making a curved shape (part for my car)

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keastab
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Re: making a curved shape (part for my car)

Post by keastab »

highpockets wrote:Dwayne and Leo are both giving good alternatives to creating a piece from scratch.

I've used a probe to do modeling before and it's great for 2.5d stuff, but a bit more fiddly for true 3D. I highly recommend the probe from Crafty CNC http://www.craftycnc.com . The guy is great, there was a conflict between the software he ships with his probe and Screen 2010. He worked with the Screen 2010 guy to resolve the issue. Big thumbs up to both!!!!

As for Dwayne's suggestion of Kinect, from what I've seen (not used) it looks like it would do a great job and give you a true 3D part. I've been looking into getting this setup for a while now.

I actually happen to have one of the Crafty cnc probes along with the probit software. I have not set it up yet to test thing out with but hope to soon. I have not heard of the kinect but will give it a look see too. I ahve not seen any of his probes for sale in about a year though. I want another one for a friends machine.

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highpockets
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Re: making a curved shape (part for my car)

Post by highpockets »

TReischl wrote:Mr HighPockets. . .

I checked out the probe site. He references that he sells on eBay and Etsy. But I could find anything on either one. Maybe it is just me, or maybe he has stopped selling.
He only puts them on eBay when he has some made and ready to sell. I sent Eric an email and ordered one.
John
Maker of Chips

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martin54
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Re: making a curved shape (part for my car)

Post by martin54 »

I know it would be faster (and easier) to make the mold with casting epoxy. but my problem lies in the fact that I can not cut a straight line to save myself.

Well then you need more practice which you won't get using the CNC :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Funny enough I've used my CNC for jobs that should be quicker or easier done another way but knew I would struggle to get as good a result because of my inexperience with some other tools :oops: :oops:

keastab
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Location: Webster florida

Re: making a curved shape (part for my car)

Post by keastab »

martin54 wrote:I know it would be faster (and easier) to make the mold with casting epoxy. but my problem lies in the fact that I can not cut a straight line to save myself.

Well then you need more practice which you won't get using the CNC :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

Funny enough I've used my CNC for jobs that should be quicker or easier done another way but knew I would struggle to get as good a result because of my inexperience with some other tools :oops: :oops:
I worked with a finish carpenter when I was laid off for 2 years. He let me measure and layout things, but after the first couple of disasters he never let me cut anything again (I laid out ALL of his projects but never cut one after those couple of fiascos.) :oops: I could layout all the top wall ornamental molding, cabinet molding and anything else that needed an angle cut about 3 times faster and more accurate and tighter angles than any of the crew that had been there with him forever. I still suck at cutting and that's why I got into CNC work. it cuts straight so I don't have to make 40 attempts and doing it! :mrgreen:
here is my attempt at 2 rail sweep. I cheated and drew a line on either end of the part and used the curved line for the z height then cut it out using profile. I know there is a way to fill the shape with the proper curve but have not watched enough videos to figure it out

this should work for my cut and the cutout since I added .0625 offset in the areas that needed to leave the .040 plastic flange on near the back edge
test piece
test piece
one side test piece2.jpg

I cheated and made an epoxy one(6 pack pattern) to double my chances of making a correct part, but now comes the scary cutting it out part.
and
now all I have to do is arrange it into the 24" x 24" pattern leaving plenty of space from the edge and cutting a hard maple block with alignment holes to locate it on the cnc (I hope so anyway)
thanks for all your ideas and solutions for helping me get started. (I have a ton more videos to go through before I even have an idea on what to ask about though)

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martin54
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Re: making a curved shape (part for my car)

Post by martin54 »

Cutting it out shouldn't really be that scary if it looks good in the toolpath preview. Learn to trust what you see in the preview & if your finished part comes out differently then the cause is normally machine or control software related :lol: :lol:

Rather than just watching the tutorials you may find it more beneficial to download the tutorial files that accompany most of the tutorials & then follow along using the tutorial files. A duel monitor set up is handy for this if you have one as it allows you to watch on one screen & follow along on the other :lol:

Looking forward to seeing some of your moulds & some finished parts :lol: :lol:

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Leo
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Re: making a curved shape (part for my car)

Post by Leo »

keastab wrote:
Leo wrote:There is a bit more about cross sections in the Manual, under 2 rail sweep.
I've got it marked and am playing with it now. I'm close to getting what I want THANKS
The section I am referring to is not a video.

I could not find a video describing the cross sections.

In the manual, it is reading material - not a video.
The manual has the information on multiple cross sections.
Imagine the Possibilities of a Creative mind, combined with the functionality of CNC

keastab
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Re: making a curved shape (part for my car)

Post by keastab »

Leo wrote:
keastab wrote:
Leo wrote:There is a bit more about cross sections in the Manual, under 2 rail sweep.
I've got it marked and am playing with it now. I'm close to getting what I want THANKS
The section I am referring to is not a video.

I could not find a video describing the cross sections.

In the manual, it is reading material - not a video.
The manual has the information on multiple cross sections.


got it downloaded into microsoft word and am trying to read it and watch any videos relating to that. took a bit of time to download it as a screen capture. but just clicked in single page view and went from there.

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martin54
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Re: making a curved shape (part for my car)

Post by martin54 »

Have you worked you way through the 2 rail sweep tutorial ? Some of that covers using more than one cross section between 2 rails :lol: :lol:

http://support.vectric.com/tutorials/V9 ... ideo_id=68

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Leo
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Re: making a curved shape (part for my car)

Post by Leo »

martin54 wrote:Have you worked you way through the 2 rail sweep tutorial ? Some of that covers using more than one cross section between 2 rails :lol: :lol:

http://support.vectric.com/tutorials/V9 ... ideo_id=68
Excellent - GREAT demonstration by Vectric - GREAT find by Martin - Thank you both
Imagine the Possibilities of a Creative mind, combined with the functionality of CNC

keastab
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Posts: 52
Joined: Thu Feb 27, 2014 6:04 pm
Model of CNC Machine: Solsylva vbearing 45"x72"
Location: Webster florida

Re: making a curved shape (part for my car)

Post by keastab »

Ok this is my take on the shape I needed. probably not the easiest way or even correct but it worked!
my major hangup was I couldn't envision how to get to the curved shape as a model without doing a profile cut to shape it outside when I really wanted it to be shaped as a 3d model I could save without using a profile toolpath to shape it. reading the doc's pushed my mindset to "ok it can be done so why can't I think of how it's supposed to work , keep reading dummy. HAH found it in the modeling section


first I made the curved Z height shape sort of a long stretched out s by using the 2 rails on (just straight lines ) either end of my DXF shape.
Second I then selected the shape and the model and chose on the modeling pulldown "reset outside selected vectors"
the resulting model and mirrored it for the opposite hand part aaaaaaaand. IT WAS AWESOME!!!!
3 steps and I created a part I can now nest into a 22 inch square and vacuforn 3 sets of left and right parts. mow I gotta figure out how to do multiple toolpaths in v9... thank all of you for the help in pointing me to ways to do this thing. found it in Clearing or Splitting Components section and everything clicked....
yipee!

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Leo
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Re: making a curved shape (part for my car)

Post by Leo »

Fantastic.

Glad you found a way to do what you wanted. :D
Imagine the Possibilities of a Creative mind, combined with the functionality of CNC

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