Gary, If you do CNC machine some foam, please do start a thread. I'd like to see what step-over you use and the results. Best, Kelly
Damn! Looking good! Hope we get to hear this chainsaw run soon! Is this like some competition saw or you restoring some family heirloom?
Thank you. Just a fun project. No real reason other than to see what can be accomplished with a little thought and effort. Oh, and adding 20cc of displacement while I'm at it.
So I am experimenting cutting a pump impeller design into a block of foamular foam. Cuts quite nice and my CNC is fully enclosed so the mess is easily dealt with. The impeller is about 4" OD with a center shaft about 6" long and it needs to be hollow down the center of the 1-1/4" diameter shaft. Cast it hollow or bore it afterwards? It needs some lathe work whether the hole is there first or not. I was wondering if I could pay Kelly to try casting this part in aluminum. It is a prototype and if it doesn't turn out no harm no foul. It is really easy to machine a new foam part with CNC. My grandson wants to try metal casting and we will probably build a furnace in the future but right now one somewhat usable part would prove the concept I am trying to develope.
I'd need to see the part but I'd say more than likely, hollow and leave yourself .060"-.100" a side for machining. Do you have a bit for your cnc with 6" of reach or 3" from each side? Maybe. Do you have solid model rendering and an approximate volume or better yet weight of the part? How fast does it spin? Start a new thread, pump impeller. Best, Kelly