waterblock milling

[The Overclocker]

i want to mill a waterblock but i do not want to spend $2500 on a milling machine, i was wondering if a normal (500Watt) drill on a router press thinie would work, does it have enough power?

 

[Tecumseh]

I know they are available, but you are not going to
buy very much of a milling machine for $2500. People
have used drill presses to make WBs, but I'd like to
suggest a third option.

Find out what file formats your local machine shops
use. Then CAD up your design, convince your buds
that it is a good one and have about 5 made. You
save a lot of money by ordering 5-10 units or more.

 

[robertm]

Drilling will work and alot of poeple have done this. It takes time to do it correctly. What you have to do it overlap you drill holes. The best way to do this is to drill small pilot holes for each hole then drill them to the finshed size. Then use a mill bit in the drill to open the channel up. This is hard in the Drill as the bearings have to take alot of pressure. I would not try this with an small drillpress or a hand drill.

For many ways drilling a water block works out very well as the ruff sides help to make turbulance.

Also you can check around for places that train machinest. Often they rent out time on there machines. You might even get a machinest in training to cut it for you. We have a place local that does training and rents the machines. If your unsure this might be a good way to go.

 

[Hoot]

My Craftsman drill press has different speed settings. I have had limited, but acceptable success using it at the maximum (3000 RPM) speed with milling bits. I purchased an crude X-Y table at of all places Menards and use it a lot. It does not have calibrated X or Y travel readout on the knobs, but you get what you pay for. That means I spend a lot of time stopping the process and checking with a caliper. Like I said, it's crude. At 3000 RPM, I have had good results with 6061 Aluminum, but copper takes a deft touch, developed after "pooching" several projects. I consider myself a "Hack" machinist at best, but have still managed to get acceptable results using this approach. It is very time consuming, to say the least. Luckily, what was once a liability (rough surface results) is now an attribute (more turbulence).

Hoot

 

[Silver]

Come on Hoot....That was a design spec.

 

[The Overclocker]

thanks all - i will either use my drill or use a milling machine im my school! - i am very surprised that i missed that idea.