Cutting Stylus Weights

[RussellC23]

What are the best weights in grams for different cutting styli, engraving on lacquer, polycarbonate and other plastics?

[aaron]

For PETG with a diamond, I usually use around 15-20g. Depends on what the grooves look like under a microscope and how old the stylus is.

[piaptk]

Fir embossing with a www.recordlatheparts.com sapphire embossing cone on polycarbonate, it is 35-37g

[SONARC]

Glad this question was brought up again!
Is there any consensus among other lathe cutters as to what type of spring tension gauge or similar method is the most reliable?

[aaron]

I feel like a spring gauge will get you in the ballpark and using a microscope to look at the grooves will get you the rest of the way. At least that’s what I do.

[SONARC]

Hey there, Aaron, been a while!
Is there a particular type of spring gauge you use?
I've seen a few different types out there, and too many times, I end up buying a bunch of random tools that I'm never gonna use.
In our region, you're not going to find one of those in a hardware store, so I'm going to be forced to buy something online and hope it does the trick, or just get a collection of 'em.

• • • •

I feel like a spring gauge will get you in the ballpark and using a microscope to look at the grooves will get you the rest of the way. At least that’s what I do.

[aaron]

I use an Ohaus model 8261-M

Hey there, Aaron, been a while!
Is there a particular type of spring gauge you use?
I've seen a few different types out there, and too many times, I end up buying a bunch of random tools that I'm never gonna use.
In our region, you're not going to find one of those in a hardware store, so I'm going to be forced to buy something online and hope it does the trick, or just get a collection of 'em.

• • • •

I feel like a spring gauge will get you in the ballpark and using a microscope to look at the grooves will get you the rest of the way. At least that’s what I do.

[andyburnout]

I’m not all that clued up how people are weighing this? Is there a way to do it?

[piaptk]

Buy a 100g (1 newton) spring scale on Amazon. Put the needle down on the disc… lift up the head using the spring scale… right at the moment the needle lifts off the disc, look at yr scale and see where the spring is balanced. The. Adjust until that weight is at 37-40g for embossing, or whatever other folks recommend for diamond cutting 10-20g depending on the styli i believe.

[farmersplow]

I don't think andyburnout's question is unjustified.
I tried a few ways to measure the weight. My cutting head has no point of contact for a measuring spring in the area of ​​the needle. If I measure at the front end and at the back end of the cutting head, there are clear differences in the measurement!
Even a slight deviation in the support angle changes the support weight.

I once carried out a measurement test with a digital measuring scale directly on the needle and compared it with the weight at the end of the cutter head. There were 5 grams difference!!! Because I cut (not embedding) that's huge.
(By the way, the many wires from the cutterhead to the "mainland" always have a different influence on the tracking force - if I touch them)

How do I now set the contact pressure for cutting? I don't look at the bearing weight. I set a weight so that the needle just rests on it. Then I make a test cut with a feed of 120 ym / revolution and then check the cutting width. it should be about half the feed rate, i.e. 50 to 60 ym wide. Maybe I'm doing rubbish there? What do you all mean?

Greetings from Austria
Thomas

[jjwharris]

Is there a difference between weight measured with digital scales (raised to the same level as the blank) and the weight you read with a spring scale?

I tried using a digital spring scale years ago, but found I could get my weight much more repeatable with digital lifted to the same height as the blank, however I'm embossing at 75g(read on the digital scale) with my stylus

[farmersplow]

Is there a difference between weight measured with digital scales (raised to the same level as the blank) and the weight you read with a spring scale?

I tried using a digital spring scale years ago, but found I could get my weight much more repeatable with digital lifted to the same height as the blank, however I'm embossing at 75g(read on the digital scale) with my stylus

If both scales work, it makes no difference whether the needle is measured with a digital scale or with a spring scale.
BUT!
If the place I measure (right on the needle) or at the end of the cutting head (with a feeder scale) then it makes a difference. - Because of the lever law.

[RV75]

Does anyone know how to adjust the weight on a VMS 80

[dkmastering]

Vms80 is using the spring just for damping, it is a coil that is used for a dynamique control of depth.

[Dub Studio]

I don't think andyburnout's question is unjustified.
I tried a few ways to measure the weight. My cutting head has no point of contact for a measuring spring in the area of ​​the needle. If I measure at the front end and at the back end of the cutting head, there are clear differences in the measurement!
Even a slight deviation in the support angle changes the support weight.

I once carried out a measurement test with a digital measuring scale directly on the needle and compared it with the weight at the end of the cutter head. There were 5 grams difference!!! Because I cut (not embedding) that's huge.
(By the way, the many wires from the cutterhead to the "mainland" always have a different influence on the tracking force - if I touch them)

How do I now set the contact pressure for cutting? I don't look at the bearing weight. I set a weight so that the needle just rests on it. Then I make a test cut with a feed of 120 ym / revolution and then check the cutting width. it should be about half the feed rate, i.e. 50 to 60 ym wide. Maybe I'm doing rubbish there? What do you all mean?

Greetings from Austria
Thomas

Get a graticule for your eyepiece, and then find a spot / angle on your head that is repeatable. Once you have done a test cut (start small, say 10g) you can look at the groove under the microscope and measure it. My graticule has divisions of .025mm so I know if the groove is about two lines wide on the graticule, its .05mm (50 microns wide / 25 microns deep).

I use between 10 and 15 grams, depending on what I am cutting. If I am doing a lot of LPs, with a brand new stylus, I might be more inclined to set the weight to less than 12.5g. If I am cutting some loud 12 inch singles, I might be more inclined to go above 12.5.

I guess the ambient temperature in the room may alter the results, as well as the heating coil, so your visual inspection is really the best way to set your depth.