Reed Pan Router?

[alex_holden]

David, I'm using grbl to drive the stepper motors, which runs on a cheap Arduino Uno clone, and sending gcode to it with a program called Handwheel I wrote myself that runs on Mac or Linux. I've yet to release Handwheel publicly, mainly because I haven't yet got around to writing any documentation for it. I'm doing CAM using a Windows program called CamBam running on a virtual machine on the Mac.

[David Hornett]

Thank you Alex, you are certainly more innovative than I, but now I have the hang of my homespun devices I'll save the anguish of an industrial revolution sort trying to catch up with the electronic revolution, I was born 150 years after my time i suspect. But I can tell you, when it comes to hand cutting out the air holes on the pan by hand, not the reed shoe slots, each time I get around to doing it I swear I'll learn about computers!

 

I had the privilege of speaking to Chris Ghent and looking at some of his work a month ago, and the finish and accuracy, not to mention the sound, is extraordinary compared to my slaving for hours over a scroll saw for the face plates, and accurately crafting the reed plate, but then, I started as a hobby and if i am not careful I could see myself getting a CNC machine and suddenly going into some sort of production: then I really will need a hobby.

 

Thank you so much for your interest.

 

 

David

[alex_holden]

I totally understand, your routing machine sounds like an impressive piece of kit.

[David Hornett]

Send me your email address and i shall send some pics, I have run out of space here. Not at all hard to make.

 

David

[David Hornett]

Don,

 

Thank you for your info. re. Photobucket, unfortunately, despite some effort, I have only succeeded in posting one photo. Anyway, on the below is the setup. Note the brass rod to position the pan, this rod is precisely at right angles to the rails, as is the cutter: the cutter cuts parallel to the rod.

 

Once the pan is in position all that has to be done is to push the pan straight under the cutter -- the rails with their lineal bearings are preloaded so remain in position when the piece is set up. Once the cut is complete the table is turned.

 

I mark the position of the shoe by using a shoe template and pressing an impression of it into the pan with an arbour press, I have also, on occasions, marked the shoes out with a fine tipped highlighter if my eyes fail in the workshop light, but find the arbour press method the best as it also precisely gives the outline of the reed slot.

 

Hope this helps those who have not mastered a CNC router, although the latter is by far the best method, fast, accurate and reproducible.

 

(The items below the rails have nothing to do with is jig, they form a part of another milling jig.)

 

David

[OLDNICKILBY]

Well Done ! but might it might have been easier to use a Pillar Drill with a compound table. Dremels are not really man enough for milling so you will wreck the bearings quickly. Yes I realise that you are in Hobart but good second -hand ones would not cost the Earth and it would be very rigid. But "Good Luck " and well done. I t reminds me of my first efforts in the early '60 s

[David Hornett]

Don't forget the 'milling' is a 2mm deep swathe of Huon pine (approx. density of maple) which it purrs through at about 3000 RPM. The jig does not at all shake, rattle and vibrate like a Dremel drill jig, very stable. The joy of the Dremel is it is very light, transportable and can be slotted into each of my other jigs: table router, side mill (to cut the angle on the reeds) centering mill, for drilling the buttons, and micro drilling jig. The Dremel is a very handy little tool, it will be interesting to see how long the bearings last.

 

The one advantage of a pillar jig would have been a wider throat, from the tool back to the pillar allowing for bigger reed pans if i ever thought to make a baritone. But when I get this concertina business out of my system it is a B griff accordion with slot in concertina reeds and the throat is more than wide enough for that..

 

Have a great day

 

David