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  #121  
Old Fri 16 May 2008, 09:32
ekdenton
Just call me: Ed #8
 
Alamogordo, NM
United States of America
I did earlier but my domain name had expired, they had my old email and couldn't notify me, it's up again. As I learn more and do some wood cutting I will try to put more short video up. It's on the last page of this site

www.pueblopipesteel.com
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  #122  
Old Sun 18 May 2008, 19:40
Roadkill_321
Just call me: John #7
 
Wiseton, Saskatchewan
Canada
Ed,
Congratulations on your new machine. It looks (and sounds) great. Great job!

John
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  #123  
Old Tue 20 May 2008, 08:13
ekdenton
Just call me: Ed #8
 
Alamogordo, NM
United States of America
first small project

I engraved the part values on a turret board for a 1987Marshall tube amp, that I am building for a customer. It turned out okay but I think on the next one I will work on the font or the depth of engraving better next time so that it is easier to read. I was pretty excited though for a first try. I was a nervous wreck thinking the bit would crash through the material and table, being the first job for it. Kept my hand on the estop button for awhile until I could see that It was going well.

I am going to make a faceplate also out of the layered plastic so that when engraved the inner color highlights the lettering, I just have to find the website for the plastic.
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File Type: jpg DSC00072.JPG (79.7 KB, 1144 views)
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  #124  
Old Tue 20 May 2008, 11:17
sailfl
Just call me: Nils #12
 
Winter Park, FL
United States of America
Ed,

When I get my machine built, I am thinking of engraving plates also so I will be interested in your progress.
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  #125  
Old Tue 20 May 2008, 16:25
ekdenton
Just call me: Ed #8
 
Alamogordo, NM
United States of America
This may be a silly question but.........

If your doing a job that has multiple tool paths and requires changing tools, are you supposed to save each tool path that uses a new tool as it's own gcode,so that you will be able to change tools, or do you do the whole project as one gcode and use the pause/resume for tool changes?

I am doing a plaque for my wife that need a 1/4 endmill for the outer profile, but the lettering and everything else will be done with a 90 degree bit.
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  #126  
Old Tue 20 May 2008, 18:18
Marc Shlaes
Just call me: Marc
 
Cleveland, OH
United States of America
Send a message via Skype™ to Marc Shlaes
Ed,

I use SheetCam and it has built-in facilities for tool changes. Basically, with SheetCam, you place each separate Milling operation on a layer in your drawing. Then, in, SheetCam, you assign an operation to a layer and using a bit defined in your tool collection. It is easier than it sounds. Do you use Skype? I could give you a quick demonstration of Sheetcam and let you watch over the internet. It would take you about 10 seconds to see it and have that "AHA" moment.

I know that Doug Ford also uses SheetCam. Let me know. Happy to help.
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  #127  
Old Wed 21 May 2008, 07:47
ekdenton
Just call me: Ed #8
 
Alamogordo, NM
United States of America
Thanks Marc,
I looked at SheetCam but decided to go with Vcarve pro because it seemed to be more user friendly and has a few more features that work easier with the type of stuff that I would like to do. I see it has the layers on Vcare and probably works the same or simmilar. Guess I should watch a couple of demo tutorials.
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  #128  
Old Wed 21 May 2008, 08:53
Marc Shlaes
Just call me: Marc
 
Cleveland, OH
United States of America
Send a message via Skype™ to Marc Shlaes
I plan to buy VCarve Pro as well but plan to use it for carving. I still plan to use SheetCam for cutting out 2d parts. I would love your thoughts on Vcarve Pro once you get better at using it. Please keep us posted. Thanks.
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  #129  
Old Wed 21 May 2008, 17:23
ekdenton
Just call me: Ed #8
 
Alamogordo, NM
United States of America
little plaque I made

I did a little plaque for my wife, she is a park ranger at the White Sands Natl. Mon. I made if from some left over bubinga wood that I had used on a guitar. It looks really nice, but I can see some small flaws with the carving. The second cutt pass on the lettering was off slightly. I am not sure what caused that. I am in the shortest spring tension holes for the motor springs, wonder if it would help to tighten those up to the middle hole? Anything else I might check?
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File Type: jpg Kathy's plaque.jpg (54.7 KB, 1106 views)
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  #130  
Old Wed 21 May 2008, 17:59
sailfl
Just call me: Nils #12
 
Winter Park, FL
United States of America
Ed,

It looks very nice.
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  #131  
Old Wed 21 May 2008, 19:12
Robert M
Just call me: Robert
 
Lac-Brome, Qc
Canada
Send a message via Yahoo to Robert M Send a message via Skype™ to Robert M
I can only imagine how your hart started racing when you saw the first « steps » of your new MM !!
Now, you fell joy after so many efforts inn for this new beast to work & at the same time worry about you little mishap &!?
Surly your wife will still be trill & grateful !

Wishing you success with your new toy.
That is… a toy only for grown boys
Robert
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  #132  
Old Wed 21 May 2008, 21:14
dmoore
Just call me:
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ekdenton View Post
I did a little plaque for my wife, she is a park ranger at the White Sands Natl. Mon. I made if from some left over bubinga wood that I had used on a guitar. It looks really nice, but I can see some small flaws with the carving. The second cutt pass on the lettering was off slightly.
Did it loose some steps? You know I battled a problem with Mach3 and loosing steps in my Z - installed the new "alpha" version and it fixed the problem... go figure...

Also be sure to do the test on the diagnostics page where you tell the axis to move x inches and then you measure it to make sure it moved the intended length.

Also including some close up photos of the problem might help to narrow down the problem.
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  #133  
Old Thu 22 May 2008, 09:01
ekdenton
Just call me: Ed #8
 
Alamogordo, NM
United States of America
here is a close up. The feed rate was 100ipm. This is about the hardest wood that I have ever seen, when you drill it the shavings come off the drill in a cork screw like steel, and it will polish bare with no finish coatings.

I am wondering if it may have shifted slightly, maybe only a few thousandths of an inch within the clamps I used since it is such hard wood. Today I will try the same carve with soft pine and see if the results are the same.
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File Type: jpg close up lettering.jpg (85.8 KB, 1097 views)
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  #134  
Old Thu 22 May 2008, 09:24
sailfl
Just call me: Nils #12
 
Winter Park, FL
United States of America
Ed,

I know you just started cutting with you machine but how new is your bit? That might also make a difference.
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  #135  
Old Thu 22 May 2008, 09:25
smreish
Just call me: Sean - #5, 28, 58 and others
 
Orlando, Florida
United States of America
Ed,
Your test is what I was going to suggest. On very hard material, a few thousands is a mile when cutting. My initial thought is the part moved. Try on MDF or similar solid material (or soft pine) and see what you get. MDF usually shows the tool path line the best.

Last edited by smreish; Sat 24 May 2008 at 07:17..
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  #136  
Old Thu 22 May 2008, 13:14
dmoore
Just call me:
 
Quote:
Originally Posted by ekdenton View Post
here is a close up. The feed rate was 100ipm. This is about the hardest wood that I have ever seen, when you drill it the shavings come off the drill in a cork screw like steel, and it will polish bare with no finish coatings.

I am wondering if it may have shifted slightly, maybe only a few thousandths of an inch within the clamps I used since it is such hard wood. Today I will try the same carve with soft pine and see if the results are the same.
I assume the error is the shift of the base of the letters to the left in the photo? Is so, is this shift exactly the same throughout or does it "grow" as it moves accross the part? Other than a bit change to do the flats at the bottom, was the job stopped on the v-bit at anytime and restarted (such as hitting a limit or a false trigger limit switch)? Have you run the step calibration tests in Mach3 on X, Y and Z - did they come up correctly (running from 0 to 97, 0 to 49, 0 to ?)?

Can you post the g-Code or source file (v-carve?)?
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  #137  
Old Thu 22 May 2008, 16:27
WTI
Just call me: James
 
Detroit (Michigan)
United States of America
Is it possible that the bit slipped upwards in the collet?
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  #138  
Old Thu 22 May 2008, 17:33
ekdenton
Just call me: Ed #8
 
Alamogordo, NM
United States of America
It seemed to be random, or inconsistant and got worse each time I ran a gcode. I readjusted my vgroove wheels and ran a dial indicator on the z slide and it was holding steady with no side to side movement.

I was about ready to think it was incorrect setup in mach 3 or something. I started trying by hand to move parts on the MM to see if there was any movement and the x axis had about 3mm of play or movement. I pulled the motors and the pinion setscrews were loose. Not sure if I forgot to tighten them or if the vibration caused them to come loose. I fixed that and now it is working alot better.

Feel kinda foolish for not checking those before hand
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  #139  
Old Thu 22 May 2008, 19:25
J.R. Hatcher
Just call me: J.R. #4
 
Wilmington, North Carolina
United States of America
Send a message via Skype™ to J.R. Hatcher
Ed may I suggest backing the grub screw (Gerald's term) out 1 at the time and putting loctite on them. Make sure it's the type that can be removed.
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  #140  
Old Thu 22 May 2008, 20:59
Greg J
Just call me: Greg #13
 
Hagerman, New Mexico
United States of America
Self-locking "set screws" (grub screws) are also available.

Removal is quite easy.
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  #141  
Old Fri 23 May 2008, 05:07
DMS
Just call me: Sharma #9 India
 
Rajasthan
India
Quote:
Self-locking "set screws" (grub screws) are also available.
Greg,
Could you plz elaborate what are these ?
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  #142  
Old Fri 23 May 2008, 06:29
Greg J
Just call me: Greg #13
 
Hagerman, New Mexico
United States of America
Sharma,

McMaster Carr (www.mcmaster.com)
Part Number: 98796A132

That part number is for an assortment of different sizes.
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  #143  
Old Fri 23 May 2008, 10:44
ekdenton
Just call me: Ed #8
 
Alamogordo, NM
United States of America
Thanks, I will either get some removable locktite or order the self locking ones, I sure don't need that to happen on an expensive wood project.

Cutting wonderfull now, it is amazing the detail that the vcarve did on the park service logo trees , mountain, and arrowhead. Lettering is good now also. A little final sanding and a tung oil finish and it will be ready.
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File Type: jpg DSC00079 (2).JPG (105.4 KB, 1083 views)
File Type: jpg DSC00080.JPG (100.6 KB, 1089 views)
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  #144  
Old Fri 23 May 2008, 10:52
domino11
Just call me: Heath
 
Cornwall, Ontario
Canada
ED,
Great looking sign! I also read somewhere if you need some removable locktite in a flash, go raid your wifes nail polish. It will hold the screw a bit better but will still be removable. Dont know if it is as strong as the real stuff but will work in a pinch. I wonder if she has it in Mechmate blue?
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  #145  
Old Fri 23 May 2008, 11:43
Greg J
Just call me: Greg #13
 
Hagerman, New Mexico
United States of America
WOW, nice work Ed.

I'm hoping to get motors turning this holiday weekend, but my wife wants to go to Las Cruez and pick up a new car.
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  #146  
Old Fri 23 May 2008, 12:28
smreish
Just call me: Sean - #5, 28, 58 and others
 
Orlando, Florida
United States of America
Ahhh, the set screw issue.
Gerald also has (and me too) ground another flat spot on the pinion shaft so the set screws set against a flat surface and not the round. The Oriental Motors only provide 1 flat spot. Those "little" motor's have a lot of torque....thus...lock it down!

Congratulations on a great looking sign. Only a "SIGN" of things to come from the Mechmates in the desert SW.

Have a good holiday.
Sean
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  #147  
Old Fri 23 May 2008, 19:35
DMS
Just call me: Sharma #9 India
 
Rajasthan
India
Ed,

Its amazing to see MM's capacity. Really nice work. How much time it took?

Greg,
Thanks for info.
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  #148  
Old Sat 24 May 2008, 08:10
ekdenton
Just call me: Ed #8
 
Alamogordo, NM
United States of America
Sharma,
I spent about an hour on the computer, and about the same setting up and actual cutting. I wouldn't think too much about that though because I am new to this and I took my time and had the MM cutting at about 60ipm. It could have probably been done from start to finish with vcarve and MM in about 30min to an hour I would guess maybe faster if you know what your doing.
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  #149  
Old Sat 24 May 2008, 08:11
ekdenton
Just call me: Ed #8
 
Alamogordo, NM
United States of America
now that I have it saved though the next one will be very fast.
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  #150  
Old Wed 28 May 2008, 06:22
Greg J
Just call me: Greg #13
 
Hagerman, New Mexico
United States of America
Ed,

Here are the links for the dust control system.
The first one is Bill Pentz's site. Everything you ever wanted to know about dust control, but were afraid to ask.

http://billpentz.com/woodworking/cyclone/index.cfm

The second link is ClearVue's site.

http://www.clearvuecyclones.com/
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