Learning to make non- symmetrical objects on rotary 4th axis

I would like to use my 4th axis rotary on my avid pro but have not found good information regarding the use of aspire or fusion 360. Any suggestions would be appreciated. In particular, I want to make gun stocks and other non round objects .

I use Fusion 360 for this all the time. You just need to modify your post processor to allow for it. The documentation is pretty good. I think I just searched for “add 4th axis fusion 360 post” when I was figuring it out.

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Thanks for the info. I’m just learning to use Fusion 360 and haven’t seen many tutorials using the 4th axis rotary features in fusion 360. I will do another search to see what I can find. I believe the options is an extra charge add on now.

For true 4 axis motion in F360 you will have to use 5 axis milling and inhibit one axis. When you do that things get really fun!

…and expensive :frowning:

Its pretty easy in Vcarve or Aspire, however, it is only 3 axis machining. You are diabling the Y or X axis and wrapping it around the 4th axis. This means that there are some shapes you can’t do completely (but you can combine rotary and flat toolpaths to get that done) because you can’t move the spindle off the axis of the rotary.

If you are doing rotary stuff infrequently, or you are basically making round objects that only need 3 axis work, I would use Vectric. If you are going to do it a lot or really need full 4 axis work (most gun stocks would fall into that category if you want to machine out the whole model), then it may be worth learning (and paying - 4 axis is not free in F360) to do it in F360 because it is more capable and is true 4 axis machining.

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If you use fusion and not the simultaneous setup, you can create setups for each side and anything in between. Change tool orientation and do traditional movements in all the axis. When it goes to the next part, it will rotate to the next side and continue. It’s not like wrapped where you will not get the shapes you created out of it. It’s laborious this way but gets rid the need for paying to do continuous.

I haven’t found a method of using continuous with meshes that cannot convert because of triangle count. So, you need surfaces to be recognized if using those strategies. The multi axis strategies

Here is an example to look at in fusion. In the manufacture tab you can see all the setups and routines I used throughout each piece. Simulate it and look through them.
It should explain some things and ways of doing what you ultimately want to do. There are pockets and surfaces mixed with organic shapes.

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I make spearguns on my 4th axis using fusion. I’ve done them both with the rotary tool paths as well as indexing each side. I’ve found that machine time is reduced using the rotary tool paths but i’m just doing it as a hobby so if it’s take a few minutes longer it doesn’t matter and saves me lots of money not paying for the rotary package. Once you get used to setting your tool orientation indexing each side is very easy and you have lots of tool paths to choose from.






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Couple pics after finishing passes.



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Is that mahogany, teak, Bubinga, beautiful-looking oily wood! nice work!

Thanks for the example files. Was not able to view them though. Not sure why they didn’t show. I’ve used this method before with other projects

Hmm… I’ve never viewed that one on the web version. They’re intense. Lots of things happening and huge amounts of triangles.

Did you try to download the fusion file once the site came up? It should allow that in the upper right side. I think it will say fusion archive. It comes down as an f3d.

It is just indexing but it’s nice to see working examples to go off of. It took me forever to sift through information and find what I needed and then test and repeat. There is more info now that when I first started, for sure.

It’s Padauk. Machines nicely as long as you’re careful around any sharp edges for chipping.

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Thanks for the opportunity to view your very complex manufacture file. It will take me quite a while to view and understand all those steps. Much more complicated than I’ve dreamed doing.