr filipivich

Post by Gunner Asch
On Sun, 16 Jun 2019 12:02:15 -0700, pyotr filipivich

Post by pyotr filipivich
thinking of doing some small (and I do mean _small_) milling, to
make a set of molds for casting type for hand setting printing (aka
"Letter Press").
Not sure it is a cost effective method of getting a font, but this
would be a hobby, not a business. Unless maybe I get into the type
casting foundry bizz.
So, what I am looking for is something which can give good
precision at the .005 inch level. (I'm sure, finding the mills is
going to be another issue, but one thing at a time.)

What size letters do you need? Ive got a shit load of type that Id
give you simply for the shipping. Mostly linotype or monotype. I was
going to melt it down for rifle bullets but havent gotten that far
yet.

I'm at the "I've no real idea what the scope of this project will
be" stage, other than to figure "It is going to be somewhere between
industrial sized and a metric buttload."
When I get the current dozen projects done, then I'll be
addressing this.

Ok..Ill save the letters for you.

Gunner
__

"Poor widdle Wudy...mentally ill, lies constantly, doesnt know who he is, or even what gender "he" is.

No more pathetic creature has ever walked the earth. But...he is locked into a mental hospital for the safety of the public.

Which is a very good thing."

Asun rauhassa, valmistaudun sotaan.


---
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[Eli the Bearded]

Post by pyotr filipivich
thinking of doing some small (and I do mean _small_) milling, to
make a set of molds for casting type for hand setting printing (aka
"Letter Press").
Not sure it is a cost effective method of getting a font, but this
would be a hobby, not a business. Unless maybe I get into the type
casting foundry bizz.
So, what I am looking for is something which can give good
precision at the .005 inch level. (I'm sure, finding the mills is
going to be another issue, but one thing at a time.)

I just found this:

http://lcamtuf.coredump.cx/gcnc/

"Guerrilla guide to CNC machining, mold making, and resin casting"

It's long, but broken up into chapters, and chapter 2 "Setting up a CNC
mill" "Pointers for selecting a low-cost, hobbyist-friendly CNC mill,
stocking up on tools, and keeping the whole setup in great condition for
many years to come." may be useful. Looks a couple of years old, so
specific models might not be current.

The author's interest is in making molds for casting small precision
plastic parts for robot building.

Elijah
------
there's also a link to a mill vendor