# Cutting some custom parts



## Gus Dering (Oct 14, 2008)

I got the new iphone the other day and I'm playing with the easy upload to youtube feature. It is real easy. But I didn't think the video would be side ways by turning the phone on it's side. I know, I'm an idiot. I'll do more tomorrow.

These are some custom parts for a local guy that is making accessory parts for http://www.xtracycle.com/.


----------



## J L (Nov 16, 2009)

Pretty sweet machine :thumbup: I want one!


----------



## OKMrazor (Aug 8, 2009)

Do you do those designs in cabinetvision or do you also use something like enroute?


----------



## Gus Dering (Oct 14, 2008)

OKMrazor said:


> Do you do those designs in cabinetvision or do you also use something like enroute?


 I did it in Cabinetvision. There has to be better programs to use for things like this but I can get it done using cv. I probably need to learn a different program at some point if I keep getting these types of things, but it is totally doable.

I do have to say that I edited the shape of the parts using 5.0 with the old shaping tools. I just have not mastered the new shape editor yet.


----------



## OKMrazor (Aug 8, 2009)

I'm just experimenting with the shape-editing tools now. My go-to enroute guy up and left for college leaving me to fend for myself.

It was his program we were using so I guess I can't complain.


----------



## Cole82 (Nov 22, 2008)

Wall mounted CNC router table what else will they come up with?

How big is that table? at the sign shop we had a 10'x16' router table.

Cole


----------



## OKMrazor (Aug 8, 2009)

It was nice to have him around for adding carvings to doors like this. I don't think CV will let me do that.


----------



## Gus Dering (Oct 14, 2008)

The new shape tools have their advantages, no doubt. Especially if you want intelligent shapes that will flex with a change in part size.

But for shapes like the ones for these parts, I open the 5.0 version and use the old tools. I find them to be much easier for things like this. But that is probably because I'm old and slow to learn new things.:whistling

I say, "Do what works". Ya know?


----------



## Gus Dering (Oct 14, 2008)

Cole82 said:


> Wall mounted CNC router table what else will they come up with?
> 
> How big is that table? at the sign shop we had a 10'x16' router table.
> 
> Cole


:laughing::laughing: I think there is a router that sits on a slope to save space.

This is 5 x 12. There is only a 5x5 spoils board on the deck for this job.


----------



## Kent Whitten (Mar 24, 2006)

OKMrazor said:


> It was nice to have him around for adding carvings to doors like this. I don't think CV will let me do that.


Not sure what enroute is for a program. What you have there looks pretty sweet though. 

You need a modeling program, or someone who does 3d modeling. I'm not sure what the cnc needs for the file, whether a mesh can be used or if it needs to be a solid. That's too bad your guy left. From looking at those doors, he was probably a pretty valuable employee.

From the little I know, CV is nice for cabinets, but I can't imagine it is user friendly for the engraving. A program like Inventor or SolidWorks does incredible stuff for solid modeling. If all you need is a mesh program, Rhino I hear is one of the top mesh modeling programs and pretty inexpensive. AutoCAD or one of the knock off INtelliCAD would probably do the trick also. I'm thinking a stereo lithography file maybe?


----------



## OKMrazor (Aug 8, 2009)

It's something I'm going to have to look into soon. This fall we worked via email and he'd send me the files and I'd plug 'em into the CNC. Now he's getting busy with school and the little "frills" we had started adding - clam shell carvings and the like - to pantry doors, linen closets or basement cabinetry are starting to get more requested.

It's a nice little up-sell for an inexpensive, generic slab door. Kitschy, sure, but we can get away with that on the Cape.

I'll have to hunker down, get a dictionary, and figure out all this tech talk for myself... and I feel like I've still got a ton to learn on the CV side of things.

Oh. Sorry for the hijack, Gus.


----------



## Gus Dering (Oct 14, 2008)

Not a hijack at all. Plus I'm the king of that domain anyway:laughing:

Are you linking the outlining of parts as you see on this sheet?


----------



## Kent Whitten (Mar 24, 2006)

OKMrazor said:


> It's something I'm going to have to look into soon. This fall we worked via email and he'd send me the files and I'd plug 'em into the CNC. Now he's getting busy with school and the little "frills" we had started adding - clam shell carvings and the like - to pantry doors, linen closets or basement cabinetry are starting to get more requested.
> 
> It's a nice little up-sell for an inexpensive, generic slab door. Kitschy, sure, but we can get away with that on the Cape.
> 
> ...


CAD/CAM has always fascinated me. I don't know if you knew I worked in Woburn for awhile at one of the granite countertop places. Programmed for their two cnc's but it was just a 2.5 axis, very basic.

I wonder what his workflow was with the files. I looked at the enroute software site. Pretty much what I imagined. You guys have essentially the same thing I used, which was AlphaCAM. Same company, different workflow.


----------



## OKMrazor (Aug 8, 2009)

Nope. We loose some optimization with enroute, as everything is placed manually and through trial and error.

We're making a bunch of mirror frames for a specialty shop up the way and the optimization is not good.

Fall is high season for the design side of things here, and I've got piles of work... Classic dilemma: sitting down to figure out the right way of doing things is more time than I feel I can give; but muddling through missteps always ends up taking longer.


----------



## Gus Dering (Oct 14, 2008)

OKMrazor said:


> Nope. We loose some optimization with enroute, as everything is placed manually and through trial and error.
> 
> We're making a bunch of mirror frames for a specialty shop up the way and the optimization is not good.
> 
> Fall is high season for the design side of things here, and I've got piles of work... Classic dilemma: sitting down to figure out the right way of doing things is more time than I feel I can give; but muddling through missteps always ends up taking longer.


 I feel the same way you do most of the time. There always seems to be an issue and I always blame myself. But the truth is that things are getting done and I am getting better at being an engineer. I suspect that both of us are a bit hard on ourselves. This stuff is not easy and it is very difficult to get right even most of the time.

Still beats forming and pouring concrete for me and my back. :thumbsup:

Are you linking the outlining of parts?

Have you tried the sixth face output feature for whole sheet back side ops yet?


----------



## OKMrazor (Aug 8, 2009)

I've done sixth face for standard partitions and the like. Haven't yet integrated anything custom on sixth face. And I need to with these mirror and picture frames.

My Enroute guy tried it manually and he flipped the orientation. Thankfully an MDF tester before the bamboo went down on the table. All straightened out, but I want to learn it myself and on CV so I'm not relying on others.

I'm thinking CV customization is my Black Friday activity. Sucks to take up a holiday weekend, but otherwise it's late evenings... too much work needing to move forward during the day.

Oh... not linking the outlining of parts. As soon as you mentioned it, I closed my eyes and shook my head.


----------



## Gus Dering (Oct 14, 2008)

Both things are just a setting in the machine catalog. Very simple, really.

The linking of the outlining saves machine time. The bit stays down on the deck and cutting. Instead of lifting up and moving to the next part.

I keep saying it, but feel free to call me if you want to talk something through.


----------



## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

I am glad I don't have to learn how to program things.

I have enough responsibility just remembering to check the oil in my machinery....


----------



## Kent Whitten (Mar 24, 2006)

WarnerConstInc. said:


> I am glad I don't have to learn how to program things.
> 
> I have enough responsibility just remembering to check the oil in my machinery....


It's as easy as outbidding scrappers or buying extra socks. Did you feed the fish lately? And are you still cutting the PB?


----------



## Gus Dering (Oct 14, 2008)

KentWhitten said:


> It's as easy as outbidding scrappers or buying extra socks. Did you feed the fish lately? And are you still cutting the PB?


 Huh? 

You two love birds must have some inside jokes going. Otherwise Kent has taken up Darcy's smoking habit.:whistling


----------



## WarnerConstInc. (Jan 30, 2008)

KentWhitten said:


> It's as easy as outbidding scrappers or buying extra socks. Did you feed the fish lately? And are you still cutting the PB?


:laughing::laughing::laughing:

No, I declined cutting the PB. They did not like the price I gave them.:whistling I get new socks for christmas and the fish were taken care of last week.:laughing:



Gus Dering said:


> Huh?
> 
> You two love birds must have some inside jokes going. Otherwise Kent has taken up Darcy's smoking habit.:whistling


I sent him a care package.:whistling


----------

