I have access to a CNC machine and want to attach a knife bit so that I can cut out base designs instead of die-cutting them. It doesn;t seem it woudl be that hard to find, but the only drag knife bits i can find are for vinyl (.75mm).
Anyone have any experience / advice?
CNC, Drag Knife?
Moderators: Head Monkey, kelvin, bigKam, skidesmond, chrismp
I bought a rockcliff machine drag knife for my cnc. I snapped all of the knives on my first try. I have been searching for a heavy weight knife as well with no luck. I did buy an exacto swivel knife I am going to experiment with and see if I can make a homemade knife. Right now I use a 1/8" bit to cut out my design and then I cut the same design from another color. I just place the bit on the opposite side of the line. Its not perfect but works well.
I use a kongsburg i-cut http://www.mge-us.com/kongsbergsystems.php to cut my bases and use a drag knife in it and it does an excellent job. http://icuttools.com/order/index.php?cPath=1478_1482 These knives both double and single edge have worked great for me. They just need to be super sharp or right out of the package. LOL I know not its one hell of a machine, its not mine its at where I work and have access to it whenever I need it.
Lucky! That's one awesome machine. I think Lib use something similar, i saw it on of their videos.nrgboards wrote:I use a kongsburg i-cut http://www.mge-us.com/kongsbergsystems.php to cut my bases and use a drag knife in it and it does an excellent job. http://icuttools.com/order/index.php?cPath=1478_1482 These knives both double and single edge have worked great for me. They just need to be super sharp or right out of the package. LOL I know not its one hell of a machine, its not mine its at where I work and have access to it whenever I need it.
I'm stunned no-one makes a simple drag knife for a CNC. I can't see how that wouldn't work.
Here is an idea I came up with but haven't had the time to try yet. Watch this video:
In it you will notice they use an Eastman cutting machine for their base cutouts .
Go to this site: http://www.eastmancuts.com/PartsService.aspx.
Eastman doesnt seem to sell just the drag knife but the website above takes you to the replacement parts section. Couldnt we just buy a replacement drag knife?? I need to call and find out the details of the knife, maybe tomorrow I will call.
The swivel xacto knife should work. Its pretty much the same as the rockcliff dragknife I bought. It is just a little less beefy but 1/10th the price!
In it you will notice they use an Eastman cutting machine for their base cutouts .
Go to this site: http://www.eastmancuts.com/PartsService.aspx.
Eastman doesnt seem to sell just the drag knife but the website above takes you to the replacement parts section. Couldnt we just buy a replacement drag knife?? I need to call and find out the details of the knife, maybe tomorrow I will call.
The swivel xacto knife should work. Its pretty much the same as the rockcliff dragknife I bought. It is just a little less beefy but 1/10th the price!
This post reminded me of a site I found a while back...
So for holders I found on this site http://www.cuttingedgecnc.com/vinyl.htm it listed Roland blade cutters as one you could buy and I found it for 50 here http://www.rolanddga.com/products/cutte ... #subNavTop
The first site talks about building them also
ETA : http://www.specialty-graphics.com/sgs_r ... older.html 30 bucks here.. might want to call and see that it's what you want
So for holders I found on this site http://www.cuttingedgecnc.com/vinyl.htm it listed Roland blade cutters as one you could buy and I found it for 50 here http://www.rolanddga.com/products/cutte ... #subNavTop
The first site talks about building them also
ETA : http://www.specialty-graphics.com/sgs_r ... older.html 30 bucks here.. might want to call and see that it's what you want
Thanks for lookng, but i really don;t think this going to cut it (in any sense). I'm pretty sure these cutters are for vinyl only and won;t even be clsoe to cutting base material.Skammy wrote:This post reminded me of a site I found a while back...
So for holders I found on this site http://www.cuttingedgecnc.com/vinyl.htm it listed Roland blade cutters as one you could buy and I found it for 50 here http://www.rolanddga.com/products/cutte ... #subNavTop
The first site talks about building them also
ETA : http://www.specialty-graphics.com/sgs_r ... older.html 30 bucks here.. might want to call and see that it's what you want
Pity, because they are cheap.
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MontuckyMadman
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- Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 9:41 pm
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MontuckyMadman
- Posts: 2395
- Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 9:41 pm
by rotating bit I am confused.
There is an air powered tool asemmbly and a tranducer that controls the timing and psi of the tool head.
You can get an HD drag knife assembly from a couple different aftermarket suppliers if that is what you need. Shit from eastman is stoopid expensive. however the round blades for fabric are worth it.
There is an air powered tool asemmbly and a tranducer that controls the timing and psi of the tool head.
You can get an HD drag knife assembly from a couple different aftermarket suppliers if that is what you need. Shit from eastman is stoopid expensive. however the round blades for fabric are worth it.
My understanding of a drag knife is a blade that is attached to a swivel that will fit in my CNC as a bit. As the CNC follows its design, the knife is dragged and cuts. Its a pretty simple set up.
Montucky, sounds like the drag knife you are talking about is a pneumatic attachment in lieu of a router that is controlled by the CAM software?
Montucky, sounds like the drag knife you are talking about is a pneumatic attachment in lieu of a router that is controlled by the CAM software?
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MontuckyMadman
- Posts: 2395
- Joined: Fri Jun 20, 2008 9:41 pm
Yeah you got it. Its just a matter of matching the spindle on your setup to match the holder, for lack of a better term, of the drag knife.
Eastman will sell that and a few other places.
Its super simple, prolly something you could fabricate.
It's juts a collet/female shaped holder that fits over the spindle. Stainless I think.
Has a couple set screws and a flange stop and a inset tooth that hold it in place.
The pressure it can run is really high. I cut the base at 20psi on the drag.
There is deflection, ever it be very very slight. The real tool head K2 and companies use is HD, heavy duty, and it reduces the deflection to almost 0. We have a standard head but it works extremely well.
Cosurfer if you want more specs on this thing shoot me a PM and I will see what I can dig up from work and or eastman. Beverly at eastman is pretty helpful, I think she is sales.
There are lots of aftermarket companies that sell accessories for the m-9000 but finding that drag holder cheap may be difficult.
Eastman will sell that and a few other places.
Its super simple, prolly something you could fabricate.
It's juts a collet/female shaped holder that fits over the spindle. Stainless I think.
Has a couple set screws and a flange stop and a inset tooth that hold it in place.
The pressure it can run is really high. I cut the base at 20psi on the drag.
There is deflection, ever it be very very slight. The real tool head K2 and companies use is HD, heavy duty, and it reduces the deflection to almost 0. We have a standard head but it works extremely well.
Cosurfer if you want more specs on this thing shoot me a PM and I will see what I can dig up from work and or eastman. Beverly at eastman is pretty helpful, I think she is sales.
There are lots of aftermarket companies that sell accessories for the m-9000 but finding that drag holder cheap may be difficult.