[sudo-discuss] cnc mill

[Jack Kern]

Hi Jake,

Apologies I don't keep up with the list that frequently..

I'm out of town till the 5th but I can provide help via email for now just
email me directly (off the list) so it goes right to my inbox.

Other than myself, Matt and Hol know the most about using the machine at
this point.

My basic process:
- First figure out how you're going to mount your stock material
- Load up cambam on the controller machine (unless you're writing gcode
some other way) and set the stock properties to be the same size (in mm)
- Set the top of stock surface to 0 with a stock offset as this makes
aligning the machine coordinates easier
- Create or load the geometry you want to cut and create the toolpaths in
cambam
- Make sure to set cambam's gcode post-processor to "mach3"
- Generate your toolpaths and export the gcode (nc files)
- Turn on the power to the CNC machine controller - the main power supply
switch it is the hardest to reach and is on the back of the grey control
box that the steppers are connected to. (Don't flip the little toggle
switch on the same box though, I believe I have it taped to the on position
because that disconnects the USB interface)
- Turn on power to the motors via the small black box on the side of the
stand holding the controller computer.
- Load up the CNC controller on the controller machine (Mach3) you
shouldn't get any errors about not being able to talk to the machine, if
you do you need to kill mach3 and check the USB connectivity including that
toggle switch I mentioned previously.
- Finally with the machine on and Mach3 open, click the big flashing red
safety button in the interface and then click REF ALL HOME to return the
machine to its home position and reset it's machine coordinates
- To jog the machine the controls are the four arrow keys for the X/Y axis,
and page up and page down for the Z axis. Always watch what you're doing
and try not to clip any stock/mounts on the surface or you risk breaking
the machine/bit etc
- Load the gcode for your part into mach3
- Jog the machine to where <0,0,0> should be relative to your stock
material (it should be the same origin as in cambam, I usually set this to
the top, center of my part I'm cutting out, unless something else makes
more sense for the work to be done)
- Once you align the origin for the part, zero out each axis in mach 3 and
then click REGENERATE TOOLPATHS (if you don't do this the paths will exist
in the coordinate system that was set up when you loaded the gcode) you
need to do this any time you change the machines coordinates.
- If you need to change cutting bits you always need to re-zero the Z axis
to the top surface, and then REGENERATE TOOLPATHS again.
- Finally carefully jog around the boundaries of the part in mach 3 with
plenty of height above the z axis to make sure you're not going to clip any
mounting hardware while milling.
- Now you're ready to start milling.. I typically start at about 50-70% of
the default feed rate.
- Jog the CNC to roughly the origin again (slight higher than the part)
- Put on some goggles if you want to get all up in there
- Start the spindle motor
- Start the shop vac
- Click run!
- Hope everything doesn't explode

Good luck! I will try to set up some tutorial sessions in the new year.

Jack


On Fri, Dec 13, 2013 at 6:15 PM, Matthew Senate <mattsenate at gmail.com>wrote:

> I have two replacement parts, I will bring them by tonight
>
>
> On Fri, Dec 13, 2013 at 5:55 PM, Hol Gaskill <hol at gaskill.com> wrote:
>
>> the transmission cable that goes from the overhead motor to the spindle
>> was disconnected last I looked - might have to track it down.  good luck!
>>
>>
>> Dec 13, 2013 05:47:47 PM, yardenack at gmail.com wrote:
>> On Fri, Dec 13, 2013 at 5:35 PM, Jake jake at spaz.org> wrote:
>> >> anyone know how to use the CNC mill?  I am thinking of going to sudo
>> tonight
>> >> to mill something and it would be easier if someone can show me how to
>> do
>> >> it, rather than figuring it out.
>> >> or is there a wiki page for the thing?
>> >
>> >I know I replied on IRC, but for the benefit of future
>> >readers/archivers/crawlers:
>> >
>> >https://sudoroom.org/wiki/CNC
>> >https://sudoroom.org/wiki/O:55
>> >https://imgur.com/a/461VK
>> >_______________________________________________
>> >sudo-discuss mailing list
>> >sudo-discuss at lists.sudoroom.org
>> >http://lists.sudoroom.org/listinfo/sudo-discuss
>> >
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