Safety

TL;DR

• PPE: Eye Protection is mandatory.
  • Hearing Protection is a good idea
• Never leave the Mill unattended,
  • Not only is it fully capable of breaking itself and all the things around it, itll rub materials together until they start a fire and not even know it.
• Secure Everying
  • We’re dealing with very high forces here. Feeling solid in your hand, and actually being held tight are two different things. A mill can toss a piece of metal across the room with no warning.
• Keep Hands, Hair, Clothing, Jewelry Outside the Moving Vehicle
  • A mill can suck you hand in and chew it up without breaking stride. Respect the spinning blades

Pre flight Check

• Inspect the machine:
  • Check for loose fasteners, damaged cables, worn belts, and coolant leaks.
  • Verify axis travel is unobstructed; remove wrenches, gauges, or setup blocks.
• Workholding:
  • Use a proper vise, clamps, or fixtures—no hand-held work, ever.
  • Ensure stock is fully supported and clamped—no rocking or springing.
• Tooling:
  • Use sharp, undamaged tools of known quality.
  • Seat tools fully in the holder/collet; torque to spec.
  • Confirm tool length offsets are correct and reasonable.
• Software and control:
  • Load the correct G-code file and version.
  • Verify units (mm vs in), work coordinate system (e.g., G54), and safe Z.
  • Home all axes; set a clear, reachable E‑stop and feed-hold.

During Operation

• Start safe:
  • Begin with single-block or reduced feed override for first cuts.
  • Keep one hand near feed-hold/E‑stop during initial passes.
• Watch and listen:
  • Abnormal chatter, squeal, smoke, or vibration means stop and reassess.
  • Chips should be consistent and not dust-like (too slow) or blue/burnt (too fast).
• Chip and coolant management:
  • Direct chips away from leadscrews, rails, and electronics.
  • Keep coolant or mist under control; avoid puddles on floors.
• No reaching in:
  • Never reach near the tool or work while moving. Stop the spindle first.
• Avoid distractions:
  • No phones or multitasking; keep spectators at a safe distance with PPE.

Protecting Your Machine and Workspace

• Program conservatively:
  • Use conservative depth of cut, width of cut, and feed for first runs or unknown materials.
  • Ramp or helix into cuts; avoid full-width plunges.
• Collision avoidance:
  • Use CAM simulation and machine dry runs. Verify max travels and clearance.
  • Set soft limits and verify work zero is above the part surface at setup.
• Keep things clean:
  • Brush or vacuum chips frequently; don’t let chips accumulate on rails or screws.
  • Wipe down and lightly oil exposed steel after cutting corrosive materials.
• Electrical safety:
  • Ground the machine properly and use a surge protector.
  • Keep electronics enclosures closed during operation; power down before service
• Tool and spindle protection:
  • Don’t exceed tool stick-out more than needed.
  • Verify spindle warm-up routine at the start of the day (especially for high RPM).
  • Stop immediately if you crash or stall—inspect spindle/toolholder runout before continuing.

Materials and Tooling Notes

• Metals:
  • Aluminum: Use high RPM, moderate feed, good chip evacuation to avoid welding.
  • Steel: Lower RPM, stable workholding, flood/mist recommended. Watch heat.
  • Stainless/Titanium: Even more conservative—avoid rubbing; use sharp tools and coolant.
• Plastics and wood:
  • Manage heat and chip welding for plastics; avoid excessive RPM.
  • Wood dust is combustible—use dust collection; keep ignition sources away.
• Unknown materials:
  • Start with very light cuts and low engagement; test a scrap first.

Emergency and Incident Response

• If something sounds wrong: Hit feed-hold, then E‑stop if needed.
• If a tool breaks or part moves: Stop, power down, re-inspect workholding, tool, spindle, and axes before restart.
• Smoke, smell, or electrical fault: E‑stop, then disconnect power at the main. Do not open electronics until fully powered down and capacitors discharged.
• Report and learn: Note what happened, update your CAM/feeds/fixtures, and perform a fresh dry run.

Disclaimer DIY CNC machines can cause injury or damage if used improperly. Operators are responsible for safe setup and operation. When in doubt, stop and reassess before proceeding.

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