Easy Tray Maker Gadget

[jimandi5000]

Hello All,

I have a new Gadget, it is the Easy Tray Maker gadget. It creates a 5 sided tray. The tray is made of 2 sides, 2 ends and a bottom panel. The sides and ends can have different thickness material. The gadget supports 3 types of bottom construction styles. It also supports the Dog Bone, Blind Dog Bone, T-Bone Joint, Blind T-Bone, Sniglet Joint and the Blind Sniglet joints. It also creates 3 BOM file types.

FYI: The gadget can also create a closed box with a lid. Create two trays of the same length and width. Make one tray taller for the bottom with a captured bottom and the other tray, shorter with a rabbeted style bottom for the lid.

This Version 1.4

Supports: 11.0 and up

Install
1. Download the gadget EasyTrayMaker.zip that is attached to this post.
2. Rename it from EasyTrayMaker.zip to EasyTrayMaker.vgadget
3. In Vectric Pro or Aspire click on Gadgets -> Install Gadget and navigate to where you downloaded the file to, select it and click Ok.

It should give you a pop up saying the gadget was installed and you should see EasyTrayMaker in the Gadgets menu.


Steps for Use:

1. Setup a new drawing with the proper material size
2. Run the EasyTrayMaker gadget
3. Enter the proper values for the Tray overall size and the materials thickness for the Tray parts
4. Open the Project menu, select where to write the Tray BOMs
5. Open the Milling menu, check the values and select the joint type
6. On the Main menu, select the tooling you use to mill the drawer parts
7. Press the OK button

If you have any issues or questions let me know.

[jimandi5000]

Hello All,

I have updated the Gadget with error trapping to help the user on bit selection, address the bottom rabbet and dado length, address tool-pathing issue with blind depth calculation and updated the User Guide.

This Version 1.5

Supports: 11.0 and up

To Install
1. Download the gadget EasyTrayMaker.zip that is attached to this post.
2. Rename it from EasyTrayMaker.zip to EasyTrayMaker.vgadget
3. In Vectric Pro or Aspire click on Gadgets -> Install Gadget and navigate to where you downloaded the file to, select it and click Ok.

It should give you a pop up saying the gadget was installed and you should see EasyTrayMaker in the Gadgets menu.


Steps for Use:

1. Setup a new drawing with the proper material size
2. Run the EasyTrayMaker gadget
3. Enter the proper values for the Tray overall size and the materials thickness for the Tray parts
4. Open the Project menu, select where to write the Tray BOMs
5. Open the Milling menu, check the values and select the joint type
6. On the Main menu, select the tooling you use to mill the drawer parts
7. Press the OK button

If you have any issues or questions let me know.

[sharkcutup]

Please submit comments/remarks/suggestions back here of any issues you may have with the Easy Tray Maker Gadget. It is your comment/remarks/suggestions that help to make a positive working gadget.

Sharkcutup

[Billwk]

Hi Jim,
This could be useful to me - is there a metric version?

[jimandi5000]

Hi Jim,
This could be useful to me - is there a metric version?

Great Question.
I believe the current version supports Metric... If you have an issue with it using metrics, please let me know and I will jump right on it and fix it.

JimAndi

[Billwk]

Thanks Jim.
Yes it does appear to support metric and I've done some playing around with settings.
However I'm having trouble with the finger and dado toolpaths.
Is there a setting here that is just too far out of line for it to create the toolpaths?

Bill

[jimandi5000]

Thanks Jim.
Yes it does appear to support metric and I've done some playing around with settings.
However I'm having trouble with the finger and dado toolpaths.
Is there a setting here that is just too far out of line for it to create the toolpaths?

Bill

Hi Bill,
I am not sure I understand the issue. I ran the gadget as per your settings and I do not see anything odd.

Here is what I see. Can you point me in the right direction?

[Billwk]

Hi Jim,
Thanks for your interest.
I've found the problem, but I'm afraid it's one for you.
The gadget seems to be interpreting my metric tool dimensions (diam, pass depth, stepover) as inches rather than mm.
This occurs when it is run a second and subsequent times without re-selecting all the tools from the tool database.
Attached are the settings it left for the 6mm bit.

Thanks
Bill

[jimandi5000]

Hi Jim,
Thanks for your interest.
I've found the problem, but I'm afraid it's one for you.
The gadget seems to be interpreting my metric tool dimensions (diam, pass depth, stepover) as inches rather than mm.
This occurs when it is run a second and subsequent times without re-selecting all the tools from the tool database.
Attached are the settings it left for the 6mm bit.

Thanks
Bill

Bill,

Check your Tool Units. I see your mm tool is set for "inches"

Jim

[Billwk]

Hi Jim,
That's where the problem lies.
The 6mm bit was never set to inches by me.
If I select the tools (6mm & 3mm) in setup it works (first time)
If I then run the gadget again without reselecting all the tools, the 6mm reverts to inches and of course I can't check the 3mm tool because it won't create the toolpaths.
Hope this clarifies.
Regards
Bill

[jimandi5000]

Hi Jim,
That's where the problem lies.
The 6mm bit was never set to inches by me.
If I select the tools (6mm & 3mm) in setup it works (first time)
If I then run the gadget again without reselecting all the tools, the 6mm reverts to inches and of course I can't check the 3mm tool because it won't create the toolpaths.
Hope this clarifies.
Regards
Bill

Thanks Bill, Let me get to work on that.

[jimandi5000]

Hello All,

I have updated the Gadget for metric tooling selection, address starting location issue with metric.

This Version 1.6

Supports: 11.0 and up

To Install
1. Download the gadget EasyTrayMaker.zip that is attached to this post.
2. Rename it from EasyTrayMaker.zip to EasyTrayMaker.vgadget
3. In Vectric Pro or Aspire click on Gadgets -> Install Gadget and navigate to where you downloaded the file to, select it and click Ok.

It should give you a pop up saying the gadget was installed and you should see EasyTrayMaker in the Gadgets menu.


Steps for Use:

1. Setup a new drawing with the proper material size
2. Run the EasyTrayMaker gadget
3. Enter the proper values for the Tray overall size and the materials thickness for the Tray parts
4. Open the Project menu, select where to write the Tray BOMs
5. Open the Milling menu, check the values and select the joint type
6. On the Main menu, select the tooling you use to mill the drawer parts
7. Press the OK button

If you have any issues or questions let me know.

[Billwk]

Appreciate your patience Jim, but the problem persists.
Bill

[jimandi5000]

Hello All,

I have fixed the tooling selection issue, fixed the bottom panel text size issue with metric units.

This Version 1.7

Supports: 11.0 and up

To Install:
1. Download the gadget EasyTrayMaker.zip that is attached to this post.
2. Rename it from EasyTrayMaker.zip to EasyTrayMaker.vgadget
3. In Vectric Pro or Aspire click on Gadgets -> Install Gadget and navigate to where you downloaded the file to, select it and click Ok.

It should give you a pop up saying the gadget was installed and you should see EasyTrayMaker in the Gadgets menu.


Steps for Use:

1. Setup a new drawing with the proper material size
2. Run the EasyTrayMaker gadget
3. Enter the proper values for the Tray overall size and the materials thickness for the Tray parts
4. Open the Project menu, select where to write the Tray BOMs
5. Open the Milling menu, check the values and select the joint type
6. On the Main menu, select the tooling you use to mill the drawer parts
7. Press the OK button

If you have any issues or questions let me know.

[philadkins@gmail.com]

Hi,
I'm having issues with this gadget when trying to create the blind finger joints. The gadget draws the vectors for the "blind panel" on both the side and end pieces but does not create a tool path for any of them. I have made pocket tool paths for both the ends or sides, neither seems to work correctly. In both attempt options the joint does not close properly with "gappy" fingers on the inside of the corner. Is there something I'm missing?