Where to start learning how to run a tabletop CNC router?

[neeboy]

Hello to all:

Where is a good place to start learning how to run a small tabletop CNC router? I'm thinking about getting a Romaxx CNC machine for machining small, detailed wooden blocks.

I have over 10 yrs ACAD experience, some Solidworks and Inventor also; I figure I'll also need to read/study info for Mach 3 controls, but where else can I go? For example, how do you position a piece of wood and tell the machine where absolute zero is on the piece to be cut relative to the GCode generated by the software?......newbie questions like that Thanks in advance for any informed replies!

[ger21]

For example, how do you position a piece of wood and tell the machine where absolute zero is on the piece to be cut relative to the GCode generated by the software?

I think absolute zero could possibly be confusing terminology. Your absolute coordinate would be machine coordinates, which typically never change. When you zero to a part, you change the work coordinates. To do this, you simply jog to you're zero position, and set the axis coordinates to zero with onscreen buttons.

I don't know if there's a step by step tutorial anywhere, but a good start might be to watch the tutorial videos at ArtSoft USA - Home of Mach3 and LazyCam.

Feel free to ask any questions you may have.

[louieatienza]

Hello to all:

Where is a good place to start learning how to run a small tabletop CNC router? I'm thinking about getting a Romaxx CNC machine for machining small, detailed wooden blocks.

I have over 10 yrs ACAD experience, some Solidworks and Inventor also; I figure I'll also need to read/study info for Mach 3 controls, but where else can I go? For example, how do you position a piece of wood and tell the machine where absolute zero is on the piece to be cut relative to the GCode generated by the software?......newbie questions like that Thanks in advance for any informed replies!

As Ger mentioned you can pick from many different work coordinates. A bit will depend on your machine configuration, as well as you material and it's shape. For example, for circular work, or work that I have to manually index, I'll set my work coordinates 0, 0 at the center. For most rectangular work (not requiring open pocketing or outside machining) I set 0, 0 at the lower left corner.

As for tutorials, you can go through the supplied tutorials that come with the CAM software; also check their user forums here and on their website.