Something for CNC Owners

[Stone Message]

Hi [member=45553]HMR[/member]

After making the various videos (I think about 19 in all) of the original X-Carve a couple of years ago I then found it to be hardly used. I made a few signs, a couple of tool prototypes and that was about it. The problem that I had was that the original machine was not rigid enough to be accurate from one job to the next.

The new machine is a great improvement and so I am determined to try and integrate it into my woodworking. I think my first use will be to make some small (ish) stopped dados that are fiddly on the router table.

Peter

 

[CNC Paul]

Hi Paul,

In order for the X-Carve to do its thing it needs to be fed G Code. VCarve Pro can produce toolpaths as G Code but it cannot directly control the X-Carve nor send toolpaths to it.

In your case does your CNC have the ability to receive a complete file, perhaps in another format, and then execute the file once you press a button?

I send the complete file to my CNC and then run, some 3D files run for 8 hours

 

[Stone Message]

I assume then that your CNC has a computer unit with a fair amount of memory or else the ability to be past a file before being told to execute it. Again, I assume, that it is a professional machine.

Can it do automatic tool changes and if so how many tools can you have on the carousel/magazine?

Peter

 

[CNC Paul]

Hi Peter,
It runs from a laptop, you can run the file from the laptop or a memory stick plugged into the laptop, it automatically feeds the code to the machine.

My machine has two 4hp HF spindles and drill head, I can also mount a tangential knife cutter and a rotary 4th axis.

When I purchased my machine a tool changer was not available, I could add one now for £15,000, my setup covers most of my need.

Paul

 

[Stone Message]

Hi Paul

Gosh, that must be a very impressive setup.

Many thanks.

Peter

 

[fshanno]

Looks like a fun machine to learn on.  I've been looking for a used x-carve and there are some out there but they are far away and they go fast and people don't want to ship.  I should just buy one and be done with it.

Have you heard of the Maslow?  It's a 4x8 CNC router that costs about $500 brand new.  It's impossible to describe it other than to say it looks a little like a panel saw and uses two bricks.  It looks like a legitimate on site CNC.  And it's very very slow.

Lots of very cool stuff out there. 

 

[Stone Message]

Looks like a fun machine to learn on.  I've been looking for a used x-carve and there are some out there but they are far away and they go fast and people don't want to ship.  I should just buy one and be done with it.

Have you heard of the Maslow?  It's a 4x8 CNC router that costs about $500 brand new.  It's impossible to describe it other than to say it looks a little like a panel saw and uses two bricks.  It looks like a legitimate on site CNC.  And it's very very slow.

Lots of very cool stuff out there.

I had heard of the Maslow and looked at that link and was reminded of it. I do not think that the engineering of it could ever provide the user with anything like the same capability as the X-Carve. I demonstrated my machine to some friends a couple of days ago and they were all professional woodworkers and were impressed - I accept that they might have just been being polite but I think not.

Peter

 

[fshanno]

I had heard of the Maslow and looked at that link and was reminded of it. I do not think that the engineering of it could ever provide the user with anything like the same capability as the X-Carve. I demonstrated my machine to some friends a couple of days ago and they were all professional woodworkers and were impressed - I accept that they might have just been being polite but I think not.

Peter

Right, no carving just cutout.  I haven't even seen anything like shelf pin holes.  But it looks promising.  And there is a growing user community.  If fact there is a waiting list.  Just costs a dollar to get on the list.  The community is pushing.  For instance they want a way to shut off the router when the panel is complete.  The inventor is hesitant because he worries about liability.  But the community keeps pushing and it looks like there will be a solution soon.

Apparently everything is open source.  The bill of material and the code.  You can build it yourself from scratch.

 

[fshanno]

I went ahead and put my dollar down to get on the Maslow list. 

 

[WillAdams]

U.S. and Canadian veterans can get the educational version of Solidworks for $20/yr.:https://store.solidworks.com/veteran/default.php?command=Step1 --- just send in a scan/photo of your DD-214 or Canadian equivalent (w/ social blacked out)

That and a lot of other software options are listed at:https://www.shapeoko.com/wiki/index.php/Commercial_Software#3D_CAD and elsewhere on the wiki.

 

[Mario Turcot]

I have a ShapeOko 3 XXL for a few years now. The SO3 is comparable to the X-Carve. when I was looking for a first CNC those two came at the top. At the time there was no Easel and the SO3 was free shipping so it was a no brainer since the SO3 comes with the basic software.

Right now I use Easel and import the gcode and run it from Carbide Motion software (from Carbide 3D free). I just bring in the machine into the new shop and haven't setup it yet. I looked into VCarve Pro and it comes to 840$. The Cut2D Pro is good enough for what you can do with the X-Carve and is under 550$

What I do with my CNC: I made a few clamps racks, logos for friends, shop templates & accessories etc.. The next planned project is the Diresta shop stool  [big grin], you can get the design from Easel.

For me the idea of running a CNC is to create prototypes and see if there is a local market for it. Keep in mind that those non industrial machines are SLOW, like very slow compare to the big things.

Mario

 

[sprior]

My weekend OCD workshop project was to create a drawer organizer for my Tormek accessories.  I traced them out on paper, took a photo including a ruler, used that as a base canvas in Fusion 360 and designed the organizer.  Used Fusion's CAM workspace to create the toolpath and carve it on my X-Carve (after using my Festool TS-55 to cut a piece of MDF to size).  After the carve and test fit I went back and re-carved some sections to make the pieces fit better.  I'm in the process of spraying the MDF with black automotive underbody to get that rubberized custom organizer look - would have preferred a slightly foamy rubber texture and this ended up being much more smooth - looks like Batman's closet organizer.

[attachimg=1]

 

[egmiii]

Nice job. Thanks for sharing.

 

[sprior]

Another point I should mention about Fusion 360 - it supports creating models for 3D printing, CNC, and more recently laser/waterjet cutting.  I got started in Fusion a few years ago when I got a MakerGear M2 3D printer and you can design a model and export it as an STL file ready for slicing (the processing for 3D printing).  But you can also stay within Fusion and move into the CAM environment and generate the toolpaths required to cut that model on a CNC/laser/waterjet.  Even better, you can create a design with many parts and decide per part whether to 3D print or CNC that part, then make each of them and fit them all together!  You can even 3D print a part of a design as a fast prototype and then decide to CNC the final version.

In addition to the X-Carve and MakerGear M2 3D printer I have one of those cheap Chinese K40 CO2 laser engravers (which I upgraded to a Smoothieboard controller) and while I've only done this on a very easy school project for my son:
- I did the full design in Fusion
- I cut out a couple of plywood discs on the X-Carve
- Put those discs in the laser engraver and engraved lettering and graphics on the discs
- While at the same time 3D printed a knob design
- Then I took the engraved discs, added a small piece of dowel to one, fit the second disc loosely over the dowel, friction fit the 3D printed knob to hold everything together for the assembled project.

Just used Fusion to design and implement all the pieces from start to finish and ensure they'll fit together when assembled.

 

[Mario Turcot]

Wow that look great, now I want a Tormek sharpening kit  [scared]

Mario

 

[RDMuller]

I have a Legacy Artly. For the time being they have 322 videos on Youtube.  Many of these deal with vcarve and aspire.  Videos