Newbie needing advice on working with a oversize work piece

1869 Views 17 Replies 8 Participants Last post by ger21, Jan 16, 2021

Theslaz

Discussion Starter · Jan 7, 2021 (Edited by Moderator)

Received a desktop hobby CNC for xmas. Have done alot of reading and video watching. I think I know the basics. But my first project is a little to complicated for me. The min size of my work piece is 12 inches by 12 inches. The working area of my cnc is 12 inches by 7 inches. I have purchased software from Vectric and I have done a preliminary design of what I want. It is a crib board. It is called Crib War. It has 1063 holes. I know I have to split my design into two files. I think I can handle that. What I'm not sure of is how to start my second file on my cnc so that it lines up perfectly with my first file. Second question I have is; how do you stop and restart the router in the middle of a job so that it continues from where it stopped? Such as when changing out a bit.

Text Colorfulness Font Majorelle blue Pattern

Thanks in advance from Prince George, BC, Canada

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kp91

· #2 · Jan 7, 2021

On my machine, as long as I don't secure power to the CNC unit itself, the stepper motors will hold the machine in position. I simply jog it over to a convenient point, raise it up enough to change the cutter, and then I am back in business. I personally will secure the power to the router at the switch on the router, just because I don't like having my hands near the cutters. After changing the cutter you do have to set the Z-zero again, but the X-Y will be the same as before.

look up videos from vectric on Tiling Toolpath Tiling - VCarve Pro V9.0 User Manual (vectric.com)

As an avid cribbage player, that file looks pretty cool, can't wait to see the finished project.

Theslaz

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jan 7, 2021

kp91 said:
On my machine, as long as I don't secure power to the CNC unit itself, the stepper motors will hold the machine in position. I simply jog it over to a convenient point, raise it up enough to change the cutter, and then I am back in business. I personally will secure the power to the router at the switch on the router, just because I don't like having my hands near the cutters. After changing the cutter you do have to set the Z-zero again, but the X-Y will be the same as before.

look up videos from vectric on Tiling Toolpath Tiling - VCarve Pro V9.0 User Manual (vectric.com)

As an avid cribbage player, that file looks pretty cool, can't wait to see the finished project.

Thank you for your prompt reply. I'll have a look at that video a little later.
You'll enjoy the game. Its fun with two couples. Men against women of course. It is time consuming. Average is probably about a hour and half!

Reactions: 1

Theslaz

Discussion Starter · #4 · Jan 7, 2021

Theslaz said:
Thank you for your prompt reply. I'll have a look at that video a little later.
You'll enjoy the game. Its fun with two couples. Men against women of course. It is time consuming. Average is probably about a hour and half!

Forgot to mention. That game is available on Amazon for about $35.00 in plastic form. That picture is from Amazon!

Reactions: 1

kp91

· #5 · Jan 7, 2021

Definitely a project I wouldn't want to do by hand, 5 years ago I did this one, and it's only got a quarter of the holes yours has! That was enough laying out and drilling for me.

Cribbage Board | Router Forums

Theslaz

Discussion Starter · #6 · Jan 7, 2021

The reason I wanted to do this was because of that fact. My friend did an exact replica of that plastic board by hand. What he did, was buy the plastic board, clamped it down on his work piece and drilled all the holes through it with a small drill press. Took him for ever. For your info, I did a test board yesterday with only 200 holes. Took aprox 30 mins. That means I'm looking at aprox 2 1/2 hours. And I did that with only 1 plunge per hole (1/2 inch deep). I'm considering doing it with 2 plunges, but may reconsider that!

ger21

· #7 · Jan 7, 2021

Drill 4 dowel holes on the back of your board, with the pairs about 6" apart.
Then drill 2 dowel holes with the same spacing into your spoilboard.
Use the dowels to locate both positions.

roxanne562001

· #8 · Jan 8, 2021

Welcome to the forum

Theslaz

Discussion Starter · #9 · Jan 8, 2021

roxanne562001 said:
Welcome to the forum

Thank you. A informative bunch here.

ger21 said:
Drill 4 dowel holes on the back of your board, with the pairs about 6" apart.
Then drill 2 dowel holes with the same spacing into your spoilboard.
Use the dowels to locate both positions.

I was going to do something like that. I've got room for two solid rails on each side of my work piece. These will be attached with screws to my bottom spoil board. Than I'll drill holes like you suggest and just slide my work piece ahead and lock it with a dowel.

old55

· #10 · Jan 9, 2021

Welcome to the forum @Theslaz

marecat3

· #11 · Jan 14, 2021

Welcome to the forum. Best of luck with your project

Theslaz

Discussion Starter · #12 · Jan 14, 2021

Thanks. Still plugging away. Having some issues with the Vectric software right now. Trying to figure it out. May be hearing from me if I can't sort it out!

Reactions: 1

TimPa

· #13 · Jan 14, 2021

they do have a very supportive website.

Theslaz

Discussion Starter · #14 · Jan 14, 2021

Yup. And I do like their software. I'll try to solve it myself. If not, I'll be knocking on their door.

gwilki

· #15 · Jan 15, 2021

@Theslaz Peter (CNCNutz) has an excellent video on tiling on his youtube channel. He uses VCarvePro fromVectric.

In reply to your question about stopping in the middle of a job to change bits, in Vectric, you can create a separate toolpath for each bit you are going use. When your gcode sender has finished one tool path, it stops. You change the bit, reset Z0, then run your next toolpath.

What gcode sender are you using? Some allow bit changes in one toolpath; others do not.

Theslaz

Discussion Starter · #16 · Jan 15, 2021

Thanks for your reply. Yes there are some very good videos out about anything and everything cnc related. Particularity anything Vectric related. I'm using the addon that came with my Cut2d software program. Its called Vtransfer.

Theslaz

Discussion Starter · #17 · Jan 15, 2021

It just dawned on me why I asked about stopping the cnc to change bits. I'm not a seasoned user so I don't know how long these bits last and being that I'll be drilling aprox 1060 holes, I suspect I may have to change in the middle of toolpath that I have set for my drilling of holes. Just how to stop the machine at random is what I don't know! The Vtransfer program just has a "Abort" key. I have tried using that a few times and in order to get started, one has to start from the beginning again. I may be doing something wrong. I could just make two separate toolpaths for my drilling just to change bits to be on the safe side; but, It would be nice to know how to stop the cnc and restart without starting over.

ger21

· #18 · Jan 16, 2021

Theslaz said:
Just how to stop the machine at random is what I don't know! The Vtransfer program just has a "Abort" key. I have tried using that a few times and in order to get started, one has to start from the beginning again. I may be doing something wrong.

I'm not really familiar with GRBL controllers, but it looks like you'll need to use something other than VTransfer to get that capability. Maybe UGS, or ChiliPeppr. ChiliPeppr - Hardware Fiddle

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