Yay for Awsome!

I have just got to finish mine! It's the next big project up and this program makes me want to hurry up :)

Be sure to leave a link to website that you use to sell the application when it is complete. I am interested in it as well. This is something that is definitely needed in the CNC woodworking arena. You should not have any problem in marketing this.

Agreed, Pete.

Wow. Looking at all the other tabs across the top, Ger it looks like you picked up the ball and ran to another stadium. Agree with everyone else here you are going to have a nice gem there when you are done.

lol................................. :)

Finally finished the code for through dovetails, and went out to do a test cut. Came out great.

This is a through joint where the tails are shorter than the board thickness, so one board gets a rabit. This allows you to make joints in thicker material with shorter tools.
I still need to code the opposite handed version of these, but I'm making good progress.

Awesome. How long until you have a version for purchase? I know how coding is so no date will surprise me.

No date is the answer. :)

I really don't know. I started almost 18 months ago, and then had to stop working on it for almost a year. I try to work on it a few days a week, but as it's getting warmer, I'm not sure how much time I'll be able to spend.

I also don't know how many features I'll end up adding. It's probably going to be another two weeks before I fully finish this current portion. Probably at least another month to finish the final dovetail portion. Then box joints, and mortise and tenons. I also found another cool joint I'm thinking of adding, but I'll have to wait and see. I also need to write a manual, which will take at least a few weeks.

Best case would probably be fall, maybe the end of the year. Worst case would probably be 10-12 months from now. If nothing comes up that takes away my time.

I think it will be worth the wait, especially if you need to make a lot of different dovetail joints. It's incredibly fast.
This was the first joint of this type that I cut. I walked in the garage, measured the wood, and picked up a bit. Entered the info, and I was ready to cut in 2 minutes.

Keep in mind that I'm not a programmer, so I'm about 10 times slower than a real programmer. Especially when I need to figure out how to do something.

Get it's looking awesome. Just keep us posted.

I write databases, some programs in VB and program robots to be controlled through VB. It can be painstaking at times. Just when you think you got it, you find a bug. That is why I said I know how coding is. I enjoy it but I am also glad I only have to do it at work. It looks great so far.

Awesome Gerry, will definitely be buying this when it is ready to go with your awesome screenset :)

Oh and being an ex-programmer I can fully understand the time it takes to do this stuff. Keep at it, you have an awesome seller right there......

Dovetails are finished !! Mostly.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y6MnVHmr2UY

I'm going to start writing a manual in a few days. My plan is to offer a limited number of pre-release/beta versions at a reduced price, hopefully around the beginning of September.
I need to get all my business stuff in place first.

Cool!! cant wait :)

Awesome Gerry, count me in!

Kinda makes that expensive dovetail jig I bought worthless...

You will need to fabricate some type of jig/fixture to get the most out of this. Ideally, you want something with a repeatable location, so you can just call a work offset whenever you want to cut dovetails.
I'll have a drawing of how I envision it in the manual.

Was wondering what work offsets were used for, now I know! Off to learn more in preparation for dovetails :)

Ger,

What controls the depth of the cuts? I would want to be able to cut deeper pass. Can that be changed in the software?

Thanks

If you watch the video in 1080p, and pause it about 10 seconds in, you'll see the parameters for both the dovetail and straight bits in the bottom left corner.
You can set the depth /pass for the straight bit to whatever you want, and you can omit the straight bit (roughing) altogether for the tails. With a more rigid machine than mine ;) you can cut that joint in about 30 seconds.

Hi Ger,

I am willing to test. Most of my work is furniture and cabinets. I can see where could also be easily set up mortise and tendon work also.

Great job. I am a buyer

AL

Just reviewed post #47 and see you have already have a tab for mortise and tendon. Way ahead of me.

Thanks

Mortise and tenons won't be added until the end of the year, after I add the box/finger joints.

I've spent the vast majority of my spare time working on this over the last 6 months.

I need to spend the next few months on documentation, website design, and the business end of it.

I'll get to it, but it's taking far longer than I'd hoped.

Hi Ger,

Count me in, been watching you for a while, it's looking good.
Software development takes time, I should know I've been a programmer for 25 years.
Take your time and get it right.
I'm a buyer for this.
Cheers
Andrew

I know about the business end. Tough.

I am willing to pre pay for the program at your projected price if that will help a I know others will you are very trusted on this site.

Thanks Al

Ger, I will purchase this when you say it is ready.

Thanks for the support, guys. Right now I'm looking out over the ocean in sunny Vancouver, British Columbia, while on a much needed vacation. But I'm spending a few hours each morning working on the manual.

Enjoy the time off. The manual can come later. :cool:

Gerry, if your going to come south towards Seattle let me know and I will buy you a beverage.

Kelly.

Thanks for the offer, but no, I won't be in the states out here, as we flew directly into Vancouver. Last time I was here we flew into Seattle and drove, but I didn't want to spend the time driving this time.

I hope you had a great vacation out here! the weather has been all over the chart this year. I am really impressed with your work on this! please ad my name to your Beta buyers list.

Making up some samples for website photos using different hardwoods for color contrast. I'm going to glue up 8-10 different joints, and sand and finish them for the pics.
First one is African Mahogany and Flamed Birch. Variable sized pins and tails.

Incredibly tight fit, and very clean cuts.

Oh you are just teasing now! :) Looks fantastic, can't wait to get my machine done and dusted so I am ready for when all this goes on sale......

Zvanderfull ;)

Gerry, they look great! Can't wait!

Not want to be nagging ( really impressive + i'm not a woodworker) just wondering;

however big or small they may be, it seems like there are on some joints gaps and others not ? in other words irregular results ? Or is this an optical illusion ?

And the fingers sticking out ever so slightly is that on purpose, so you sand them flat after glueing ?

In the end you need to glue it, so it actually should also not be too tight, right , to get the glue in ?

The small gap in the middle (about .01" or less) is the result of assembling and disassembling a few time, which crushed the wood a little. Thre's only really one small gap, which I think is the result of the board being warped, or deflection of the wood, as it's very thin at the top pin. For perfect joints, it's imperative that your stock is perfectly square and flat, and your zero positions are absolutely perfect. Any errors anywhere in the setup will show in the joint.
It's also part optical illusion. It's really a very good joint. If there were any inconsistencies, it wouldn't fit together.

Yes, the joints are purposely cut .02" long, which is sanded of after assembly.

You may or may not need some additional clearance for glue, depending on the type of glue used. There's a clearance setting in the software to adjust the fit.
Polyurethane glues (gorilla glue) and epoxies act as a lubricant, so you can have a very tight joint with those glues. Regular wood glues (Titebond) need some clearance, as they will make the joint actually seem tighter.

I'm making these to show the capabilities of the software, so the finished product will be perfect.

Sounds like you got everything covered, looking forward !

Awesome job Ger.

i believe your products are well planed and easy to use Gerry.hope will be on sale soon so that we can purchase.
good job.