I am looking for something to do

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jimandi5000
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I am looking for something to do

Post by jimandi5000 »

Anyone have a need for a gadget? I am looking for something to do. I have time on my hands...
Thanks,
Jim

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Re: I am looking for something to do

Post by gkas »

jimandi5000 wrote:
Sun Aug 15, 2021 5:01 am
Anyone have a need for a gadget? I am looking for something to do. I have time on my hands...
Never...... Ever..... Let your wife know you posted that..... :lol: :lol:

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Re: I am looking for something to do

Post by adze_cnc »

Hello Jim,

What a great offer! Oh, by the way, pay no attention to that gkas behind the curtain...

One of the things that comes up with the v-inlay (Vcarve inlay, Zank inlay, etc.) method is cutting the plug on an under-powered machine. People complain the with a, say, 0.2in start depth and a 0.1 flat depth their machine will start milling between 0.2in and 0.3in of material in one go depending on the tool's step down.

If you check out the video link at: viewtopic.php?p=264755#p264755 you'll find that Stefan has a solution for that where you create multiple toolpaths that cut progressively deeper.

It would be nice to have a gadget that based on:
  • starting depth
  • flat depth
  • v-bit and straight bit step downs
Creates all those extra toolpaths automatically. Just a thought. I've not spent much time looking at the API so I don't know if this is possible but it should be.

Steven

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Re: I am looking for something to do

Post by wb9tpg »

I second Stevens suggestion....
Gary Mitchell
Kentucky, USA

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jimandi5000
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Re: I am looking for something to do

Post by jimandi5000 »

Hi Steven and Gary,

Hope you doing well...

I truly appreciate the suggestion but I think a gadget would be trying to fix something that's really not broken. Let me try to explain myself, after watching Stephan Forseilles video, unless I am missing it, he is not using the Cutting Depths correctly. As I understand the function, the Cutting Depths menu is to avoid cutting air.

Here's my example as I understand Cutting Depths - my stock is 10" x 8" and 2 inches thick in the center I have placed a rectangle that is approximately 6" x 4" with a 2" whole in the center. Viewing this from the top two rectangles and a circle all aligned from the center point. My desire is to have a 2 inch thick block with a pocket that is 6 x 4 that is 1 inch deep and a 2 inch whole through the entire block.

If I were to mill the pocket first and then mill the 2 inch hole. I would be cutting air for the whole for the first 1 inch. The Cutting Depth feature allows me to have the whole start cutting at 1 inch and avoid cutting air for that 1 inch.

In my first scenario:
Toolpath 1 - select the rectangle and create a toolpath for the 6" x 4" pocket cut 1 inch deep
Toolpath 1 - set with the Start Depth (D) = 0.0 and Cut Depth (C) = 2.0
Toolpath 2 - select the circle and create a toolpath for the 2 inch hole cut 2 inch deep
Toolpath 2 - set with the Start Depth (D) = 0.0 and Cut Depth (C) = 1.0
Note: Cut time: 00:49:38

In my second scenario:
Toolpath 1 - select the rectangle and create a toolpath for the 6" x 4" pocket cut 1 inch deep
Toolpath 1 - set with the Start Depth (D) = 0.0 and Cut Depth (C) = 1.0
Toolpath 2 - select the circle and create a toolpath for the 2 inch hole cut 1 inch deep
Toolpath 2 - set with the Start Depth (D) = 1.0 and Cut Depth (C) = 1.0
Note: Cut time: 00:43:24

If Stephan had set his start depth at 0.0 and his Flat Depth at 9.0mm the software automatically creates a series of pass depths for the tool he selected.

Please help me or correct me if I'm getting it wrong.
Attachments
Screenshot 2021-08-15 105553.jpg
Screenshot 2021-08-15 105631.jpg
Screenshot 2021-08-15 105820.jpg
Thanks,
Jim

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Re: I am looking for something to do

Post by FixitMike »

When one makes a male insert for the Zank inlay method, the start depth is used to set the amount the inlay will set into the female. There is no pocket cut to remove the material above the start depth, so there is material where the program expects to cut air. This is necessary for this method to work for the inlay, but causes the first pass to remove much more material than the what the tool pass depth is set for. Perhaps this picture will help: Note how the inlay start depth sets into the base.
VCarve Inlay.png
Additional information here: viewtopic.php?p=243339#p243339
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Re: I am looking for something to do

Post by adze_cnc »

Hello Jim,

Perhaps the attached file (two CRV files compressed into one ZIP file) will help.

The file to look at in particular is the "crab plug.crv" file. The left hand vectors plus the "crab inlay 1" toolpath is how you'd cut this if your machine is robust enough. The right hand vectors plus the two sets of "crab inlay 2" toolpaths is how you might cut the same plug if your machine is underpowered.

Steven

EDIT: the "crab inlay 2 pre-score path eliminates all the material above 1/8" depth so that the "crab inlay 2" path can start at 1/8" and continue down to 1/4" (start depth + flat depth) without plowing through the material between 0 and 1/8". The start depth and flat depth of "crab 2 pre-score" are that way to preserve the slope of the plug.

If it is was start depth 0 and flat depth 1/8" it would cut the plug to large. That's not too serious as "crab inlay 2" would shear that excess off.
Attachments
crab inlay test.zip
VCarve version 9.519 file
(1 MiB) Downloaded 116 times

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FixitMike
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Re: I am looking for something to do

Post by FixitMike »

My thoughts for a Zank inlay gadget:
1. Start with the file and toolpath for the female base.
2. Enter the male inlay specifications: Flat area cleanup tool, how far the male plug is to stick into the female base, what is the air space between the pieces. Possibly material size if it differs from the female base material.
3. Check that the male inlay specifications are reasonable.
4. Generate a male inlay crv file (or another layer or sheet on the original file) and toolpaths, including those necessary to keep the pass depth to what is specified for the bits.

I suspect this will keep you busy.
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Re: I am looking for something to do

Post by Leo »

jimandi5000 wrote:
Sun Aug 15, 2021 5:01 am
I am looking for something to do. I have time on my hands...
:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

WHOA -- I have NO IDEA what that is like - I have time on my hands, looking for something to do!!

Quite the opposite.

I have so much to do that I could use a WHOLE LOTTA HELP.

Care to wander up here to New England? I can feed you some Maine Lobsta and give you LOTS to do. :D :D I can supply a place to sleep too.
Imagine the Possibilities of a Creative mind, combined with the functionality of CNC

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jimandi5000
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Re: I am looking for something to do

Post by jimandi5000 »

Hello all,
Fantastic feedback and ideas from all. With the drawings that Steven sent and spending a little time with different toolpath strategies and scenarios, I understand the end result much better than before. I'll start framing up a "EasyZankMaker" gadget and will be posting something in the next couple of days or so. I'm certain as I work through the process, I am sure I will trip across some unforeseen questions and will need you guys expert guidance.
Thanks,
Jim

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Re: I am looking for something to do

Post by wb9tpg »

If you're up for a challenge; With the new sheets options it'd be cool to have the male and female parts in the same file on different sheets.
Gary Mitchell
Kentucky, USA

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jimandi5000
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Re: I am looking for something to do

Post by jimandi5000 »

wb9tpg wrote:
Mon Aug 16, 2021 2:17 am
If you're up for a challenge; With the new sheets options it'd be cool to have the male and female parts in the same file on different sheets.
I will try to add that to Version 2.0 :)
Thanks,
Jim

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Re: I am looking for something to do

Post by ozymax »

jimandi5000 wrote:
Mon Aug 16, 2021 1:08 am
Hello all,
Fantastic feedback and ideas from all. With the drawings that Steven sent and spending a little time with different toolpath strategies and scenarios, I understand the end result much better than before. I'll start framing up a "EasyZankMaker" gadget and will be posting something in the next couple of days or so. I'm certain as I work through the process, I am sure I will trip across some unforeseen questions and will need you guys expert guidance.
This will be awesome "Gadget Jim"!
Any chance you'll be able to have it function with older versions of Aspire, ie 4.5?
For the work I do, I just can't stretch the funds to update to current versions. :(
Appreciate the time and effort that you put into your gadgets.

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Re: I am looking for something to do

Post by adze_cnc »

If sheets support is added then it’ll definitely need v11.

One of my most used iPhone apps, SonoPhone to control my SONOS music system, was written for iOS 9 (currently we’re at iOS 14) the developer keeps updating the app but not by forcing it up to a “current” OS level. He gets a wider available audience that way.

If there are no API or program functionality clashes I’d personally lke to see all gadgets and newsletter projects designed to reach the greatest number of users by being developed for as old a version as possible.

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Re: I am looking for something to do

Post by Adrian »

adze_cnc wrote:
Mon Aug 16, 2021 6:43 pm
If sheets support is added then it’ll definitely need v11.
Sheets work in previous versions via LUA code and via nesting. It's the UI to add/remove them easily and have different sizes that came in with V11.

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