Box Creator - How to use... one error

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zeighty
Posts: 41
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2018 2:05 am
Model of CNC Machine: Piranha XL

Box Creator - How to use... one error

Post by zeighty »

The Box Creator is giving me a few challenges that are a bit more frustrating than I want to figure out.
First, I don't think I really know how to use it. Let me clarify, I know what numbers, except the best allowance, to enter. I select the type of joint. Press okay and I am shown the drawing and toolpath. What do I do with this? I only want to cut one piece at a time.
They do not fit on the material I setup. It appears that the vectors are offset as well (I tried moving one).
When I press okay to create the box, I get the message "Can't arrange fast enough" as well.
I am doing my best to make a box: 11.75w x 10d x 4h. I think the vectors produced are close, but not perfect. I used the measuring tool and the width was 11.88, which is way off perfect.
How do I arrange or rearrange each piece for actual cutting? Can I put each on its own layer?
is there a reason that the gadget has to create the tool paths?
So do any of you have a how-to or cheat sheet of instructions to effectively use this gadget? Thank you so much in advance.

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Adrian
Vectric Archimage
Posts: 14504
Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 2:19 pm
Model of CNC Machine: ShopBot PRS Alpha 96x48
Location: Surrey, UK

Re: Box Creator - How to use... one error

Post by Adrian »

Depends which type of joint you're using with it. If you're using the square tabs option then it creates a normal toolpath that you can recalculate after moving things around.

If you're using the dovetail option then that is a special type of toolpath that can't be recalculated so you can't move the parts.

If you only want to machine one part at a time then uncheck the "Faces to Machine" for everything apart from the one you want want to make.

At the end of the day gadgets just put together a whole lot of manual steps. There's nothing the gadget does that you can't do by using the standard tools that come with the software it's just that the gadget makes it easier if it's something you're going to be doing over and over.

zeighty
Posts: 41
Joined: Thu Jul 26, 2018 2:05 am
Model of CNC Machine: Piranha XL

Re: Box Creator - How to use... one error

Post by zeighty »

Thank you. Do you have tips on the joint width for dovetail? I tried making a box 12w x 10d x 4h.
1.25 joint width resulted in "joint width too small" message. 1.26 "joint width to large".
I tried a box 12w x 10d x 12h - "selected tool will not fit between joints".
.125 end mill was the tool.
Thank you for your patience.

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Adrian
Vectric Archimage
Posts: 14504
Joined: Thu Nov 23, 2006 2:19 pm
Model of CNC Machine: ShopBot PRS Alpha 96x48
Location: Surrey, UK

Re: Box Creator - How to use... one error

Post by Adrian »

Sorry, I don't use the gadget so I've got no experience of what the settings should be.

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