How would you approach this?

[Bob Savage]

i wil try to do a vid tonight!!


jim

That would be excellent, thanks Jim!

[james mcgrew]

soory bob i was swamped today!! we can do an online and as soon as i get camtasia set up i will do the vid!!

jim

[Mike Package]

Hey Bob!

Don't forget to allow for the fact that the entire face and back piece are wrapped in tolex before assembly (unlike the top, bottom, and sides). So you need to account for the tolex thickness.

As for the roundover, Magnate makes some nice pointed roundover bits. You would select the vector and toolpath "on" the vector with a bit like that. Perhaps with some minor tweaking. But my concern would be how it comes together relative to tabs, joinery, and fit.

What I mean by that is, If you're manually having to remove tabs along the rounded edge it might be most efficient to clean off the tabs and round the edge in the same operation with the hand router or table. As an example.

Or another example. If you want to box joint it like a Marshall cab you may have tearing or chipping issues if you try to both roundover and cut fingers on the same edge before assembly. The traditional way, after assembly, the fingers, glue, etc all make for a more stable suface getting rounded.

Just some random thoughts...

[Bob Savage]

No worries Jim, I know the story and am there right now myself.

Hey Bob!

Don't forget to allow for the fact that the entire face and back piece are wrapped in tolex before assembly (unlike the top, bottom, and sides). So you need to account for the tolex thickness.

Mike! Good to see you hopping in. I allowed 1/8" on panels with tolex appication on each side (L/R), assuming that the tolex wrap on each side would be about 1/16". Does that sound about right? I would of course need a different file for non-tolexed cabinets.

As for the roundover, Magnate makes some nice pointed roundover bits. You would select the vector and toolpath "on" the vector with a bit like that. Perhaps with some minor tweaking. But my concern would be how it comes together relative to tabs, joinery, and fit.

Ah yes, Magnate! I've been hearing that one a lot lately. I found it on the Aspire forum a few days ago and Jim mentioned them the other night. I'll be buying some of those soon.

What I mean by that is, If you're manually having to remove tabs along the rounded edge it might be most efficient to clean off the tabs and round the edge in the same operation with the hand router or table. As an example.

In looking at the panels, and I'll of course have to experiment once I start cutting material, but the rounovers aren't on every edge of any panel, so what I'm hoping is that I can place enough tabs on the areas that will remain without tabs to do the roundovers on the CNC with enough tab support to keep the panel in place. Otherwise you're right, I think it may be best to do it by hand.

Or another example. If you want to box joint it like a Marshall cab you may have tearing or chipping issues if you try to both roundover and cut fingers on the same edge before assembly. The traditional way, after assembly, the fingers, glue, etc all make for a more stable suface getting rounded.

Marshall uses box joints? I wasn't aware of that. Out of curiosity, is there a benefit to box joints over dovetail? I'm actually not planning on using box joints because I think a dado would work, and believe a number of the "boutique" guys are using them, but if I did go to the trouble of a box joint, I'm thinking I may as well do dovetails since they're prettier.

One other thought, related to your comments, is that many cabs have an additional 1x1 at the front edge of the cabinet face, and the roundover has to transition smoothly onto that piece. It may be best to deal with the rounder after the cab is built anyway, just for that reason.

Just some random thoughts...

I enjoy random thoughts. Keep 'em coming!

[Bob Savage]

Hey Jim,

Did I get this right?

[Bob Savage]

I'm getting closer. I've now got the roundovers being cut only in the places they belong.

Obvious issues:

The nesting on this is no good because the tabs end up being separated/cut between panels, so I'll have to settle for only 2 cabinets per 4x8 sheet unless I can make it work manually.

The roundover doesn't look quite right on the preview (I'm cutting ON the line). I think the 1.5" dia roundover is too big.

Edit: This is fun... I used a 1" form tool instead, which looks better, but then realized my corners were sharp, which allowed for some experimentation with the filet tool. Worked like a charm. (none of this is in the attached preview)

Yeah, I know, it's a simple cabinet... maybe I'll do some fluting and put some 3D paisley on it to make it more complex.

[Bob Savage]

I'm going to overload the forum with attachments... A free smiley with every cabinet.

That angle is a pretty choppy rendering. I have the quality all the way up on the preview. Does the rendered image get better/worse depending on the video adapter in the computer? In other words, would a top notch video adapter render better than this? My guess is, yes.

[james mcgrew]

that looks great and you are going in the right way!!

if you think loading cyberspace with images is fun wait untill your shop fills with mdf

working hard to finish churches, back soon

jim

[Bob Savage]

that looks great and you are going in the right way!!

if you think loading cyberspace with images is fun wait untill your shop fills with mdf

working hard to finish churches, back soon

jim

Thanks Jim. This is a good exercise for me, because I keep finding problems. I don't need roundovers on the side cabs, only the top and bottom cabs. Doh!

[Joey Jarrard]

Good work Bob you will be a Pro before the machine is done. I hope you do not out grow the X3 before you get it

[Bob Savage]

Good work Bob you will be a Pro before the machine is done. I hope you do not out grow the X3 before you get it

That's funny!

So, to something different. How much risk is there for one of these little guys popping out after the vcarve profiling? I've tried tabs, but it make the edge ugly.

I'm guessing that I should use an end mill to profile, but I so far getting the cut to look correct outside of the vcarved outline eludes me, so I'm profiling with the tapered bit.

By the way, these guys are about 4.5"x3.5". The huge one I designed was easier to configure for toolpaths.

Any advise?

[Bryan Cowan]

That's funny!

So, to something different. How much risk is there for one of these little guys popping out after the vcarve profiling? I've tried tabs, but it make the edge ugly.

I'm guessing that I should use an end mill to profile, but I so far getting the cut to look correct outside of the vcarved outline eludes me, so I'm profiling with the tapered bit.

By the way, these guys are about 4.5"x3.5". The huge one I designed was easier to configure for toolpaths.

Any advise?

Something I'm also wondering about considering I do not have a vacuum table. Possibly stand by its side and once it gets close to being fully profiled to hold it down via another piece of wood held by your hand?

[Bob Savage]

My first successful 3D toolpathing... Simple stuff, I know.

So for the backside pocketing, I would assume I could just flip this design create pocket tool paths, machine it, then flip the part and do the front side?

[james mcgrew]

bob i am soo glad you are in this with us!!

jim

[Bob Savage]

bob i am soo glad you are in this with us!!

jim

The pleasure is all mine!