F-86 Sabre
Surface Modeling
Inspired by the famous F-86 Sabre, the United State’s first swept wing fighter, this “desk candy” project was modeled in SolidWorks using surface modeling techniques from 3-view reference drawings.
SolidCAM
I used SolidCAM to calculate the tool paths for machining. The image shows the entire machining process, with 3 operations and multiple tool types, including roughing, finishing, and ball endmills, as well as drilling and tapping cycles for fixturing. The full machining time was constrained at 3 hours.
3-Axis CNC Machining
The part was machined from Aluminum 6061 on a HAAS Mini-Mill. The image shows the first finished operation including tapped fixture brackets with holes used to secure the part while machining the top and rear sides and eliminate chatter.
After machining, over 8 hours of sanding and polishing resulted in the finished product, erasing machining marks and leaving a mirror finish.
