[Crix]

Hey there everyone!

While waiting for my CNC to be delivered, I've been working on teaching myself AutoCAD and designing some stuff so as soon as my machine arrives, I can immediately get started on some awesome stuff!

I did this up last night, it's the first 'real' project I've actually done in CAD, not counting stuff with pre-defined measurements.

http://img254.imageshack.us/img254/9835 ... fftest.jpg

I still need to move the circular holes in the left and right filigrees, and I might try playing with the thickness of the filigree edges, too.

Thoughts or opinions? I'd also love to see projects others are working on, so post 'em up!

-Kris

[atmamatt]

just joined the boards. I like the design, though I can see a few tricky areas. How is AutoCAD? I've never actually used it, and have heard so many things for and against it that just kind of turns me away.

[Crix]

I finally got a video of my CNC in action, cutting the design I posted earlier.

I did the finished product in 3 layers of wood, and my router bit required 2 passes per layer in order to get through the wood properly.



Some photos of the finished product immediately off the machine, and then assembled with the other pieces. These are with ZERO cleanup, no sanding, nada.

I think they came out GREAT!


http://img854.imageshack.us/img854/4457/img5707w.jpg


http://img828.imageshack.us/img828/5711/img5711x.jpg

A few things I'm working on figuring out in the CAM software is how to designate which order it chooses to cut pieces. I bruteforced my problem by splitting it into two NC files, one to do the 'pockets', and another to do the 'profile'. For some reason, when I generated the code for the full thing, it always chose to cut the outside profile before cutting the inner pieces, which caused problems with wobbling, even with a larger than ideal number of support tabs.

[atmamatt]

Niiice! congrats on first parts (and successful first parts!) I like seeing that the cosplay community is still rolling things out!

Which software did you use to make your g-code? I haven't worked too much with MeshCAM yet (no machine, so no desire to fiddle around with it much), but I do see a lot of toolpaths that I'm used to working with. The only ways that I know of to tell a CAM program to cut in a specific order are reliant on the software offering one of the two options: 1) seperate toolpaths that are combined into one .NC program when completed or 2) being able to designate the cut order in one toolpath operation (more desirable, easier, and probably what you're looking for). Whether or not Meshcam has either of those, I do not know. I'll play with it tonight, and download some DXF files and dig around for some of my old STL files. Also, (and this is just me going into work mode so feel free to roll your eyes at me), I never recommend touching a CNC/NC machine while running. I've seen way too many weird things happen with power fluctuations, and what you see on the preview/verification screen may not always be what you get (easy to spot errors in 2D and 2.5D toolpaths, a lot harder in 3D).

[murtaza]

Hey great work,

Did you use Google Sketchup to create those circles. It seems that the circle is created of segments and so not totally circular. You can overcome this by increasing the no. of segments that make a circle in sketchup to create a smooth circle.

[AJ Quick]

I think he used AutoCAD, as referenced in the thread title.

[atmamatt]

side question mr. crix: what are your settings for your motors on your machine? I cannot get mine to run nearly as quiet as yours (especially on the arcs/diagonal cuts).

[jschisler]

side question mr. crix: what are your settings for your motors on your machine? I cannot get mine to run nearly as quiet as yours (especially on the arcs/diagonal cuts).

I'd love this info as well to have an idea what others are having success with. I'm not convinced that I have my tuned as best it can be.