Bought a CNC machine

[Gary™]

I'm still chugging along with my modified Shapeoko 3.  Today I'm working on 5 Marriage Plaque commissions.  This is with Aspire but Vcarve Desktop or Pro could have done it.  I still love doing this type of work.

   

[jteneyck]

So, Tom, where are you at with your Bob's CNC?  Long time no update.  

John

[tablesawtom]

I have it assembled. The wiring still need to be hooked up. I am going to have a friend come up (north) and complete it. It gives us a reason to get together. The instructions are more than good enough for me to do it.

My shop is more than a mile away from my house so I need to get another computer to operate it. That is the hang up. I have to buy some software and I have decided on V Carve desk top. I have the computer specks needed to run it, but it is going to be in the $ 300- $350 range for the computer. Not to mention the cost of the software.

I would like to be able to use both computers to do the programming, but I would like to be able to do it at home and then take it over to the shop on a flash drive or something. And do it at the shop also.

I have a Walmart about 30 miles away but I am planning on goin to Best Buy with the specks to make sure I get what I need. It doesn't hurt to have some who knows what they are doing help you. The closest Best Buy is 70 miles away. I live 17 miles from the nearest stop light, so one has to plan trips. And the nearest hardware store is 18 miles away.

I have been making and selling Moxon hardware to complete my needed purchases. Being on a fixed income sucks, especially with the food and gas inflation going on.

And lastly it is prime wood working season for me. I am shut down in the winter ( no heat and we get a lot of below zero temps.)  So I am over at the shop when life doesn't get in the way. The nearest Big Box is 60 miles away and I am fast getting a list of things I need to pick up. So I have a lot of ground to cover on that trip. 

You asked where I am on the project and I have tried to be honest and tell you exactly where I am. The one thing I have going for me is I am patient.

I am sorry I am not farther along so I could give some recommendations. I think I am really going to enjoy the unit. I am a Tool and Die maker by trade and I built mostly Dies but some special machines also so I think this machine is going to be just fine.  

Tom

[jteneyck]

Thanks for the update Tom.  Keep at it.  It'll be well worth the effort.  If you intend to buy V-Carve I recommend you start watching their tutorials, if you have not already done so, as it will substantially shorten the learning curve once you get it.  And you can download it for free and use it without limitation.  You just can't create toolpaths until you actually buy it.  That means you can create any project you want, and save it.  Then when you buy it you'll be able to create and save the toolpaths from those files, and away you go.  

John

[tablesawtom]

   

   

   

Tom

[jteneyck]

Tom, I just noticed your update at the end of June.  That's quite an erector set you put together.  Do you have it running now?  

Mine is running pretty hard the past week or so.  I'm making another clock and there were a lot of parts to cut.  No way I would want to cut those gears by hand though I know many people have.  Yesterday I started what will likely end up taking nearly 70 hours of machining for a 2.5D carving of an old world map.  The roughing pass was a short 5-1/2 hrs.  The first finishing pass will take almost 8-1/2 hours; it's running now.  And tomorrow I will start the 50+ hour final finishing pass using a 0.5mm tapered ballnose endmill.   Even with the first finishing pass using a 1/8" tapered ballnose endmill the detail is pretty amazing.  



This is what it should look like when it's done.



John

[APZ]

Sweet map.  Can I ask where you got the model?

[tablesawtom]

My CNC machine is still in the same place it was 6 months ago. I did get a lap top and got the Vectric V carve pro program loaded but that is as far as I have got. I have been thinking about learning how the program works , but I procrastinate a lot. I have had trouble in the past with cad programs and trying to learn them and with no help it is frustrating. At 77 age can be an issue as far as learning new things go. Just writing excuses so I can put it off until another day.

It is January and  it has been cold. I am still working 5 hours a day (7-12) Monday Wednesday and Friday and a work day and snow removal can eat up a day anymore. My employer lets me use his machinery on my own time to do things so right now I have a K8C, a #7, a 606C, a 4 and a 3 to grind. I also acquired an older Craftsman shaper that I am planning on taking the table off and doing the machine work so I can mount a router lift to it. The cabinet will have to wait until spring. When I say mount, I mean get rid of the folic plate and mount the guts of the lift to the bottom of the table.

Anyway I have tings to make  so I can procrastinate a little more. But  but if you continue to ask maybe I will run out of excuses and actually get the the CNC machine running and producing something.

I will say, I work around metal cutting CNC machines 3 days a week. and I I have been around production machinery all my life and after putting this machine together I am very impressed at how solid a machine it is. My machine has a 24 by 24 work envelope and is expandable. The V carve program will only support  the 24 by 24 table but it is upgradable at half the cost. of the next more powerful program. The Makita router was included at $1,100 and there is no other machines on the market, with the work envelope it has, for anywhere near this price.

Anyway thank you for asking.

Tom

[tablesawtom]

Tom, I just noticed your update at the end of June.  That's quite an erector set you put together.  Do you have it running now?  

Mine is running pretty hard the past week or so.  I'm making another clock and there were a lot of parts to cut.  No way I would want to cut those gears by hand though I know many people have.  Yesterday I started what will likely end up taking nearly 70 hours of machining for a 2.5D carving of an old world map.  The roughing pass was a short 5-1/2 hrs.  The first finishing pass will take almost 8-1/2 hours; it's running now.  And tomorrow I will start the 50+ hour final finishing pass using a 0.5mm tapered ballnose endmill.   Even with the first finishing pass using a 1/8" tapered ballnose endmill the detail is pretty amazing.  



This is what it should look like when it's done.



John

Your work so far is impressive And your machines capability is impressive. 

Tom

[tablesawtom]

I was on Blackburntools.com and he has drawing of saw handles I am interested in . I think that is something I think I would be interested in making on a CNC. Now I have a need to get it up and running.
He does have drawings that can be down loaded.

Tom