New CNC Machine - Lots of Pics and now Videos

[grweldon]

http://www.cnczone.com/forums

Very extensive CNC forums with much information.  Mostly metalworking, but there are routers for woodworking and metalworking.

They even have sections dedicated to building your own CNC router.  It's really not that difficult and I've considered doing it.  I'd like to someday, but I've can't even forge the irons I currently have in the fire, if you know what I mean!

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

This is not the first CNC machine i have owned. In fact i actually designed and built the machine you see below. It had a smaller cutting area than the one i just bought and was run using motor drive and interface cards from Delegrange Technology. Much of the machine was made of extruded aluminum and the specialty parts were machined from aluminum stock.

As memory serves, it still cost me close to $2,000 to build the machine when all was said and done. I did a good job of cutting, but i have to say i like the electronics and construction of the one i just bought much better. I actaully sold the prototype and the rights to manufacture and sell it to a friend of mine who currently produces and sells them. Just was not big enough for my needs and projects down the road.




 

[hackberry jake]

If you wanted to make a sign that was like 12-14' would you be S.O.L. With a unit like that one or could you do some, then move the piece over and do some more? I am thinking like "over the gate" type signs.

[grweldon]

I've built some stuff with 80/20 extrusions before like that machine.  I'm not too impressed with the stuff, but I do like the fact that the screws won't loosen up, even without any lockwashers!

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

Hackberry Jake

This particular machine is capable of machining an area 40" x 24 ". The software, Vcarve Pro, that I bought to control the machine has a function called "tile". this allows you to create images much larger than the bed of your router by doing them in a series of tiles that you would then attach together. Doing it this way, you could literally make the signs as big as you want. You design it full size in the software just as you would any other sign, then select the tile function and tell it what size you want each tile to be based on the capacity of your machine.

[hackberry jake]

I imagine you would need to practice lining up the "tiles" so you wouldn't have misaligned print.

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

The tile function does have an option where it will mill the image with a specified degree of image overlap and then go back and trim it precisely to within the limits of your machines tolerance.

Cant tell you how well this option works and to be honest, do not see myself using it. Most of the signs i will be routing will be somewhere between 4" x 14" and somewhere at a maximum size of say 18" x 36",  all of which can be handled by this machine on a single sign blank in one shot

[hackberry jake]

I keep waiting on some more pictures... You have my interest. Now I just need to start saving up for one... 8)

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

Will be doing some more signs this weekend. Resisted the temptation to just jump in and do something stupid before i understood all the functions of the software and actually spent about 5 days watching the hours upon hours of online training videos they have on their site for the software. We are just now starting to design things to cut out.

[hackberry jake]

Is the software pretty challenging?

[grweldon]

Does the machine actually use G-code?

[Cedarman]

What about making custom panels to go into doors of cabinets that custom cabinet makers do for homeowners that want one of a kind designs in their doors?  Shipping is cheap relative to the value added.
The potential to customize for the discriminating person is unlimited.
WOW!!!

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

Excellent idea . Could definately do that. By way my employee Greg will be there Thursday to pick up the 2000 bf of cedar

[DansSawmill]

here's a site you might want to look at.
http://johnminor.com/dwrmkr/
it will give you dxf files for boxjoints cut on the flat. the tops are slightly rounded so the corners fit just right. he also has a site for making regular box joints for boxes.
dan
( i have a joes hybrid 4 x 8 cnc.. fun )

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

Starting to get the hang of the software now. Just typed the text into the program and picked the font style for it, but the ribbon came from and internet acquired jpeg that we brought into the software and converted to vectors for the experience in doing so.





 

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

Congrats Ronwood

I heard you bought yourself one and that it ships on Monday. Let me know how you like that 4th axis. I think I may get it for my wife as a birthday gift in March.

[ronwood]

Yes , It will be here sometime next week Wed. or Thur. Will let you know how the 4th axis works.

Ron

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

Ronwood

What software did you decide to use with it? Did you go with the vcarve pro?

[ronwood]

I am going with Vcarve Pro and Photocarve. I have not made the purchase yet. There is a new release of Vcarve pro coming out. It my understanding if you purchase an earlier version of software  you can upgrade within the 1st year for free.

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

That is my understanding as well. Vcarve is excellent. Kristina and I made quite a few unique signs from scratch using it today. It is a piece of cake once you get the hang of it. I have actually mastered the art of editing other graphic images to add or subtract routed elements and modify them to look as i wish them to. We even took some video of the machine routing signs today.

[ronwood]

Did you post them on youtube?

Ron

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

A few of our first totally finished and colorized signs off of our cnc machine.

Wife Created the RV image from clip art and then made some modifications to it. She then added the text.
I Created the pine trees from scratch and they are completely my own creation.



 

I then Created the Coffee Cup for the sign below and added the text.



 

In the last sign, I took an image from one of the graphics packages we bought and modified it to be cnc friendly in the vcarve pro program, then added the wording to it. I am working on a second version now with a pile of poo where the officer is now. I expect these to be popular in campgrounds where less than courteous campers often walk their dogs and let them dump on other peoples sites and just walk away as if nothing ever happened, leaving the mess for the site owner to clean up.



 

Having a lot of fun with this machine and enjoy doing the image creation and editing

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

Now that's pretty cool. 

[ronwood]

After a number of telephone discussions with Fred I bought the same unit with the 4th axis (lathe option). I just started making a few things (name signs for family) but there is a lot to learn and do the the unit. Bought mine primary for building a set of kitchen cabinets. I want to do engravings on the door panels.

With the Vcarve Pro software you can make some neat things.

Ron

[Busy Beaver Lumber]

I am getting pretty fast using the vcarve pro software. Today alone I created almost 20 sign patterns. Will be spending most of this weekend loading blanks into the machine and pressing the start button. Hope to have a whole pile of finished signs by weeks end. Really enjoy doing this.  8)

Glad to hear you have your up and running already Ron

I think Dave likes this thread. I can see him with one of these down the road.

By the way, that eastern red cedar in the one picture was purchased from our friend Richard at CedarUSA. Great fellow to deal with. ;D