Good job John and great idea , as that turned out very well

 

I'm not into CNC stuff , but this one shows some woodworking skills incorporated into it.

Nice job, John, came out really well.

Herb

 

Herb,

My woodworking skills are about as good as my singing voice, but I do get lucky once in a while. I got the jig to make to dovetails like that, and used to, but haven't done it for probably 25-30 years. Just not nuff time (or money) to do all the things I want. Just think if I still had to fit a job in all this.

HJ

 

Really, really nice.

 

John I wonder if a cnc does dovetails very well , or is that something best left for a jig?

 

You're above my pay grade with that question, Rick. But I'm sure there's a way. The only problem I see is cutting the square corners with a round bit. Might have to do a little node editing and adjusting the program to get a really tight fit. Probably second nature to someone who does it.

Where's 4D??

HJ

 

Well done !



Gary

 

Nice.

 

Looks good HJ, so does your friend's truck.

 

Nice job, HJ. You create some beautiful artwork. You've really taken to this like a fish to water. Hard to believe you've only been doing it for what, 9 months? Congrats, my friend.

Rick, I believe 4D has some posts on this forum of his work cutting some incredible dovetails and other woodworking joints with a CNC. Do a search on his posts.

 

Jay,

You've put some stuff together I wouldn't even try yet. Still would like to know how you did that design so quick for the guy looking for a CNC machine. That computer part still baffles me.

But, on the otherhand, I think Edison is finally making some real sawdust tonite.

HJ

 

Excellent addition. Where did you find the box?

 

The box was made by a friend of a friend. Like I said earlier - I sure as heck can't dovetail like that.

HJ

 

I think you're selling yourself short.

 

Dovetails are relatively easy if you have a way to clamp parts vertically. I had a student last semester who's whole project was half blind or tapered sliding dovetails. Beautiful in walnut. I just cut sample dovetails out of a cedar 2x4 to demonstrate some joints for a tiny house project that is coming up. One tapered sliding dovetail to connect a stud to a base plate, and a row of 3 half blind dovetails to connect the end stud.

You need to know the big diameter of the dovetail bit, and the angle of the sides. I draw a section view of the bit, then a line up the bit at the depth I'm going to make the joint. The bit I used was 9/16d and 7.5 degrees. I generally do both the male and female halves of dovetail joints in the same file, using the same starting vectors. Offset the centerline vector of the female half by the bits large radius plus it's radius at the depth the joint is cut at to make the male centerline vector.

4D

 

4D,

I think I lost you right after the word "easy". Guess I just didn't give it much thought til now.

HJ

 

OK, so maybe its easy now that I've succeeded cutting dovetails a few times. I have to admit most of my college students don't get it right on the first try. Pays to have been taught drafting in my ancient past I suppose.

Dovetails are one of the best excuses for a CNC though. There is even a dovetail gadget that will do most of the work for you available in Aspire. Only does nice ordered rows though, but can cut both halves of the joint laying flat on the CNC bed.

 

That I can grasp the concept of. Might not be able to do it, but I can see how it's be done.

HJ

 

Photos of the test cut dovetails. Crappy cedar 2x4, varied in width along its length. All toolpaths assumed true 3.5" width, and both halves of each joint were justified on the same side to be flush when assembled. Forgive the first fuzzy image. My camera would NOT focus on that view no matter what I did.

Some tearout with each cut. Pin cuts were helped by a scored line around the 2x4 at their depth.

4th image shows a minor flaw on the female cut. I had the clearout toolpath loaded which stepped down, whereas the dovetail pass should have been all in one pass. Flaw doesn't weaken joint that I can tell, and is invisible when assembled.

4D

 

nicely done...
can you climb cut???

 

Aspire lets me climb or conventional cut. Either option has the potential for some tearout on entering or exiting the wood. I got the cleanest cut after scoring a line 1/2" down before cutting the 3 pins at 1/2" depth. I suspect I can have the dovetail bit climb cut around the 2x4 on a first pass to just barely score the perimeter before cutting the pins out.

4D

 

Aspire lets me climb or conventional cut. Either option has the potential for some tearout on entering or exiting the wood. I got the cleanest cut after scoring a line 1/2" down before cutting the 3 pins at 1/2" depth. I suspect I can have the dovetail bit climb cut around the 2x4 on a first pass to just barely score the perimeter before cutting the pins out.

4D

that often works w/ hand held routering...

 

That looks like the same principle that you use for an inlay cut.

HJ

 

V-inlay done in Aspire or VCarve isn't quite the same process. More typical inlay is much like any form of joinery, when you make a negative piece to fit in the positive hole you've just made. Tenons into Mortises. Fingers into fingers. Lap into the other half lap. Etc..

4D

 

Nice box John. I was looking at the treads last night at home depot. $27 for a 48 inch long tread will make some nice signs.
Edison

 

I ordered my nebula with cross supports so I can do vertical milling in about 8 to 18 months when I learn more about aspire and everything it can do.
Edison

 

I'm curious about what Probotix included as a vertical milling option. Is it more than just another 30mm x 60mm beam across the table?

4D

 

It is 60 x 60 with clamps. That is all other than the last 14 inches of the bed is removable across the width. That is why I did not run my plywood all the way to the end of the mdf board.
Mark