Faster/better/template suggestion for common project steps

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MSchienle
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2019 2:12 am
Model of CNC Machine: Piranha Fx
Location: Valparaiso, Indiana, USA
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Faster/better/template suggestion for common project steps

Post by MSchienle »

Hi all -

I'm looking for a better way to create/import barrel hinges in a variety of boxes. Hobby woodworker here (software engineer by day), working with VCarve Pro (9.518) for 6 months now. CNC is Next Wave Automation's little Piranha Fx.

I'm using Soss 1/2" hinges, which use a 0.415" diameter hole, 0.48" deep, offset from the edge of the box 0.072" for clearance when opening. I use a pair of concentric circles, one for the hole itself, one for the offset to the edge of the box (I use a circle for the offset since about 1/2 the boxes are non-square) to lay it out each time. I use a pocket toolpath with a 1/4" end mill, clearing the pocket with offset and climb settings.

It's not a big deal to set those up for each box, but I would like to know if there's a simpler way to template this so the circles can be grouped/aligned and a toolpath would be already in place with a drag and drop or keystroke or three. I typically copy/paste from a previous project, but have a feeling there's a better way for repetitive things like this that I haven't discovered, yet. I've watched all the VCarve videos, but I may have missed something I wasn't ready to understand along the way.
Mike Schienle
Piranha Fx

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Adrian
Vectric Archimage
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Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 2:19 pm
Model of CNC Machine: ShopBot PRS Alpha 96x48
Location: Surrey, UK

Re: Faster/better/template suggestion for common project ste

Post by Adrian »

Drag and dropping the geometry is the way I do similar type jobs. The step you might be missing is the use of toolpath templates so you can have toolpaths automatically associated with those vectors. Creating/updating the toolpaths is just a matter of clicking the recalculate all button.

The way to make it totally automated is to write a gadget. I have many simple ones that I use for repetitive tasks.

MSchienle
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Feb 12, 2019 2:12 am
Model of CNC Machine: Piranha Fx
Location: Valparaiso, Indiana, USA
Contact:

Re: Faster/better/template suggestion for common project ste

Post by MSchienle »

Thanks, Adrian. I'll check out toolpath templates and gadgets.
Mike Schienle
Piranha Fx

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