New to CNC Routing and have hopefully a very easy question?

[spankey1473]

Hello all, I am new to this area of Routing. I am a wood worker, mostly a Wood Lathe Turner. I also turn a lot of custom poured/cast acrylic as well. I bought as an entry level before I dive into a larger machine, a sainsmart 3018 PRO Routing CNC. I am using Easel since it's so easy and straight forward. I've made a few items today and they've turned out great considering the cheap V bits that come with the machine. I've ordered better milling bits today.

My question revolves around mounting already Round wood. So for instance I turn a 12" round blank and want to route a pattern into the one side of the wood. Such as say a snowflake. Then I pour Acrylic into the routed areas and set it under pressure for 24 hours to cure the acrylic/epoxy. Then when I turn the item such as in a bowl format on my wood lathe the snow flake then shows thru in the bottom.

My prior process was routing the patterns by hand which were a total pain and not very accurate line wise. This should be much more accurate.

My ultimate question is this. And sorry I'm new at this. Hope I don't upset anyone asking. How would you find "Home" on a round piece of wood? I know using the square or rectangle would use the lower left corner, at least for what I'm doing currently?

Any info offered would be so greatly appreciated.

Thanks for your time and looking forward to making many projects with this mini CNC until I Can step up to a much larger model.

Happy Thanksgiving

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[Sterob]

Round objects are usually 'homed' to the centre.

[Jim Dawson]

Since you are already turning the part, it would be very easy to use your tailstock center to put a ''center punch'' mark in the piece. Then using a pointy tool bit and with the tool close to the work, just eyeball the center in the X and Y axis, then set your work zero in the CNC software at that point. More than close enough for artwork. Make sure your CAD has the zero in the center of the workpiece.

[spankey1473]

Since you are already turning the part, it would be very easy to use your tailstock center to put a ''center punch'' mark in the piece. Then using a pointy tool bit and with the tool close to the work, just eyeball the center in the X and Y axis, then set your work zero in the CNC software at that point. More than close enough for artwork. Make sure your CAD has the zero in the center of the workpiece.

Thank you Jim. I was thinking that! I’d have center with the tailstock dimple. Just wanted make sure I assumed correctly! Also assume in the software I have an area to note the piece is round vs square or rectangle?

Have a great day!

[Jim Dawson]

The software only cares about where zero is at, it has no idea what the shape is.

It is up to you to place clamps or other hold downs such that the tool won't run into them.