[JerryBurks]

Yeah, it took a few hours... Anyway, how many sheets of bamboo ply did your machine take to build?

Sorry for your time loss :wave:

If I remember correctly (it is almost 3 years ago, can't believe it...) I used 2 full sheets and then some. But I had to re-do a few pieces that I screwed up and maybe with better nesting I probably could have got away with 2 sheets. But my previous CNC that I used to cut the parts had only a 25"x25" work envelope. I had to cut the over-sized blanks from the bamboo sheet with a jigsaw first and then tile the tool path for the longer parts. The table surface under the extrusions was still too big and cut with a circular saw then hand drilled.

[Devastator]

Sorry for your time loss :wave:

Worth it. Actually it is the second time I've gone from start to finish on this thread. Thanks for the info. Researching materials for my next build.

[JerryBurks]

I think I am now pregnant with another machine idea. I purchased some nice steppers with integrated drive electronics on an impulse and could not help adding a few other components over the last few days. Ball screws, THK bearings and USB controller are on the way for a compact 21"x21"x8" machine. I am planning for a configuration where the entire machine is at gantry level suspended on 4 posts above the vacuum pod table with adjustable height and can flip up 90 degrees so that I can also machine the ends of long boards vertically. Another option may be to disconnect the machine from the table and lug around in the style of the Handibot concept. Or enclose the table space for heating and use with a 3d-printing head. Looks like a lot of interesting options.....

Not sure yet if I should call it "LittleBamboo" or maybe "ClumsiBot"

Once I get some design concepts on CAD I will start a new thread here. Of course I am blowing my original budget already but I am confident it will be under $1500 including electronics.

[ger21]

How about a horizontal spindle, like a mortise and tenon machine. Basically what you're talking about, but rotated 90°.

[JerryBurks]

How about a horizontal spindle, like a mortise and tenon machine. Basically what you're talking about, but rotated 90°.

Yes, that is kind of the idea. Y and X-axis are normally in one plane sitting horizontally about 8-10" above the table on 4 height-adjustable sturdy posts for surface machining.
But the whole contraption can be swiveled around the foot of 2 of those posts and locked so that the x/y plane is vertical and the spindle horizontal. Then I can machine joints into end grain of any length boards and they are easy to clamp flat onto the vacuum table.

So far spent including shipping with the friendly help of eBay....still some plywood, fasteners, switches etc. needed.
3 x/y Steppers/drives $264.5
z stepper/drive $106
3 x/y 1605 rolled Ball Screws (650mm) $300
1x z Ball Screw surplus, ground (370mm) $32.65
y-Rails 762mmx20mm THK $200
x Rails 698mmx12mm THK $125
z Rails 370mmx12mm THK $90
Planet-CNC MK2/4 USB controller/software $246
Total $1364.15

I still have 2 spare 48V supplies and 1.5kW spindle/vfd

[JerryBurks]

I bought a few ball end undercut "plunge" bits for my maze experiments (see somewhere further down here).

Today I put the 3/8" ball bit to a good use making new vacuum pods. So far I made such pods either with a groove and adhesive foam gasket tape inside or simple flat adhesive foam on top of the pod's surface. Actually I preferred the latter because easier to do and replace.

Anyway, I cut my new pods from 3/4" thick scrap piece bamboo (any nonporous sheet would probably work as well) creating a slightly undercut channel and then pushed a length of 3/8 EPDM closed cell foam cord into this groove. This protrudes about 0.1" above the surface but the undercut still holds the cord in place without any adhesive. I only used a small dab of silicone to join the cord ends.

It seals quite well with reasonably smooth (and non-porous) stock and holding the vacuum of my small 3/4hp GAST pump. The cord can be replaced easily when I happen to cut into it and for that matter I can make a new pod in minutes if I get really careless. The pod is 4.5" x 9" and the holding force does not let me remove the stock by hand without leverage.

[JerryBurks]

Not much news about the BigBamboo machine other than I am using it a lot. Also not much news about the ideas for the little machine mentioned earlier other than I have the key components sitting in a box and the beginning of a CAD model.

I spent most of my time latelyperfecting the finger/box joint software (I posted in the higher level forum about that but it was moved to the proper woodworking forum section where nobody goes anyway). The reason for posting here is mainly a pretty neat box that I made as a demo item for the finger joint software. Too late for Mothers' Day but I will find a good use for it.

[Devastator]

Love the random function on the corners.....Your creativity never ceases to amaze me.

[JerryBurks]

One more box joint project. A little smaller and not so random pattern but i find it cute:

This is a matchbox made from 0.1" Cocobolo and Alder. The outer shell and the drawer are both finger jointed with 0.08" finger width. All cut with a 1/16" diameter ballnose bit.

[CarveOne]

Doggone nice work Jerry!

[Devastator]

Most impressive.

[JerryBurks]

Another two of my latest projects on the CNC machine:

Twisted legs of my kitchen table (done with the indexer/ 4th axis):


Box jointed drawers of the same table:


Finger jointed dice parts (just a demo thing, no practical use):


Dice glued and finished with laquer:

[Devastator]

That table will be passed along for many generations, it is very well made. Neat looking dice too.

[mountaindew]

Impressive!
I noticed what looks like reinforced gel coat finish on the material used for the matchboxes .
Very clever way to stabilize the grain and finish.
md

[JerryBurks]

Impressive!
I noticed what looks like reinforced gel coat finish on the material used for the matchboxes .
Very clever way to stabilize the grain and finish.
md

Hmm, that would be a clever approach but maybe I am not that clever
The finish is actually only a Danish oil soak (wiped off and dried overnight) as a base and then 4 or 5 sprays automotive rattle can clear coat in quick sequence (Duplicolor DA1692, much cheaper and better than nitro lacquer). Then a quick wet sand with 1000 grit and polishing with Mother's.

Or if you mean the glass fiber under the wood that is just double sided carpet tape to mount the thin wood sheets for machining.

[JerryBurks]

I finally launched the finger/box joint software for public consumption. If you are interested in such stuff you can find more information here.

Some more demo samples that I did lately:

[pippin88]

Stunning

[PaulRowntree]

Very cool Jerry! Congratulations!

[JerryBurks]

Have not posted for a while but the BigBamboo machine is still going strong. To support my projects with box and dovetail joints I made a special miter clamp frame that makes sure the joints are well seated before the glue starts setting and the box sides are really square.

[Wackamazoo]

What kind of material did you make the box clamp out of?