[CarveOne]

Here is the file loaded to rhino and saved as a dxf. So you don't have to go through all that.

file too big to upload... you can get it here.

Wow! Thanks Arbo. A nearby buddy was working on it while I was out in the shop making a video of FandZ's baseplate being cut. He was partially successful.

The 720p HD .mov file is 30 minutes long and is 1.96Gb with sound. There doesn't seem to be a way to turn off the sound in the camera menus. I didn't find out how in the instruction booklet either. Bummer, as it makes the file size much larger with it enabled when you don't want to include sound.

I won't be able to upload it today, and probably not tomorrow either. Will see what I can do though.

CarveOne

[James Marshall]

Actually, that is a very good suggestion, and that's what I'm looking for. This restaurant is nicely decorated with old west type decor. Browns, yellows, etc. I would think that one of the reddish brown hues of terra cotta with other color faux stone chips in it would look nice. Question is will that stuff chew up the cutter? I don't know what they use to get the stone look. Anybody know?

CarveOne

Just getting back to this thread. If you are asking if lanimate or solid surface materials will chew up a bit I will say no. A carbide cutter may not last as long, but I have cut solid surface materials before and it cuts great. cabinet makers "trim" laminate all of the time with flush trim bits. I would suggest ramping the plunge. It has worked for me. If using either, one could mask off the top and paint cut areas with spray paint.........

[CarveOne]

Just getting back to this thread. If you are asking if lanimate or solid surface materials will chew up a bit I will say no. A carbide cutter may not last as long, but I have cut solid surface materials before and it cuts great. cabinet makers "trim" laminate all of the time with flush trim bits. I would suggest ramping the plunge. It has worked for me. If using either, one could mask off the top and paint cut areas with spray paint.........

Thanks for the info. The closest color to what I was thinking of is Sedona and it's a little more "stony" than I would like for the calendar. The price of anything big enough for this project will be too much for me to give as a gift. So it looks like I'm back to some sort of wood. So far my first choice is oak with clear pine a close second.

CarveOne

[CarveOne]

Thanks Arbo. The .dxf file opened fine in TurboCAD v16 Deluxe.

CarveOne

[CarveOne]

Just out of curiosity I downloaded Inkscape and found that it can import an AI file and then do a "Save As" and choose the DXF and polyline output options. It saved a 7.74 Mb file. (Looks like Inkscape really is a keeper.)

I loaded that into TurboCAD and it appeared as yellow lines in metric dimensions. I changed it to black lines and English units. Then scaled it to 35" x 35". After saving it from TurboCAD it had grown to 62.5 Mb. The lines are not closed polylines, but are polyline segments.

Just thought I would let folks know that there is a much less costly way to do this than the Rhino route.

CarveOne

[FandZ]

Just out of curiosity I downloaded Inkscape and found that it can import an AI file and then do a "Save As" and choose the DXF and polyline output options. It saved a 7.74 Mb file. (Looks like Inkscape really is a keeper.)

I loaded that into TurboCAD and it appeared as yellow lines in metric dimensions. I changed it to black lines and English units. Then scaled it to 35" x 35". After saving it from TurboCAD it had grown to 62.5 Mb. The lines are not closed polylines, but are polyline segments.

Just thought I would let folks know that there is a much less costly way to do this than the Rhino route.

CarveOne

I just downloaded inkscape the other day for routing pictures in wood. Still haven't had a chance to really mess with it but hopefully you'll beat me to it and I can bug you for answers

[FandZ]

Carveone, check out this page about inkscape when you get a chance. It should get your attention. cnc-club.ru •

[revwarguy]

Carveone, check out this page about inkscape when you get a chance. It should get your attention. cnc-club.ru •

I had no idea that inkscape had either a gear design extension or a gcode extension! Thanks for the heads up, guys!

[revwarguy]

I just generated a V carve tool path for the Mayan calendar (35 inch dia.) at 100 in/min feed rate (might be too much for oak) and its 9 hours 47 min 35 sec.

Might want to wait until you need to go into town! How big was that 720 HD movie?

[CarveOne]

Carveone, check out this page about inkscape when you get a chance. It should get your attention. cnc-club.ru •

Oooooohhhh! Cool!

CarveOne

[CarveOne]

I just generated a V carve tool path for the Mayan calendar (35 inch dia.) at 100 in/min feed rate (might be too much for oak) and its 9 hours 47 min 35 sec.

Might want to wait until you need to go into town! How big was that 720 HD movie?

~1.9Gb and it runs 30 minutes. May have to trim it with a movie editor first.
I'll have to go to my buddy's shop to upload it and put it online using his 10Mb DSL connection.

The weather here will be really nice through Monday. I have two roof coating jobs to do and visiting family on Saturday. CNC work is going to be non-existent over the weekend but maybe I can get the video posted. No promises.

CarveOne

[CarveOne]

I just generated a V carve tool path for the Mayan calendar (35 inch dia.) at 100 in/min feed rate (might be too much for oak) and its 9 hours 47 min 35 sec.

Might want to wait until you need to go into town! How big was that 720 HD movie?

Is that all cut at one fixed depth?

CarveOne

[revwarguy]

Max depth was set to .25 inch with a 60 degree bit. Depth at any point depends on distance between vector lines, up to .25.

[leibowitz]

[QUOTE=CarveOne;833583]~1.9Gb and it runs 30 minutes. May have to trim it with a movie editor first.
I'll have to go to my buddy's shop to upload it and put it online using his 10Mb DSL connection.



Bring it on CarveOne!!!!

[CarveOne]

[quote=leibowitz;834052]

~1.9Gb and it runs 30 minutes. May have to trim it with a movie editor first.
I'll have to go to my buddy's shop to upload it and put it online using his 10Mb DSL connection.



Bring it on CarveOne!!!!

Will do it. I don't have anything that will edit it though. I'll drop by your shop Sunday afternoon. Going to be busy with other things until then.

CarveOne

[jsantos]

Congrats Carveone! In reading thru the thread, it looks like you finally licked the stepover problem.

Man, your new machine looks good!

That Mayan calendar looks goodtoo! I think I'll try that. I got a bunch of round maple blanks from Rockler last week that might work very nicely with that calendar.

[CarveOne]

Congrats Carveone! In reading thru the thread, it looks like you finally licked the stepover problem.

Man, your new machine looks good!

That Mayan calendar looks goodtoo! I think I'll try that. I got a bunch of round maple blanks from Rockler last week that might work very nicely with that calendar.

I hope it's licked for good with the recent rewiring work. I need to cut another project with multiple step-downs to see what happens. That won't happen until early in the week.

If you get the chance to cut the Mayan calendar go for it. Maple should give you good results. I'll have to order the V bit, generate the gcode, and glue up some wood.

CarveOne

[revwarguy]

Hi Carve,

I am thinking about home switches. I was wondering if you were going to do anything in this regard, and if you had decided what type of switch (it seems I can find arguments both pro and con for just about any type) and placement - in a corner or in the middle of the axes, etc.

Thanks,

[CarveOne]

Hi Carve,

I am thinking about home switches. I was wondering if you were going to do anything in this regard, and if you had decided what type of switch (it seems I can find arguments both pro and con for just about any type) and placement - in a corner or in the middle of the axes, etc.

Thanks,

Eventually, I will install something. Low priority level for me. Maybe some of Romanlini's switches for the big machine. Having bought three of the M$ wireless mice recently I'm wondering how to steal parts out of them and have wireless magnetic limit switches.

I have 9 of the roller tip microswitches from CNC4PC I can install. I had them on the 25x37 machine and removed them because the urgency just isn't there at 30ipm max. Now that it can run at 250+ipm they may be useful.

I have only seen them mounted at each end of travel, and sometimes use the home switches as limits also. As for the arguments, they all have their justifications, so I would recommend picking something that fits your perceived needs and just do it. If you use any sort of lever switch, make sure you design it so that the axis can go past the switch and back up again without destroying the switch. Also try to mount the switch on a stationary surface so that the switch and the wiring don't need to move. Something like a double ramped block mounted to the moving parts can close the switch and then be backed off. In my old Solsylva 25x37 build log are some close-ups of how I did that.

CarveOne

[revwarguy]

I have only seen them mounted at each end of travel,
CarveOne

Yep, I initially had roller arm switches installed as limits, but I never seem to hit them unless I am jogging manually! Luckily, that hasn't happened in a while now.

As for the arguments, they all have their justifications, so I would recommend picking something that fits your perceived needs and just do it.
CarveOne

Well, unless I hear different I think I am going to go with hall effect sensors and a weak magnet; if I want to try cutting steel or iron, I'll have bigger problems to fix first before worrying about the home switches!