Crossfire XR router table

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Crossfire XR into router table

Hello I would like some help engraving on crossfire XR I cut aluminum skateboard and would like to be able to add small spindle to put names on the work spindle motor easy to mount need help with what software and how to tell machine what to do basically turn my cutter in to a router table? Thanks for any help

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Welcome to the forumā€¦

Regarding your questionā€¦
Hmmm. That seems like more than the challenge of adding a small router. For starters how are you gonna get a flat surface across the workpiece to set a constant Z height? Andā€¦if you do, how are you gonna repeat that upon the continually used slats? Might an engraving CNC be better and cheaper?

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you would want to check and see if the bed of the XR is flat enough to serve your purpose.
The rest would be the same as any 2 d cutting I would think

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I was thinking about laying it on a 1/4ā€ flat sheet to hold down and keep flat. If I had more room and money I would like to have a router table but canā€™t afford it at this time. The XR works like a router table just with plasma has great accuracy.

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one thing you have to remember there is no force on a plasma torch as its not touching anything. When you install a router there will side forces on the bit. Not much if your just engraving but there will be some

Normally the spoilboard on a router table gets surfaced so that also helps make it flat. I would think you will need to try some ideas and with trial and error you will find out how well it will work.

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Thank you the aluminum is flat I was thinking about engraving first then cutting?i will play with it going to try sheet cam

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I donā€™t have an XP I have a pro, but the Z axis on the pro doesnā€™t look to be stiff enough to handle the weight and radial forces a router induces. Both of those will affect the accuracy a lot. Weight causes acceleration/deceleration issues due to momentum FWIW. Radial forces will affect to whole gantry mechanism accuracy.

And what knick saidā€¦

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This is true but I am thinking for engraving the cut might be very small and speed might be slow enough to not make much difference.
Now cutting would be a whole different deal, I hope he reports back on his findings!

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This might be a good point, engraving load is low and even a Dremel type tool will work well and this could fit in a CF torch mount. The problem will be that good quality V Carves will require a VERY tight Z control. In other words, work needs to be FLAT with respect to the Z travel.

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At what point do you start moving back into easy scriber territory.
if weā€™re just talking about simple light engraving?

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Z height could be the biggest problem. If you only cutting .015 deep I guarantee that table is no where near that flat stock. Now if you fly cut a piece of aluminum or maybe OBS then maybe you could get it close I guess. Now your trying to cut and there is the issue of the free travel in the Z axis.

It would be a challenge for sure!

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Forgot about that! good point

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I tried today but had to rework z axis so I didnā€™t get to try it. I am having problems holding it in place I donā€™t have to hold plasma work down . Thinking about drilling aluminum and attache to side?

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This spindle I planned to use

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WAYYYYY too heavy for CF gantry! Weight: 4.6kg/10.14lbs

And way more than you need if all youā€™re doing is truly engraving. The CF gantry ā€˜couldā€™ handle a Dremel type spindle, it will not handle this spindle.

You should be thinking along these lines:

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Much better all I need thank you

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I was just looking at the 220 volt did not think about the weight. Thank you I just order the small one. I think I have a power supply will check in shop for it tomorrow. Thanks again should be a lot simpler to make mount may be just two hose clampsā€¦?

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Youā€™ll need 24V DC with about 4A or higher output power supply. You will also need something like this to control the speed:

Iā€™m not going to comment on how you mount this on a CF as Iā€™m not convinced itā€™s a good ideaā€¦

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I just saw this I must have missed it! This looks to easy I am going to get one will be so much easier. Thank you

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iā€™m a cheap bastard so iā€™m going to attempt making my own easy scribe, its just a spring loaded point not much different than a spring loaded tap guideā€¦ although Iā€™m not sure if a Saturday standing in front of the lathe and mill is a fair trade for $89 + tax

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