A few construction questions from a newb

[sinkhead]

Hi everyone. This is my first post here but I've been lurking for the past few weeks, designing my cabinet and making a shopping list.

I have just a few questions I hope you can help me with.

Do you recommend finishing the build (all woodwork, T-molding, marquee, everything except the Lexan being secured to the control panel) before moving onto the wiring and putting the computer in there?

What does the arbour do when using a slot cutting router bit?

Where can you buy Lexan in the UK? Does it cut well on a CAD/CAM Router?

Does anyone know if it's easy to take the faceplate off the comparative coin mech from Ultimarc and paint it?

Do most people use some disassembled PC speakers in their cab, or do they connect a small amplifier to some speakers bought separately?

Many thanks

Sam

[Chadwick]

Hi everyone. This is my first post here but I've been lurking for the past few weeks, designing my cabinet and making a shopping list.

I have just a few questions I hope you can help me with.

Do you recommend finishing the build (all woodwork, T-molding, marquee, everything except the Lexan being secured to the control panel) before moving onto the wiring and putting the computer in there?

What does the arbour do when using a slot cutting router bit?

Where can you buy Lexan in the UK? Does it cut well on a CAD/CAM Router?

Does anyone know if it's easy to take the faceplate off the comparative coin mech from Ultimarc and paint it?

Do most people use some disassembled PC speakers in their cab, or do they connect a small amplifier to some speakers bought separately?

Many thanks

Sam

1. Yes
2. The arbor is the post that you mount the cutter, bearing, washers, and nut on one end, and the other goes into the collet on your router.  It is a separate piece because slot cutters come in many different kerf sizes (kerf = width of cut).  Therefore, you can make use of many different kerf sizes with the same arbor.
3. I do not know.  I live in the US.  Without sounding rude, it gives me pause that you have access to a CNC router yet do not know what an arbor is?
4. Not sure.  Contact Andy through his website and I'm sure you'll get a response.
5. I use PC speakers.

Hope that helps.

[nazerine]

Where can you buy Lexan in the UK? Does it cut well on a CAD/CAM Router?

Low spindle speed and high feed rate. Most of the parts I cut out of plastics are from acrylic; lexan is softer and melts easier. Use a double fluted upcut spiral bit/endmill if you have one already. I've been using an Onsrud 63-606 1/8" O-Flute with great results lately.

[Chadwick]

Onsrud makes excellent bits.  I work for one of the biggest Onsrud distributors in the US.  The bit you are using is for aluminum.  You should try the plastics-specific bit.  The 63-710 is the hard plastics bit and the 63-760 is for soft plastics.  The specs of both bits are the same as the one you have. (1/8" CED x 1/4" CEL x 2" OAL x 1/4" SHK).

If you want the absolute best bit made for plastics, get yourself a Belin#13317.  Single-flute, upcut "O" 1/8" x 1/2" x 1/4" x 1-1/2".  We have a lot of customers who cut nothing but plastics and they swear by the Belin.

[sinkhead]

Thanks to everybody for their help, it's really appreciated.

I have access to a full workshop at college and have been using the CNC router in projects for a few years, but I've never used a router before, only seen other people use one.

Nazerine mentioned that Lexan is softer than acrylic. Would you recommend using clear acrylic instead of Lexan for the CP cover? Acrylic is easy for me to get hold of.

One more quick question, how do people get the cut edges of the plastic to be smooth? I've heard of people using fine sandpaper and then heating edge, but that this only works on certain types of plastic.

Thanks again.

[nazerine]

Onsrud makes excellent bits.  I work for one of the biggest Onsrud distributors in the US.  The bit you are using is for aluminum.  You should try the plastics-specific bit.  The 63-710 is the hard plastics bit and the 63-760 is for soft plastics.  The specs of both bits are the same as the one you have. (1/8" CED x 1/4" CEL x 2" OAL x 1/4" SHK).

Well fancy that! You are 100% correct. https://www.onsrud.com/oc/pdf/O_Flute_Plastics_Brochure.pdf

Going to have to try out the proper bit and see how my cuts turn out. Thanks for the tip 

Nazerine mentioned that Lexan is softer than acrylic. Would you recommend using clear acrylic instead of Lexan for the CP cover? Acrylic is easy for me to get hold of.

It's interesting the differences between the two plastics. Acrylic is very hard, but scratches very easily. It's more similar to glass than a plastic in some ways. Lexan is softer yet doesn't scratch as easily. I'm a complete newb to the cabinet scene, so I don't know what most people use, but I would lean more towards lexan than acrylic.

Smooth edges, what you are thinking of is called 'flame polishing'. If you have proper spindle and feed rates, you shouldn't need to sand the edges. You simply use a torch to lightly melt the edges glass smooth 

[Chadwick]

Onsrud has a plastics-specific website:

www.plasticrouting.com

Check it out.


Have you ever used a Belin?  They are a French company that is part of the LMT group (just like Onsrud).  They are not very well known in the U.S. and there are only a few distributors here.  Here is their website: http://www.belintools.com

I found one of the 13317's on our shelf.  I'd gladly send it to you as a "test tool" if you are in the continental US.  Send me a PM if you're interested.

[Franco B]

Hi sinkhead, welcome to the forum from another UK'r

Just to clarify a few things.

Lexan is a brand name for Polycarbonate. Polycarb is 'softer' than Acrylic but it also scratches much easier. I have cut both polycarb from 3mm up to 25mm with my router/router table and I can tell you that I don't really find Polycarb that much easier to cut than Acrylic. Acrylic is a breeze to cut if you are using the right tools. A 1/4" (6.35mm) router bit (either bearing guided or plain) will cut though Acrylic like butter.

Acrylic (and Polycarb) is is also very easy to polish to a high gloss shine. You can see some of my polished bits (oo-er! ) in [this] thread.

I would definitely recommend using Acrylic for your application. I get most of my plastics from http://www.plasticonline.co.uk

If you are after some cheap router bits in the UK let me know and I can point you in the right direction.

[sinkhead]

Hi sinkhead, welcome to the forum from another UK'r

Just to clarify a few things.

Lexan is a brand name for Polycarbonate. Polycarb is 'softer' than Acrylic but it also scratches much easier. I have cut both polycarb from 3mm up to 25mm with my router/router table and I can tell you that I don't really find Polycarb that much easier to cut than Acrylic. Acrylic is a breeze to cut if you are using the right tools. A 1/4" (6.35mm) router bit (either bearing guided or plain) will cut though Acrylic like butter.

Acrylic (and Polycarb) is is also very easy to polish to a high gloss shine. You can see some of my polished bits (oo-er! ) in [this] thread.

I would definitely recommend using Acrylic for your application. I get most of my plastics from http://www.plasticonline.co.uk

If you are after some cheap router bits in the UK let me know and I can point you in the right direction.

Thanks a lot! By the way, your cocktail cab is amazing, I can only hope mine will come out half as good as yours (and yours isn't even finished yet )!

Regarding the router bits, do you know where I could find a 1/16" slot cutter for the T-molding?

Many thanks.

[Franco B]

Ha, thanks! I wouldn't be surprised if you finish yours 1st though

Slotting cutters are generally quite expensive especially over here. If you are buying t-moulding I would suggest getting a slot cutter and arbour from t-moulding.com at the same time as your moulding. They are on [this] page. The 1/16" bits are out of stock at the moment but they normally get bits back into stock fairly fast.

Just be warned that not all t-moulding uses a 1/16" bit. Check the t-moulding description and it will tell you which bit you need.

[sinkhead]

What do you think of these?

[Franco B]

I dont think your link was quite right, I think you meant [this] page.

I presume you are looking at item #5341? (1/6" t-slot cutter and arbour?)

Yeah that seems to be a good price I cant see a brand but they should be ok, I'm not sure what shipping would be over here though.

Have you bought yout t-moulding already? If not you could get it all from t-moulding.com, it may be cheaper than paying two lots of shipping, then again it may not. You'll just have to price both up.

[sinkhead]

Yep, that's the one.

From the link above the total is $33.64 including shipping. T-molding.com charges $27.90 not including shipping, but for what it's worth it's probably just more convenient to order the cutter at the same time as the T-molding.

Thanks a lot to everyone who helped, I think I'm finished with questions for the time being. I look forward to starting the build once my exams are over!