Creat Staircase Column Tool Path with Vectric

This section is for general discussion about Gadgets
bswdcad
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2016 11:47 am
Model of CNC Machine: MasterWood

Creat Staircase Column Tool Path with Vectric

Post by bswdcad »

Hello. We have a lathe machine and need to make some columns for staircases like this one bellow.

Image

The problem is that I couldn't find a way to wrap the shape along the X axis and produce a baluster.

The actual wrapping gadgets seems that are not working in this particular case.

Bellow is a video of achieving this:

Creat Staircase Column Tool Path: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_8xsts0w5A

It is possible to make a Vectric gadget to wrap a shape along an axis for lathe machines?

User avatar
rscrawford
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 1102
Joined: Mon Jan 17, 2011 6:49 pm
Model of CNC Machine: CAMaster Cobra 408 ATC, ShopSabre IS408
Location: Wetaskiwin, Alberta
Contact:

Re: Creat Staircase Column Tool Path with Vectric

Post by rscrawford »

Do you have a lathe, or an indexer? Very different. With a lathe, all you need is a 2 dimensional vector. No point in creating a 3D wrapped model.

For an indexer, you'd need a 3D model.

A lathe would be WAY faster and WAY better at cutting those columns.
Russell Crawford
http://www.cherryleaf-rustle.com

User avatar
Rcnewcomb
Vectric Archimage
Posts: 5886
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 5:54 am
Model of CNC Machine: 24x36 GCnC/WinCNC with ATC
Location: San Jose, California, USA
Contact:

Re: Creat Staircase Column Tool Path with Vectric

Post by Rcnewcomb »

Here is one way of doing it with Aspire. This was just a quick-and-dirty attempt. Zip file attached.

But Russ is correct. This could be done with a simple 2D toolpath much faster.
BalusterExample.jpg
Attachments
BalusterExample.zip
(1.81 MiB) Downloaded 260 times
- Randall Newcomb
10 fingers in, 10 fingers out, another good day in the shop

bswdcad
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2016 11:47 am
Model of CNC Machine: MasterWood

Re: Creat Staircase Column Tool Path with Vectric

Post by bswdcad »

Thank you for the replays.

I have a Lathe machine. Have one dedicated axis that is rotating.

I know that I only need the 2D shape which is easy to draw. I just don't know how to wrap the 2D shape along the X axis and generate the G-code for the machine from Vcarve. Actually Aspire can do a two-rail sweep but the problem is that I have a licence only for Vcarve.

User avatar
Rcnewcomb
Vectric Archimage
Posts: 5886
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 5:54 am
Model of CNC Machine: 24x36 GCnC/WinCNC with ATC
Location: San Jose, California, USA
Contact:

Re: Creat Staircase Column Tool Path with Vectric

Post by Rcnewcomb »

For your lathe do you just need to translate XY movements into ZY movements?
- Randall Newcomb
10 fingers in, 10 fingers out, another good day in the shop

bswdcad
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2016 11:47 am
Model of CNC Machine: MasterWood

Re: Creat Staircase Column Tool Path with Vectric

Post by bswdcad »

Rcnewcomb wrote:For your lathe do you just need to translate XY movements into ZY movements?
Yes. I need to wrap the Y axis and translate the XY movement into XZ movement.
Lathe_shape.png

bravesoul
Vectric Craftsman
Posts: 198
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2014 8:53 pm
Model of CNC Machine: ShopBot PRT ALPHA 48"x96"
Location: Cleveland, TN
Contact:

Re: Creat Staircase Column Tool Path with Vectric

Post by bravesoul »

Vcarve Pro has the "Wrapping" gadget, easy to use, just need to use the appropriate post processor for indexing on X or Y axis. The post processor will do the translation of the x movement to b movement, I am wrapping the x axis with my lathe parallel to the y axis. I have a completely converted Rikon lathe (setup by Brady Watson) and it works great for 2d and 3d.

Joe

bswdcad
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2016 11:47 am
Model of CNC Machine: MasterWood

Re: Creat Staircase Column Tool Path with Vectric

Post by bswdcad »

Please can you give a short tutorial about your workflow. I just don't understand how you are achieving your result.

Vcarve Pro also have the Wrapping gadgets, just seems that they are built with other purposes in mind, I mean for indexer machines.

I have a lot of experience using routers but this is the first lathe machine I'm working with and I need to understand very precise everything to get good results.

bravesoul
Vectric Craftsman
Posts: 198
Joined: Thu Sep 11, 2014 8:53 pm
Model of CNC Machine: ShopBot PRT ALPHA 48"x96"
Location: Cleveland, TN
Contact:

Re: Creat Staircase Column Tool Path with Vectric

Post by bravesoul »

I guess my first question would be if you are using yours as a true lathe? or do you have a stepper motor attached to it? Mine can be used either way but so far I have only used it with the stepper motor being run by my cnc controller. As was previously mentioned, if you are using the lathe under it's own power, turned on a spinning, then you would only need the Y and Z moves, no X moves since you are not using X. You would also need it to run up and down the Y axis several times to be sure you don't leave any wood uncut. You also have to be very careful how fast you are spinning and the depth of the cut with each pass of the Y axis. Like I said I have not used mine running under it's own power but can imagine the issues that can come up. You would have to modify a post processor to leave out the X axis movements, translating only the Y and Z axis. Hope this helps.

Joe

bswdcad
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2016 11:47 am
Model of CNC Machine: MasterWood

Re: Creat Staircase Column Tool Path with Vectric

Post by bswdcad »

bravesoul wrote:I guess my first question would be if you are using yours as a true lathe?
Yes, it is a true lathe exactly like this one: COSEN CNC WOOD TURNING LATHE

User avatar
IslaWW
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 1402
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 11:42 pm
Model of CNC Machine: CNC Controller Upgrades
Location: Bergland, MI, USA

Re: Creat Staircase Column Tool Path with Vectric

Post by IslaWW »

You will not need to "wrap" the job to be able to cut the profile in your first post. Nor is a 3D model required. The profile can be cut on that machine with XY vectors.
Gary Campbell
GCnC Control
ATC & Servo Controller Controller Upgrades
GCnC411 (at) gmail.com

bswdcad
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2016 11:47 am
Model of CNC Machine: MasterWood

Re: Creat Staircase Column Tool Path with Vectric

Post by bswdcad »

IslaWW wrote:You will not need to "wrap" the job to be able to cut the profile in your first post. Nor is a 3D model required. The profile can be cut on that machine with XY vectors.
Ok. Understand this, but how I need to proceed to generate the gcode for lathe from a 2D shape? All the information I can find in this forum is about wrapped setups for doing this things.

User avatar
IslaWW
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 1402
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 11:42 pm
Model of CNC Machine: CNC Controller Upgrades
Location: Bergland, MI, USA

Re: Creat Staircase Column Tool Path with Vectric

Post by IslaWW »

This thread may explain the process: http://forum.vectric.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=21909

The lathe shown in your video will not require multiple passes, but the toolpath on vector process I the same.
Gary Campbell
GCnC Control
ATC & Servo Controller Controller Upgrades
GCnC411 (at) gmail.com

bswdcad
Posts: 45
Joined: Thu Feb 04, 2016 11:47 am
Model of CNC Machine: MasterWood

Re: Creat Staircase Column Tool Path with Vectric

Post by bswdcad »

IslaWW wrote:This thread may explain the process: http://forum.vectric.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=21909
Actually it is not explaining what I need to know. How I can get from Aspire a working gcode for lathe mashine, starting from a basic 2D shape.

User avatar
IslaWW
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 1402
Joined: Wed Nov 21, 2007 11:42 pm
Model of CNC Machine: CNC Controller Upgrades
Location: Bergland, MI, USA

Re: Creat Staircase Column Tool Path with Vectric

Post by IslaWW »

Here is a screenshot of the simple 2d vector (quick trace from your 1st picture) a profile toolpath "on vector" will yield the proper XY code. Z may have to be eliminated from the gcode file, or you may have to make a special postP that swaps the axes and removes code for the unneeded axes.
Spindle TP.JPG
Gary Campbell
GCnC Control
ATC & Servo Controller Controller Upgrades
GCnC411 (at) gmail.com

Post Reply