Home made key code cutter

[ckc123]

a deep plunge cut with a CU29

After reading my own replay again, while technically correct, it's not "useful" when cutting a key.

The a CU29, I can create any angle on the shoulder side, and anything from 90 to what ever angle the cutter is..

With the motors I have, each full rotation of the motor is 0.059" and there are 200 steps per rotation.. so that's 0.000295 per step!!. and I can both X and Y so I can cut any angle I want on the shoulder side (by mixing steps in x/y).

The CU29 blade offers more flexibility, but the coding is more complex. I just wanted to keep it simple for the first version..

I Was thinking of making a simple "milled" cutter next which also have a milling head which you can rotate in x/y/z as well (just like a full CNC machine!).. with that I can cut even the most complex (medeco etc) keys..

[Nitrous]

a deep plunge cut with a CU29

After reading my own replay again, while technically correct, it's not "useful" when cutting a key.

The a CU29, I can create any angle on the shoulder side, and anything from 90 to what ever angle the cutter is..

With the motors I have, each full rotation of the motor is 0.059" and there are 200 steps per rotation.. so that's 0.000295 per step!!. and I can both X and Y so I can cut any angle I want on the shoulder side (by mixing steps in x/y).

The CU29 blade offers more flexibility, but the coding is more complex. I just wanted to keep it simple for the first version..

I Was thinking of making a simple "milled" cutter next which also have a milling head which you can rotate in x/y/z as well (just like a full CNC machine!).. with that I can cut even the most complex (medeco etc) keys..

Thanks for taking the time to clarify your thinking but I'm still a bit confused about how MACS impacts on a plunge cut in the first position? If you're "technically correct" in what you said, it would help me understand what you mean, exactly.

I can't think of any way you can angle a symmetrical biaxial cutter (except as a plunge cut) that gives you an appropriately shaped first position cut without encroaching on the shoulder.

No doubt you can program the system to cut 45 deg intercut angles with an asymmetric cutter but the cutter will remain at right angles to the key at all times.

I'm making the assumption that we're not talking at crossed purposes regarding small cylinder keys.

Thanks
Nitrous

[ckc123]

I can't think of any way you can angle a symmetrical biaxial cutter (except as a plunge cut) that gives you an appropriately shaped first position cut without encroaching on the shoulder.

There are several things that are getting mixed up here..

I'm not talking about angling the blade while it's cutting to get an different angle cut on the key.. I'm talking about moving the key blank (at 90 degrees to the cutter) in an x/y pattern to get the resultant angle cut..

Eg. 1 step forward, 1 step left, 1 step forward, 1 step left = 45 degrees.
2 steps forward, 1 step left, 2 steps forward, 1 step left = 60 degrees.

if each step of the stage is 0.000295, then you are in essence creating a "microscopic" staircase, then acts like a flat angled surface for the tolerances of a key/lock mechanism.

with a symmetric cutter this won't work for any angle less then 45 (from center) (assume a 90 degree cutter).. BUT.. if you have an symmetric, you can get any angle from 0 to 90 on the one side of the cutter (but limited to 45-90 on the other side depending on which direction you make the cut)

but regardless.. the angles needed for the cuts for keys are all pretty much standard for what keys I'm cutting, so a symmetric cutter is fine for now..

[Nitrous]

I can't think of any way you can angle a symmetrical biaxial cutter (except as a plunge cut) that gives you an appropriately shaped first position cut without encroaching on the shoulder.

There are several things that are getting mixed up here..

I'm not talking about angling the blade while it's cutting to get an different angle cut on the key.. I'm talking about moving the key blank (at 90 degrees to the cutter) in an x/y pattern to get the resultant angle cut..

Eg. 1 step forward, 1 step left, 1 step forward, 1 step left = 45 degrees.
2 steps forward, 1 step left, 2 steps forward, 1 step left = 60 degrees.

if each step of the stage is 0.000295, then you are in essence creating a "microscopic" staircase, then acts like a flat angled surface for the tolerances of a key/lock mechanism.

with a symmetric cutter this won't work for any angle less then 45 (from center) (assume a 90 degree cutter).. BUT.. if you have an symmetric, you can get any angle from 0 to 90 on the one side of the cutter (but limited to 45-90 on the other side depending on which direction you make the cut)

but regardless.. the angles needed for the cuts for keys are all pretty much standard for what keys I'm cutting, so a symmetric cutter is fine for now..

I'm not at all sure how this relates to MACS (as you mentioned in a previous post) and small cylinder key cutting.

At this point, I'm satisfied that you can't cut a small cylinder key with your system using a symmetrical biaxial cutter. That said, you can't do it with a Blitz or any other code cutter that I've seen in the context of small cylinder key cutting so this is not a criticism of your key cutter.

Nitrous

[ckc123]

With a Symmetrical cutter, no.

BUT.. I have used a Symmetrical blade for simplicity only.. it can be changed to an asymmetrical cutter, and you can change the method of cutting (from a plunge cut to a traveling cut)..

I initially started to code it with a traveling cut, but never finished/tested the code since the plunge cuts with the symmetrical cutter met 99% of the keys I wanted to cut with this..

[zeke79]

Just out of curiosity, what is the hole size on your cutting wheel? I think I still have an old used cutting wheel I replaced on my ITL950 laying around if you want to work on the code for traveling cuts. It isnt sharp but it isnt extremely dull either but it would work for testing the code. Instead of a \_/ cutter it is |/ so you wouldn't seen to worry about deep first cuts on small cylinder keys.

[ckc123]

Just out of curiosity, what is the hole size on your cutting wheel? I think I still have an old used cutting wheel I replaced on my ITL950 laying around if you want.

The hole is 3/8 which I beleive is standard for the 2 1/2 cutters.

It would be great if you had one laying around.!!!

[zeke79]

I'll take a look tonight and if I find it measure the hole diameter. I'm pretty sure it should be .5" but you never know with ITL. If I come across it, it's yours for the cost of shipping.

[zeke79]

I located the cutter. It is a .375" hole so if your cutters are .5" this wont work .

[zeke79]

I located the cutter. It is a .375" hole so if your cutters are .5" this wont work .

Durrrr. No idea why I was thinking you said your cutter was 1/2" arbor. If yours are 3/8" then the cutter I have will work for you. Just drop me a PM if you want it.