Please help me locate the information I need

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Ken R
Posts: 7
Joined: Thu Jun 10, 2021 1:30 am
Model of CNC Machine: Shapeoko

Please help me locate the information I need

Post by Ken R »

I'm a newbie to my Shapeoko Pro and to Vcarve. I've gotten familiar with the basics and could use some advice as to where I can read up on what it is I have in mind to do.

I want to carve a repeating cut-out into a 3" x 3" by 72" long by 1/4" thick aluminum 'L' on one side along its entire length. The cut-out will be centered along the x-axis and be approximately 8" long and 1" wide with 1" diameter ends (rounded ends). Naturally, I will need to reposition the piece at least three times to accomplish this. Of course, I will begin with wood before moving on to aluminum. If it matters, I'm making a custom roof rack for my vehicle and these will be the side rails.

Can anyone offer some advice or recommend some videos where I can learn the best way to 'register' or re-zero the piece each time it's moved with the table and spindle so as to maintain a very close X and Y-axis alignment; It doesn't need to be dead nuts perfect, just as close as is practically possible.

Thanks for taking the time to help :)

wb9tpg
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 456
Joined: Tue Sep 04, 2018 2:49 pm
Model of CNC Machine: Shapeoko 3 XL

Re: Please help me locate the information I need

Post by wb9tpg »

As a Shapeoko user who's cut aluminum before I'd use my chop saw to but the piece into 3 pieces before machining it. Why make the project more complex than you need to....

Wear safety glasses as the chips go everywhere.

To make copies of the part in the design you could use 'Array Copy' toolpath

If you really want to do it the way you proposed you need to read up on "Tiling" or just do the design for one 'set' and then move the piece and rerun the job until you have all 3 sets done.
Gary Mitchell
Kentucky, USA

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adze_cnc
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Re: Please help me locate the information I need

Post by adze_cnc »

If the original poster wants three 2-foot long pieces that would work. If he wants the final piece to remain as a 6-foot long piece not so good.

I wondered about a jig that has a slot that you can slide the track along after finishing cutting one pocket. The jig would have a locator protrusion that the previously cut pocket would fit over to align for the next pocket cut.

When modelling the pocket cuts the XY zero point would be the center of the pocket to be cut out.

The other option is to buy an L that already has slots in it such as those used for shelving.

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FixitMike
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Re: Please help me locate the information I need

Post by FixitMike »

You need a guide rail to locate the bar. Clamp a length of wood running in the Y axis to your table, and machine one edge so it is parallel to the Y axis. Place a marks at Y=0 and Y=24". Then clamp the aluminum to the table next to the guide rail, mark it at the 24" mark. When it is machined, move it down so the mark aligns with the 0" mark and repeat, including a new mark. (The distance between the marks can be changed to suit the repeat distance.)
This is a method that can be used for tiling, also.

You may wish to cut a small rabbet in the guide rail to clear the corner of the aluminum bar before you machine the edge.
Guide bar for aluminum.png
Good judgement comes from experience.
Experience comes from bad judgement.

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