Revision 7 (Feb 2019)
Mount the tool to the Adapter Shaft
– carefully and patiently – it’s a close fit, to
maintain good concentricity. Engage the screw and tighten it snugly.
The slitting tool is positioned over and in line with
the axis of θ rotation (not
always critical, but sometimes desirable).
5.1.2.1
Purchased Slitting Tools
For “off the shelf” slitting tools that come with attached shanks, ¼“, 1/8”, or 3/32”, use the following procedure:
A) After moving the Motor to Position 2, insert the Tool Adapter (the same as used for the cylindrical tools)
with a diameter appropriate for the tool you will be using
– lock it.
B) Insert the tool. You will have some leeway in setting the linear position of the cutting tool. Lock it in
position with the set screw.
5.2 CUTTING AND POLISHING TOOLS
We’ve learned that Concave faceting IS strongly related to flat faceting, and is properly called Concave
faceting
.
A comparatively small number of cylindrical tools (mandrels) accomplish the task. Yes, of course, it can get
pretty “fancy”, and there is room for creativity, but still, within faceting design “discipline”. A look for concave
tools on Internet sites reveals the availability of a number of diameter sizes (sometimes in inches, sometimes
metric)
– in several materials.
Fantasy cutting, on the other hand is a craft much more closely related to
carving
. It is
Geometric Carving
, in
which the symmetry (or purposeful non-symmetry) is craftsman controlled
—craftsman “dreamed up”. In Fantasy
cutting, tools are a major consideration. The number of tools that might be useful becomes very many. A visit
to the workshop of such a craftsman typically reveals a wall of tools with sizes ranging from very small to very
large, of different materials
– much of it the result of experimentation.
It is a situation in which the selections are many, and the choice is growing. It is also a situation in which we
understand that many purchasers of a Fantasy Machine have already ventured into this sort of work and have a
collection of favorite tools.
Our plan is that we will supply certain materials
– in certain sizes – and include them in a “starter kit”. The
“standard” materials are Copper, Maple, and Phenolic. Right now, the sizes are limited – but if you need a
certain size, contact us (email is best
–
), we will try to accommodate your need. (and if
it is not a completely “oddball” size, we may add it to the list of available sizes).
Technically, we
can
offer other materials
– specifically, we’ve made and experimented with Zinc and Corian
mandrels. Right now, there’s no “plan” to proceed with standard tools in those materials, but if you have a
strong wish to have a particular tool, again, talk to us about it
– we have a desire to support your efforts in this
relatively new field.
All in all
– faced with the impossibility of offering and having in inventory hundreds of tools – it is better for us
NOT to be a middle man. It is better for you, the user, to purchase directly from the tool suppliers
them. Here are a few suggestions
—
