Software to make ornate wood colums on 4-axis cnc

[johnnyzigzag]

Hello all,

I'm going to be adding a 4th axis to my CNC router later this summer.
I am looking for software to generate 3d models (& Gcode) of ornate colums similar to what you see here:

YouTube- Art For Everyday Woodcarving-1

YouTube- Art For Everyday Woodcarving-1

(go to 1:54)

any suggestions?

[metalhead781]

I haven't done it yet. I'm waiting for a grant to go through to get my 4 axis machine but there is a way to fool your program. You can use any software that generates g code with a 3d model. The trick is just switching your axis. You have to be careful setting up you Y axis centered over the 4th axis perfectly. Create a design in any 2D or 3D software and use one of the many circumference calculators online to determine the size of board you need. You can make the board width the same as the circumference and create your design. Depending on the software you use to run your machine, you can change the Y axis to the fourth axis and adjust for the travel. When the code would normally tell the Y axis to move it should rotate your axis. When adjusting for travel you'd have to calculate one full turn of the axis being the circumference of the piece being milled. Hopefully someone who has done it and with the right experience notices this thread. I hope i've pointed you in the right direction. Good luck.

MH

[fabconv]

hi
for 3d models : solidworks
and for gcode : visualmill

nothing is more powerful