New to CNC


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    Default New to CNC

    I am completely new to CNC. I'm trying to do some woodworking milling with a desktop CNC router I bought. My goal is to use it to cut simple puzzle pieces with the reproducibility of CNC.

    I cannot for the life of me find any good resources for education on how to do what I originally thought to be a simple task, and I'm hoping someone here can point me in the right direction. I've downloaded and experimented with Sketchup, to some success. I've drawn a circle, and got my milling program to "cut" it, without any bits in it, just to see if it would do anything. My problem is that the mill wants to start the cutting toolpath out of the physical bounds of the XY axis.

    Anyway, someone suggsted Autodesk Fusion 360 because it's supposed to make the drawing, create the toolpaths, and cut, all in one program. My router also came with Art Cam 2007, which I was liking, but it would not generate toolpaths for me, kept go ing up with error messages that weren't in plain English.

    Can anyone point me in the right direction on how to learn how to cut simple puzzles? Thanks a bunch. Again, I'm completely new to CNC, and this forum. Thanks.



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    Community Moderator Jim Dawson's Avatar
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    Default Re: New to CNC

    Fusion 360 is a full featured pretty much professional CAD/CAM program, and the best part it is FREE to hobbyists. There is a bit of a learning curve, but it will do what you want.

    Trying to cut outside the bounds of the X/Y could be that your drawing is metric, and the machine is in inches. Or, you may not have your part located correctly in the CAD program, so 0,0 is way off of the table. Try maybe a 4 inch circle, with 0,0 in the center of the circle. Set the machine 0,0 to the center of the table and see what happens with an air cut.



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    Default

    Thanks for the ideas, I'll be checking into that this weekend.

    Quote Originally Posted by Jim Dawson View Post
    Fusion 360 is a full featured pretty much professional CAD/CAM program, and the best part it is FREE to hobbyists. There is a bit of a learning curve, but it will do what you want.

    Trying to cut outside the bounds of the X/Y could be that your drawing is metric, and the machine is in inches. Or, you may not have your part located correctly in the CAD program, so 0,0 is way off of the table. Try maybe a 4 inch circle, with 0,0 in the center of the circle. Set the machine 0,0 to the center of the table and see what happens with an air cut.




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    Member KH0UJ's Avatar
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    Default Re: New to CNC

    I think if you are used to art Cam then you just need a CAM program to make route paths, cambam I think is the most versatile program in terms of generating custom route path, it can be used in CNC plasma, CNC laser, CNC router, in precision product replication such as gun parts or lets say lightening of a 1911 slide I used cambam because you can increment it as thin as 0.1mm, to cut the story short you can dictate the spindle which way to go first or how thin you want it to rephase the material and so on and so fourth, the spindle is just your slave.



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    Default Re: New to CNC

    You may want to look at Vectric's line of software. Vectric Ltd - Passionate About CNC
    It is geared toward the hobbyist woodworkers and such. Its not free but does allow you to try before you buy for 30 days.
    I found it very intuitive and easy to use.
    Good Luck
    Mike



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    Default Re: New to CNC

    Thanks for the further information. Can anyone provide a source for a tutorial on how to make something simple, like puzzle pieces? I've looked in the tutorials for Autodesk, but none of them that I can find have basic videos for someone just starting out. I downloaded CamBam, but I can't manage to open up any files from ArtCam, like Khouj suggested.



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    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by andyup1 View Post
    Thanks for the further information. Can anyone provide a source for a tutorial on how to make something simple, like puzzle pieces? I've looked in the tutorials for Autodesk, but none of them that I can find have basic videos for someone just starting out. I downloaded CamBam, but I can't manage to open up any files from ArtCam, like Khouj suggested.
    If you try Vcarve Pro from Vectric they have tutorial on the website that you could follow. It is quite easy to use.



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    Default Re: New to CNC

    Quote Originally Posted by andyup1 View Post
    I am completely new to CNC. I'm trying to do some woodworking milling with a desktop CNC router I bought.

    My problem is that the mill wants to start the cutting toolpath out of the physical bounds of the XY axis.

    Anyway, someone suggsted Autodesk Fusion 360.
    I don't think the first issue is what software you are using. Its an understanding of setting up your machine and the workpiece in it (Nothing to do with fusion, artcam or cam bam), in relation to the g-code you will be sending it (coming from the software)

    Can anyone point me in the right direction on how to learn how to cut simple puzzles?
    I think the first step is to be sure you are setting the machine, and stock and ZERO correctly.

    After that, someone here can look at your G-code and say "Hey, look at that!!!"



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    Default Re: New to CNC

    Hi andyup1, I agree with Burrman, if your machine is wanting to cut outside your bed area I wonder you have homed your machine. This task needs to be done to tell the machine where its boundaries are. In regards to creating G-Code and cutting files do you have an IPad? If yes, then check out this app Replicantis by Pavel Pavlov
    https://appsto.re/ca/CySscb.i It is a very simple way to get started with creating G-Code ready files for cutting on your CNC. If you don't have an IPad then check out the website jscut.org This website can upload and svg file that you create so that you can create G-Code for your machine. Both these methods are the simplest way I've found for creating G-Code and will get you up and running on your CNC. Hope some of this helps!



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    Default Re: New to CNC

    Thanks, I'll be checking into that. No iPad though.



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