Need help to cut plastic

Snapmaker 2.0 Getting Started
1

Hi guys,
I need to cut a circle of about 20mm diameter on a plastic container.
The plastic thickness should be about 1.5mm and before buying my great Snapmaker Original I’d use my Dremel to to it.

Can you please help me to use my Snapmaker to to this job?
I’m thinking to use Fusion 360 to just design the circle but how and what CAM/Manufacture and bit should I use?
I think it would be better to use multiple passes (0.2mm each?)

Is there any simple way to do it with Snapmakerjs sw? Have you ever do a similar job with the Snapmaker Original?

Thanks!

2

Hi Bullone,
For the bit, you can use the flat end mill. Please see the picture.flat end mill
In snapmakerjs, there is a target depth and step down. If the plastic is 1.5mm, the step down is 0.5mm, the CNC module will run 3 times.

3

Thanks for response!
What could be a simpler method or SW to draw the shape (rectangle, circle ellipse… ) of the hole I need to cut?

4

Making it with a holesaw and a normal drilling machine may would easier.
like this:
https://www.maxwellsdiy.com/hand-power-tools-c9/powertool-accessories-c13/black-decker-x81005-holesaw-drill-bit-7-piece-set-25-62mm-p7472

5

Thanks Tracy,
I’ve made the job with the bit you suggest me (comes with my Snapmaker!) and with 0.5mm step down…
I’ve cut a good hole in a 1.5mm plastic box but my bit comes out of the job with lot of melded platic (see picture).

Is there a better bit to cut plastic or that’s the way we have to go?

I’ve also tried with a Dremel cut bit and it worked fine too but I think it is too long and don’t know if we can use such bit with our Snapmeker or it may cause damege or …

IMG_20200426_180254 (Large)
IMG_20200426_180254 (Large)1369×1080 116 KB

6

You should probably reduce both your rotation and travel speeds. If the plastic gets too hot from friction of the high turning speed it will melt like in your case.

7

Thanks for response!
I’ve got the Original model… Is it possible to change the speed rotation? I was supposed it is fixed on the Original

O used Fusion 360 to create the cnc file and I just used the config file and bits downloaded from the Snapmaker websites .

8

As far as I know you can’t change it on snapmaker original.

9

No you can’t change it, but you can buy a better bit extra for plastic and acrylic stuff.

10

Can you point me this better bit please?

11

Like this with one blade.

12

Thank you! That’s looks really good

13

I am in process of hole cutting in plastic too. I have experience with manual milling so not completely beginner in field.
For plastic you should use single flute or at least two flute. Not tested yet but visually single flute end mill which come with my A250 looks like perfect one for your task.

Next thing about software. I looked around little bit and was not found any free and simple app for cnc. So I learned how to write simple g-code in hour or less and wrote some by myself. Everything go fine except I found bug - snapmaker can not mill circles under 1mm. I reported it in firmware section.
I am planning to use multiple pass(0.2-0.5mm) in my holes project, byt you never know it without testing.

14

Try to use fast head movement too. And small step down.

15

Hi Bullone, please try this one which is recommended by @Bilzer image

1 Like
16

Thanks Tracy, where can I buy then in Europe (Italy)?

17

You can test Estlcam or HeeksCNC to generate a simple G-Code.

18

I started with https://www.intuwiz.com/circle.html and found that I better like writing by myself in vim text editor.

Thanks for links, I will try to install Heeks on Debian.

19

You can search it on Amazon.it
Thank you