"Walking slowly before running..."

[Jim Becker]

I finally got to put sharp implements in the collet today and let them touch some wood while spinning. That was originally planned for yesterday, but as I noted in my other thread, I had to spend some quality time entertaining some medical professionals for most of yesterday. Given this was my first actual "hands on" experience with CNC, I decided to start with the simplest operation and add a little to each subsequent effort. Why? Because I want to build some habits via repetition into the process to hopefully avoid common errors later.

The first thing I did was to grab a piece of MDF I had hanging around in the shop to use as a smaller, temporary spoil board for my learning while I work on what I want to do for my full size spoil board solution. The first machine operation once I fastened that piece of MDF down (with screws for now) was to surface it flat and coplanar to the gantry. I used a great, easy to use utility from Mick Martin to generate the code for surfacing the 26" x 32" testing/training spoil board and it worked like a charm. The Amana insert cutter I used left a surface as smooth as a baby's butt...assuming said baby has an MDF butt, of course. :) And then the real fun began.

384353 384354

I decided to start with a simple V-Carved sign that says "Welcome" and add some things to each iteration to insure that I was following those "every project" steps I mentioned previously. For the purpose of the exercise, the workpiece was set to 15" x 4" and .75" thick, indexed to the center point and top of the spoil board. I'm using the top of spoil board reference for tool measurement/Z axis zeroing because ultimately, that will be the standard once the FTC (fast tool change) sensor switch is enabled on my particular machine. For now, I'm measuring tool length with the contact plate. The local X0,Y0 was set using the handy laser pointer...a good exercise in controlling movement using both the PC screen and rodent as well as the remote keypad. Tooling was a 1/2" 90º V-Bit and a 1/4" two flute end mill. This is all boring, I'm sure, for folks who have been "doing CNC" for a long time, but I suspect newbies like I am right now might benefit from the description.

Since I installed an instance of V-Carve Pro on my control PC, I simply used that to create the simple drawing and initial tool paths to cut the very first thing I've ever created with a CNC machine.

384355

Exciting, no? :D But seeing it happen for the first time on the new toy actually was an exciting moment...

384356

A few minutes and a tool change later, I was done cutting my very first "thing" on the "Yellow Monster" (still to be named...)

384357

So the simple square sign worked out and it was time to add a simple profile cut to make it (slightly) more interesting.

384362 384363

[Jim Becker]

For the next iteration, I changed that profile cut to a pocket and compensated for the .125" depth of the pocket in the V-Carve tool path. I also decided to use the next couple of cuts to be signs for my daughters' rooms...I'm a nice dad like that. Professor Dr. SWMBO will get something "more special" once I get a feel for things. This is Tia's sign cut from a scrap of Sapele I had in the bin...

384365 384366 384367 384368

That worked out really well, so I created a similar one for Alesya out of a scrap of cherry

384369

So I had what I feel is a successful first CNC experience and I look forward to increasing the complexity as I learn. And I even got four usable things out of the effort.

384370

BTW, for anyone contemplating adding a CNC to your shop that's above the most basic setups, regardless of brand, I have zero regrets for ponying up for the spindle. That thang is smooth and quiet. While cutting the V-Carve and the pockets, the noise level was about the same as my cyclone running...in the closed closet. (I did need to wear hearing protection when running the 1/4" end mill for the profile cuts, but that was all cutter noise. This was a totally different experience than with a "router" motor for sure.

[Mark Bolton]

I remember seeing those first moves and being utterly impressed and astounded.

Fun fun times. I'm jealous that you are experiencing this in the convenience of what seems to be a well orchestrated retirement. Getting to enjoy the whole process free of the burden of business is beautiful to watch.

[Jim Becker]

Yea, having the time is nice, but I really am doing this for business reasons...rather than going out and getting a part time job at a supermarket or cooking at a local restaurant for a few shifts, I'm working to monetize my shop so I can do what I enjoy and, perhaps, make a few shekels in the process. In the mean time, I'm motivated to share the journey because there is increasing interest in CNC from many woodworkers and I feel that showing it is approachable by "normal humans" will help them make the jump with less trepidation.

[David Falkner]

Very nice, Jim! Yes, the spindle's are worth it all the way. Ours is water cooled so even quieter than an air cooled but the bit definitely announces that it's doing some work.

David

[Keith Outten]

Jim,

The initial shock is over and you are well on your way :)
Now raise the letters by machining the background.

[Steve Jenkins]

Way cool Jim. I know you’ll get a lot of use out of it.

[William Adams]

The great thing about a CNC is that it will execute perfectly the correct instructions given it.

The bad thing about a CNC is that it will execute without question the wrong instructions given it, ruining material, and / or crashing the machine.

Great that you’re off to a good start!

If I may offer one bit of constructive criticism --- when doing a possessive, please use a curly apostrophe: ’ rather than a stick quote (which is only correctly used for computer programming): '

Any good text on typography will offer a discussion of this --- once nice basic one is Robin Williams’ The PC Is Not a Typewriter.

[Jim Becker]

Jim,

The initial shock is over and you are well on your way :)
Now raise the letters by machining the background.

Funny you should mention that...it's actually next on my list, Keith.

[Jim Becker]

If I may offer one bit of constructive criticism --- when doing a possessive, please use a curly apostrophe: ’ rather than a stick quote (which is only correctly used for computer programming): '

Any good text on typography will offer a discussion of this --- once nice basic one is Robin Williams’ The PC Is Not a Typewriter.

This is something I'm fully aware of, Wil...I spent nearly a decade doing so-called "desktop publishing" for money in Pagemaker a long time ago and just have to get my keystrokes back since it's been so long. Good observation, for sure, however.

[Art Mann]

Hey Jim, I didn't know you had design experience when I recommended CNC routing to you. This information raises my prediction of your success by a lot. My wife was a visual designer for advertising and printing companies for 30 years and I give her most of the credit for our limited commercial success. I am really just a skilled technician. The magic is in the design.

[eugene thomas]

Art. Glad am not only one who let's the better half do all my sign and such design.

[Jim Becker]

Art, I've been involved with the arts for all of my life in many formats and am also a visual learner. I have no trepidation about this CNC journey outside of knowing it's going to take a bit of time to become proficient in some of the tool pathing things. The good news is that I already have some folks asking for signs...I just hope they can be patient since I'm not about to take on something that I don't feel "reasonably confident" about doing successfully and to my own high standards. Fortunately, these folks are people I've known for awhile and have done other work for and I believe that will bring some understanding.

[Bryan Lisowski]

Jim, congrats on the new machine! I know your looking for a new name, but yellow monster is kinda fitting.

[Mark Bolton]

it's going to take a bit of time to become proficient in some of the tool pathing things.

Im probably slower to pick up on stuff than most but for me opening your brain up to deconstructing things in a way that can be efficient on the CNC is something that took me a while (and still is) to get my head around. Getting your brain in the 2.5D format really opens up a ton of stuff that use to have me thinking it was still faster to run certain ops off the CNC. Im perpetually in thae stage of sitting up in bed in the middle of the night in an AH HA moment or asking a question that has such a simple answer its crazy not to have seen it.

The nerves of pulling the plug (cycle start) play into a lot of second guessing. Its not to say be willing to crash your machine but too much caution can stifle you. Youve got a massive network, youll be cranking in no time.

[Jim Becker]

Mark, I actually "get" this kind of thing pretty quickly, but am being cautious to take things step-by-step. In addition to adding some complexity, I'm also observing and listening so I begin to get a feel for when things are cutting efficiently, too. Today's exercise, after entertaining yet another medical professional, was to do like Keith mentioned...a raised letter scenario and I chose to use that exercise to also prototype my "logo sign". I cut it multiple times with different material, too. Overall, I'm pleased with how this worked out and will paint it up to see how it will look when I cut it out of material more appropriate for a small building sign.

384556

[David Falkner]

Looks good, Jim. MDF cuts nicely but it sure is dusty.

David

[Jim Becker]

Looks good, Jim. MDF cuts nicely but it sure is dusty.


The Kent dust hood got probably 98% of it outside of the little bit I blew out of the kerfs while doing the profile through-cut. I also cut this in cherry, but inadvertently knocked the switch and hadn't marked the center point on the blank, so I couldn't restart a bunch of lines back from where the power dropped. That version was looking "quite Krispy", too. :) But I don't mind cutting things in MDF for the practice for sure. The first iteration of this one was in some white pine and it was a little too soft for the fine serifs to survive fully intact.

[Mark Bolton]

Mark, I actually "get" this kind of thing pretty quickly, but am being cautious to take things step-by-step.

No doubt your killing it straight out of the gate. Once you get healed up and less distractions youll burning the rubber off the soles of your shoes. Wasnt saying going faster or anything just more a comment about how the wild capabilities as it goes along. Its a fun process. Im endlessly impressed by the tech especially on the software side. Just had a local shop owner in our shop yesterday and he was talking about having done a job many years ago that had a really large mantle in a commercial job that had text carved in it. Was several feet long. Back in the days before VCarve and how the shop that ran the job had hours in writing the code for the letters and now we can whip out an entire job, multiple toolpaths, multiple bits, in no time. He sat an watched me output a kitchen job for him and just sat there shaking his head. Wild times.

[Jim Becker]

I figured out pretty quick that I'm going to love this tool and it doesn't take away from other things I do because I can do them while babysitting the cut in progress.

[David Falkner]

Sometimes you can, sometimes you can't. The little production run I did the other day cutting 4 pockets and boring 4 holes in twenty-five 5"x6"x0.7" Walnut trophy bases took just under 2 minutes each. So I no sooner got the part mounted in the quick change fixture and hit the cycle start button before it was time to take that one out and put the next one in. I tried sanding some pieces but it was just easier to stand there and swap parts out of the fixture.

David

[Mark Bolton]

I figured out pretty quick that I'm going to love this tool and it doesn't take away from other things I do because I can do them while babysitting the cut in progress.

Thats where I absolutely love our machine. We just ran a job with a slew of parts that had several tool changes and reasonable times between off and re loading. The work you can get done while the thing is chunking away (hopefully spewing out work or even better dollar bills) is great.

That said, I do still find myself on certain jobs (3D work for sure) having a hard time prying myself away from standing there waiting to see some detail poke out from under the dust shoe.

For us with panel processing the precision and speed is astounding. Whipping out what is now a simple shelf was something that would involve TS, Tape measure, a drawing, dado setup or router with straight edge, and so on. And the amazing part is when you get dado and tenon tolerances where you like them, parts go together with complete friction fit, dead square, gosh its heaven. We have switched to all blind/qualified dados and its been amazing.

Will be a real game changer for you Im sure.

[Jim Becker]

Sometimes you can, sometimes you can't. The little production run I did the other day cutting 4 pockets and boring 4 holes in twenty-five 5"x6"x0.7" Walnut trophy bases took just under 2 minutes each. So I no sooner got the part mounted in the quick change fixture and hit the cycle start button before it was time to take that one out and put the next one in. I tried sanding some pieces but it was just easier to stand there and swap parts out of the fixture.

Yes, if there's a production run happening, that might require hands-on and focus on the CNC. For other things that are one-off and take cutting time to complete, it's easy to keep busy. :)

Here's how the logo-sign prototype turned out after slapping on a little color...

384630

[Keith Outten]

Nice job Jim, you are really learning fast and well on your way.
See you Thursday morning.

[Mark Bolton]

Can't beat that. The super slender portions on the B are the berries (lol). Super nice. I hate finishing MDF.. what did you use on the background?

[David Falkner]

That looks nice, Jim. What was the total time for machining?

David

[Jim Becker]

Can't beat that. The super slender portions on the B are the berries (lol). Super nice. I hate finishing MDF.. what did you use on the background?
I just used some left over BM Advance black and applied it with one of my artist brushes that date back to when I was at Penn State in the late 1970s. :) :D I'm going to give the background another coat when I get back from Aspire Camp. Thanks for your kind comments...I used a 1/4" spiral downcut for this with the machine speed kicked up a little as well as for the spindle. It cut really clean on the MDF and was cutting the cherry really, really nicely before the intermittent switch issue I was having kicked in. That's been solved, BTW. Support responded to my email today in about 15 minutes and it turned out that a piece on the back side of the physical switch assembly had been jarred loose during shipment. It's rock solid now.

Kieth, I'm looking forward to seeing you and many others (great group!) and I suspect I'm going to have some sign-making questions to pick your brain about. :)