there is a tiny bit of splashing but i have my dust but to just a bit above the ‘fence’ holding the coolant, so it contains most of it. If i cut close to the edges i may get a little overspray but not significant, easy to wipe up.
yeah they’re pricey, and i shop around. i think the cheapest multi thread mill i found recently were around $130 cdn for 10-24s. I can find micro thread mills for $40 and i’ve been trying them out, they have just 3 teeth on them, but you can use them as single tooth ones in a snap. The single thread mills are expensive too so haven’t ordered any yet but will, because with those i can make custom threads.
But in that picture i had 200 holes to drill & tap so they’re worth it. On aluminum have to be careful but you just run it slower and you do multiple passes, so you enlarge that thread several times.
In that picture cutting all those letters + drilling & tapping took about 6 hours, and that was 1/4” aluminum. I was running it pretty slow to avoid problems, but i left it to work on its own while doing other projects so didn’t want any issues.
Now I see. Would it gall in aluminum/ how slow should/can I go with one of those in a spindle?
You forgot the oil puddle underneath , how do I know that? Had three now down to two 
That looks great. I have a lot of questions here.
How do you hold your work?
What is the coolant?
What kind of tub is it? Did you glue it to the spoilboard?
Is there a video or where can I learn about this method?
I use the single form for threading aluminum. I like the flexibility they allow for different thread sizes/pitches but also feel they match the type of machining I often do - higher speed with lighter cuts (I recently purchased a second one for larger threads). This type of threading also lets you modify the parameters to match your needs, so it is very easy to get loose or tight fits for your fasteners. NYCCNC has a great Excel tool that helps calculate the correct settings in Fusion, which is the CAD/CAM I use. Here is a video that explains the calculations, and a link to the Excell doc …https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ou5j1R4nNf4 … https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggo24jmlpWA
I have an older video from a few years ago that shows my first thread milling. I start using machinable wax to test the CAM, then move to aluminum…https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zt8RzZAr_VA&t=175s
Even today after many many threaded holes behind me, I still hold my breath when that tiny and expensive thread mill enters the hole with just a fraction of a millimeter clearance.
the aluminum is held down on all sides, you can kind of see it in the picture. i also turn the table vac on while it’s running (built my own, another thread).
for coolant i use this stuff, you water it down
there is no tub, i tape 1/2” acrylic scrap pieces (i laser our leftovers often) with tesa to the edges (you can see in pic) then silicone every edge before running to seal it, then fill to almost full with coolant. bottom has many layers of premask + a final layer of packing tape to seal it.
final cutout is gauged to be right in the middle of that masks, so nothing leaks.
I’ll be doing a video about it soon since i’m training a new guy, i’ll make a note to send you the details soon as i write them up.
Do they make cheap ones for folks to start out with?
The only inexpensive thread mills of this type I have seen are from the typical overseas online marketplaces, but the quality is unknown, shipping times often lengthy, and final cost to the door questionable given the current global economic climate.
I would love to see this too. Something I was always interested in, but too afraid to try.
once you try it you’ll laugh, i’ll tag you in as well and make a separate post once i do. i’ll shoot you and other dude info earlier soon as i can.
I built a custom bookcase to match my house’s vintage woodwork. It’s composed of five joined units, 94” wide by 86” tall overall, and inspired by the New Yankee Workshop library system project (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MA4O6RqRTfk). Made of hardwood and plywood sapele, mostly with dowels and finished with Rubio. This was my first significant CAD/CAM-based piece so there was a lot of learning. I used the 1F extensively as part of the project:
- Curved and straight header moldings
- Curved and straight base cap moldings
- Custom stiles
- Curved baseboards and headers, made by layering & doweling curved sections of plywood
- Veneer for the curved baseboards, made by carving down some of the plywood to a single layer with a surfacing bit
- Dadoes for fixed top and bottom shelves
- Curved shelves
- Shelf pin holes
- Various doweling jigs and direct drilled dowels. Got to use the vertical spoilboard clamp.
- Various clamping jigs for glue-ups and trimming
- Matchfit-style cross-cut and slab sleds for the table saw
I started on a Woodworker, but upgraded to a Journeyman along the way. To save money, of course.
I also use a 3D printer to fabricate some non-marring profile clamps (TPU over PLA), covers for the electrical access holes, leveling pins for the curved shelves and wire organizers.
Here are some more pictures of the process: https://photos.app.goo.gl/QMReh5goa6PhaoKj8
That is next level curved molding. Well done.
Some amazing work on here recently…
Thanks for sharing in such detail! This is not just inspiring but refreshing to see that our CNC’s can be useful shop tools for work scope beyond signs and the like.
Examples like this challenges me to believe I need to step up my wood shop game!
Haha, fair enough 
The wait can be tough! Hopefully more people share their projects soon it’s always great to see what others are creating for inspiration. Looking forward to seeing some awesome work here!
Sharing a couple items I recently made as my first post here, although I’ve had my journeyman for a few years now. Both items were cut from local (Trinidad & Tobago 
) cedar.
Cross with v–carve image of Jesus’ face - coloured with semi-transparent stains and top-coated with polycrylic.
Collage picture frame with my running group’s logo - frame is cedar with recesses cut on the back for the glass plates and beveled on the front edges (double sided machining required), “10K” text is cedar painted white and “Tuesday” was cut from ACM (tried cedar initially but it was too brittle).
Very nice. Specially made from local lumber 
I’ve been thinking about doing something along this line. How did you set up the laser focus for the trails? Did you have it fixed above the highest point or have it move with the carve elevation?