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Mister Sinewave posted:So far as I can tell there still isn't a peep on the web about Carvey (like reviews or anything) nothing newer than 2014 fluff anyway. Yeah I want something I can keep in my upstairs loft office, so I've been looking at the Carvey and Nomad 883 both, but there just isn't that much info out there about them.
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Apr 22, 2016 23:46
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Mister Sinewave posted:So far as I can tell there still isn't a peep on the web about Carvey (like reviews or anything) nothing newer than 2014 fluff anyway. Looks like the machine just started shipping based on the kickstarter comments section.
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Apr 22, 2016 23:51
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It's in stock on inventables, it used to be a few weeks lead time. They shipped the first units to KS backers early-ish 2016 so there should have been plenty of time for someone to go all reviewy 
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Apr 23, 2016 04:26
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Ambrose Burnside posted:Yeah, I'm hype- I'm carving a dedicated (and soundproofed) shop for it and some other toys out of the corner of my folks' unfinished basement so I'm gonna dive in literally as soon as the floor is in and the table for it gets built. just kinda jumped the gun on actually buying the thing. please do what I did not and budget space and time for an enclosure. There were a couple things I was not prepared for when it came to running a mill, one was how much of a huge loving mess they make spraying chips and oil everywhere.
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Apr 26, 2016 05:53
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After using my mill, I find chips in places that defy physics and logic.
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Apr 27, 2016 00:48
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Has anyone here every used something on this level of crappy http://www.ebay.ca/itm/USB-PCB-CNC-...%3D221233578851 I have an on-again-off-again project I think about that has a specific need to just personalize something small like name tags (like cut names out of that 2-layer plastic with black on top and white underneath). That's about it, so as crappy as something like this is, it might actually do the job. Does anyone have hands-on with something on that level of cheap, lovely CNC that might actually still do the job?
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Apr 29, 2016 22:26
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All I can add is that over here that plastic is called Trefolyte.
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May 1, 2016 23:53
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Unlike the 3D printing crowd, it seems no one here has experimented with poo poo-tier stuff (or at least, no willing to admit it)  E: trefolyte huh? I know it by trade names only (ultragrave, lasermark) and have used it enough with laser engraver/cutter to get pretty familiar with its quirks. Never heard that name but thanks for the tip. The Eyes Have It fucked around with this message at 02:28 on May 2, 2016 |
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May 2, 2016 02:26
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Mister Sinewave posted:Unlike the 3D printing crowd, it seems no one here has experimented with poo poo-tier stuff (or at least, no willing to admit it) Eh, I once played with a 3020, which is kinda sorta the next size up. It's made of aluminum extrusions though. I'd say that that thing shouldn't have any problems engraving. Go for it. It's probably not good for much else though, but the price does look right.
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May 2, 2016 02:36
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I've had this project I've wanted to do for years. I "collect" comic books, quoting because I don't care for the collecting part of it. I buy comics to read them. Putting them into longboxes in my closet never interested me. What I've always wanted to do is to put collections of my single-issue comics on my bookshelf, along with my trade paperbacks and hardcovers. My idea is custom-sized magazine holders[url]. The kind you buy at the store, they just come in one size. I want specific sizes for each collection. I have stories ranging from three issues to twenty six and beyond. I made these out of cardboard and duct tape; [url=http://i.imgur.com/lQJQdBG.jpg?1]they came out alright. I wasn't satisfied with the process, though. It took too long to make each one, and they aren't as strong as I'd like. They just don't hold up well. I stopped making them, and have struggled with conceptualizing a new design ever since. Last week, I just had a thought: CNC mill! My problem has always been material; cardboard just isn't going to cut it, but I can't work with anything stronger. If I went with wood or plastic, I'd need something like a jigsaw, but that's still going to require a little more time than I would like. Plus, I wouldn't trust myself in being able to get measurements well enough to insure that the build will be sturdy and tight. But I imagine this would be pretty easy to pull off with a CNC mill. On top of that, I could use a 3 axis mill to do engraving for labeling the titles and creators on the books. I have two concerns about this. First, cost. I want to go the DIY route. Does anyone have experience with that? My goal is a 3 axis mill that can work an area of about 12" x 12". The second concern is the mess. I live in an apartment, and I don't think I'd want to keep this out in my patio. I think I could get away keeping it on my desk, but what could I do with all the chips and dust? Do you build an enclosure around your mill? And if so, is it easy to clean it out? I actually have some past experience with the world of CNC; about 7-8 years ago I worked for BobCAD-CAM. If anyone owns V23 of their software, I designed the disc and DVD cover for it.
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May 3, 2016 22:59
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You might want to go with a laser cutter, or shapoko thing over a mill. I think they are designed a bit more specifically for your purposes.
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May 3, 2016 23:32
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Brekelefuw posted:You might want to go with a laser cutter, or shapoko thing over a mill. I think they are designed a bit more specifically for your purposes. Yeah, I was just looking at Shapeoko and X-Carve, but I never considered a laser cutter.
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May 3, 2016 23:53
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I have a shapeoko 2, which is not as fancy as the current one. It's pretty nifty, but noisy as gently caress and throws chips everywhere. Not really apartment friendly. Also if you go for acrylic for clear material it takes some extra tweaking to work out the speeds to get a clean edge instead of having it crack. A laser cutter wouldn't have these problems though. You'd have to worry about getting any fumes out the nearest window, cooling it, and monitoring it in case what you're cutting decides to burn instead. All those should be doable in an apartment though. There's also a laser cutter thread here already! http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3739294
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May 4, 2016 01:23
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After doing some research (and already writing up a reply for this thread last night and somehow losing it), I am starting to lean towards getting an X-Carve. I am really loving how customizable the ordering process is. This allows me to get into CNC at a price I am more comfortable with. I can even skip ordering some of the big things, like spindle, motors and electronics, and see if I can find better deals separately from other vendors. There seem to be concerns about rigidity, but it appears you can reinforce it with upgrades. Speaking of, I really like the Shapeoko 2, but at one thousand dollars, that is too high of an entry for me. I am willing to put that much in eventually, through upgrades, but not right away. I was also looking at the Chinese 3020, thinking maybe I could get just the frame, and then get more quality electronics for it, but since I am so green, I think it would be best if I stick with something that is an actual system, that I can get better support from a community on. I'm not taking the dive yet, because I'm unemployed, but I am hoping I get a job offer today. If I get it, I just might do something insane and put about $750 into an X-Carve. I'd then need to hit up the hardware store and start building an enclosure.
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May 6, 2016 19:09
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Just keep in mind with a DIY kit like an X-carve you will have to spend time squaring everything. Also don't count on the MDF board being remotely flat, the ones they shipped with my Shapeoko 2 (before the x-carve existed they sold shapeoko kits) are very bowed and need to be replaced quite badly.
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May 6, 2016 21:17
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Parts Kit posted:Just keep in mind with a DIY kit like an X-carve you will have to spend time squaring everything. Also don't count on the MDF board being remotely flat, the ones they shipped with my Shapeoko 2 (before the x-carve existed they sold shapeoko kits) are very bowed and need to be replaced quite badly. Seems I may as well just produce my own MDF, since it also would add a lot to shipping. While the grid and holes on the X-Carve look really nice, that should be reproducible easily enough. What size calipers do you all use? I went down to Harbor Freight, I was thinking I'd want a 12" since that's about the max size I'll be working with, but... would I really need to measure on the X or Y axis to begin with? Wouldn't a caliper really just be needed for the Z depth?
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May 6, 2016 21:24
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What are you trying to measure? If we're talking about squaring yes you will have to check the x and y axes too. For squaring what you'll want is some sort of machinist square and also a dial indicator. The square will help you compare things like the x to y and z to your surface, and the dial indicator will let you make sure the y axis is level across the entire machine as well as checking fixtures/wasteboards for being flat.
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May 7, 2016 00:11
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Basic home machine shop metrology equipment: Machinist's square 6-inch caliper (I prefer dial, but digital is fine) 0.001" dial indicator and magnetic base 0-1" micrometer (0.0005" or better) set of 1-2-3 blocks
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May 7, 2016 04:55
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Crossposting in the 3D printer thread: I'm looking for some advice on a purchase: CNC laser cutter or 3D printer? This past weekend I went to the Taipei Maker Faire and saw the Flux Delta 3D printer, along with many others. I was impressed by the multiple capabilities of this device (3D print, laser engrave, scan, and draw). https://flux3dp.com/ It seems they hit their kickstarter a while back, and have it on sale for about 700 USD. I've watched 3D printing from a distance for many years and I have friends professionally involved with some of the companies. They have their own hobbyist setups as well, but for the most part it seems like endless tinkering, and a money pit. I don't really have time for another hobby since I've recently gotten into electronics and programming. However, I want to make better project boxes. I've dabbled with acrylic, but I absolutely hate using power tools, dremels, and the like. This is mostly because I live in the city and don't have the space for a workshop and a wide array of tools. The Flux Delta's laser engraving function piqued my interest, but it doesn't look like it will be powerful enough to cut acrylic or word. I'm fine with laser cut wood or acrylic enclosures. I'm already looking into building an exhaust fan for a soldering station, so venting laser exhaust or plastic shouldn't be too much of an issue. For a small, 33 square meter/360 square foot apartment, with limited goals: project boxes, what's the better purchase: 3D printer or laser cutter?
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May 9, 2016 13:52
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I didn't get the job offer that I hoped was coming, which is a bummer. Makes me think, if for whatever reasons I have to delay getting a CNC machine, is there perhaps a new model coming soon I might want to look into?politicorific posted:Crossposting in the 3D printer thread: It doesn't look like that is supposed to actually cut much of anything using the laser, just to engrave. I'm not well versed in the subject, but in my research on entering the hobby myself, it seems like you want at least a 400W laser to begin to start cutting anything of substance. But I'm not sure how you're going to make project boxes using CNC laser. I'm looking to entry the hobby primarily to make boxes, too, but they're going to be around 9"x7", and they need to be sturdy, so 3D printing really isn't an option for me. I'm better off carving wood and then putting the pieces together using joints. I imagine it depends on exactly what you're trying to make. I assume you're looking to make enclosures for electronics. Sorta like maybe along the lines of cases for a Raspberry Pi? I'd definitely go 3D printer with that. If you want questions answered about laser, though, you should check out the laser cutter thread.
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May 10, 2016 05:52
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Revol posted:I didn't get the job offer that I hoped was coming, which is a bummer. Makes me think, if for whatever reasons I have to delay getting a CNC machine, is there perhaps a new model coming soon I might want to look into? Making laser cut boxes? There's a ton out there. And no shortage of generators either. Anyway, you don't need anywhere near that powerful of a laser to cut wood. A good 40w co2 cutter can cut 1/4 inch wood/acrylic.
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May 10, 2016 07:25
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I'm trying to wire my nema 23 to my gecko 540 and I'm not sure how to wire the motor cables to the dsub 9 port. Could someone point me in the right direction?
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May 13, 2016 23:11
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Check the pinout on the second page: http://www.geckodrive.com/images/cms_files/images/G540%20REV8%20Manual.pdf And take your multimeter (you have one, right?), measure the resistance between different motor wires to figure out the windings. So if you get, say 100 Ohms between red and orange, plug them into pin 9 and 8, and same thing for the other pair. Read up on identifying stepper motor windings for more info. I have done almost literally no research on your particular setup, so my 2 seconds of looking tells me you have a unipolar stepper, but you can leave the centre taps unplugged to treat it like a bipolar stepper, like the Gecko seems to expect. Again, 2 seconds of research, take with grain of salt 
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May 14, 2016 01:07
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Isn't that diagram on the box showing the pin wiring? I seem to remember the diagrams for my motors looking like that.
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May 14, 2016 04:02
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I'm measuring them with a multimeter, I was just hoping there was some way without by counting the pins and was a little confused by the bipolar unipolar thing.
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May 14, 2016 04:12
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I got a job offer today, so I'm going to get the ball rolling on getting my CNC machine. I'm pretty much decided that I'll go with the X-Carve. One major reason is I like how customizable the ordering process is. This creates a problem for me, though, as I'm not sure what optional pieces I should get. Any suggestions? Here is the ordering page. I'm going with the smaller 500mm size, and my focus will be on wood carving, though I also want to play with engraving and working with aluminum and brass. What is the benefit of better stepper motors? It seems to me like it is just speed of the job, which I'm not too concerned about. What is a limit switch? It says it allows the system to be "homed", but I don't get what that means. "Limit" makes me think that it lets the CNC know the physical limits of the working area. I won't be ordering this for a few weeks yet, I think. Plan is to build an enclosure first, maybe start this weekend.
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May 17, 2016 23:16
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If you're interested in building the enclosure first you'll want to be aware that the drag chains add a surprising amount to the final size of the unit on top of the size of the waste board. You can do some slight modifications to the mounting direction to limit how much they expand when they flex (rotating them so they flex vertically). Honestly if I was going to build mine over again with an enclosure in mind I'd probably use the same extrusions to design an enclosure integrated into the unit itself. Maybe others have more experience in this area though. An enclosure is on my list of projects, but I haven't designed or built it yet. Homing is the process of bringing the machine back to the same spot at the start of every project. If you don't have limit switches you have to kind of eyeball that you're over the 0 point or bite the bullet and measure it every time. The Easel software can use the same starting point as the previous job, but you're kind of trusting that no steps were skipped in the previous job (which is fairly rare as long as your machine is set up right, but always a possibility if something goes wrong). I got my 500mm X-Carve with all the bells and whistles because I just tend to go all in on things, so I can't really comment on what the other options might compromise. About the only regret I have about my machine is it would be really nice to have one axis be longer. But that's always a possibility for an upgrade down the road, and a larger machine brings its own host of problems when you have limited work space. All that said, I've just recently started playing around with the machine seriously (finally got my first fully successful cut a few weeks ago!). It's a very cool project though, and I've enjoyed myself a lot so far (between bouts of swearing). In the meantime you might want to pick up a book on box making, because that's basically what you're looking to do with your magazine holder project. Or if you're not completely in for the CNC route the woodworking thread might have some ideas on how you could do this without the machine. Anyway, here's my rig in action:   And the finished product of that first cut: 
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May 18, 2016 00:15
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Huh. I learnt later that day that I'll be making much more than I was expecting, so money has become less of an issue, and more just me wanting to not blow a big load on an entry into a new hobby. The Shapeoko 3 is now in play. From my research, I'm not really seeing a big indication of the SO3 vs X-Carve battle being one better over the other. If I found out that the Shapeoko can be modified to cut paper, that might win me over, because it'd be really nice to be able to use CNC to cut stencils. I have a few t-shirt designs I've been wanting to do, but man, cutting those stencils is such a pain.ImpactVector posted:Honestly if I was going to build mine over again with an enclosure in mind I'd probably use the same extrusions to design an enclosure integrated into the unit itself. I don't know what you mean by extrusions. Is that the frame that connects to the wasteboard? I definatelty want the machine to be "integrated" into the enclosure, but I really do like the X-Carve wasteboard. This is a good thread with a guy building an enclosure, this is the kind of design I had in mind.
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May 19, 2016 06:55
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Should be able to fabricate a vinyl cutter head for cutting paper for either machine. Or a 3W laser if you're feeling dangerous e: Drag knife. That's the phrase I was looking for.
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May 19, 2016 07:12
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Revol posted:
The rails that make the framework for x-carve and shapeoko are created by pushing aluminum through a forming die like play-dough... aka "extruded"
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May 19, 2016 11:12
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ante posted:Should be able to fabricate a vinyl cutter head for cutting paper for either machine. Or a 3W laser if you're feeling dangerous Yeah. I read that the X-Carve doesn't have a way to correctly cut, though.The problem isn't that there is no attachment, as people have 3D printed their own. What I read was something about how you need to do different kind of pathing for drag cutting than carving. Can't find the link for the explanation, though.
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May 19, 2016 18:33
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What do people use for software? I've been using Easel with my X-Carve, but I've got a project lined up that requires a 2-stage cut with both a v-engrave and a cut out, and Easel isn't really cutting it anymore (ha ha). For reference, I'm making some meeples for wedding favors. I'd like to put this v-engraving:  Inside these cut outs (the engraving on these was done with a 1/32" mill, turned out really crappy when you look at it up close, and took like 4 times as long since it wasn't optimized as well as F-Engrave apparently does):  I mean, I could measure everything out and try for a 2-stage cut layering some g-code from F-Engrave on top of my Easel project, but that seems really finicky. It'd be nice if I could import arbitrary g-code into Easel and copy/rotate/translate it there since AFAIK g-code is pretty much just some vector movements, but apparently Easel isn't cool enough for that. It doesn't allow you to manipulate imported g-code at all. I've looked at Fusion 360, but that seems like that's more designed for metal fabrication than subtractive 2.5d stuff. If that's the route people recommend though, I can hunker down and learn it. ImpactVector fucked around with this message at 05:20 on Jun 1, 2016 |
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Jun 1, 2016 05:18
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Check out Vectric Aspire (or one of their other products VCarve or Cut2D). Their tutorial section is really well done - worth checking out if you want to see what the software is capable of. The preview function and testing feature is great. My only complaint about Aspire is that is doesn't do a great job of recognizing work done by prior steps (roughing, etc.). You can work around that issue, but it's more complicated than it needs to be.
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Jun 1, 2016 17:40
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Evil_French posted:Check out Vectric Aspire (or one of their other products VCarve or Cut2D). Their tutorial section is really well done - worth checking out if you want to see what the software is capable of. The preview function and testing feature is great. My only complaint about Aspire is that is doesn't do a great job of recognizing work done by prior steps (roughing, etc.). You can work around that issue, but it's more complicated than it needs to be. e: lol really? $2k with no hobbyist license option? No thanks. ImpactVector fucked around with this message at 18:16 on Jun 1, 2016 |
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Jun 1, 2016 17:49
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Yeah, Aspire is pretty (ridiculously) expensive. Their other packages are more reasonable. Depending on your area, you may find a makerspace or similar that has software available (that's how I find learned about this program). G-code is a text format - if you change the .nc file into a text file, you may be able to edit or combine G-code. Computer generated G-code is going to have a lot of lines, but if you know what you're looking for, combining two different tool paths (add a optional stop for tool change; make sure your work offset is the same; adjust your tool length offset as necessary) is not a problem.
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Jun 2, 2016 05:40
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Yeah, it might make sense if I had a budget set aside for this or had any current plans to monetize it, but they're still quite a bit more than I'm looking to spend when there are free alternatives. Maybe someday in the future when I'm not in the middle of planning a wedding. I fully expect to end up with two separate code files. I'd prefer it even. With ~200 of these things to make, I'd much rather do all the engraving first and then cut them all out so I only have to change the end mill once. I'd just really like to have them all in the same plan file so I don't have to figure out how to zero things between them. From what I've read Fusion 360 should be able to handle that. I just have to sit down and teach myself how to CAD.
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Jun 2, 2016 14:05
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CamBam has a 40-run trial.
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Jun 2, 2016 17:09
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Fusion 360 will handle it just fine.
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Jun 2, 2016 17:55
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I've been building a cnc machine on and off (mostly off) for the last couple of years. It's a moving gantry design made out of MDF. The spindle is a brushless DC motor with an 8mm shaft replaced by an 8mm ER16 shank. The steppers are some chinese NEMA 23. There's still some work to be done, since I'm wasting a lot of cutting volume due to the Z axis assembly being too big. When I get around to making it sturdier and smaller, I should be able to get ~400x400x200mm. Some testing with a pen:  Engraving:  The machine as of today. (I'm the 70's wall decor):  Cutting: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sjtr_OtCgpE Engraving: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I_QQY0imBFg
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Jun 25, 2016 21:34
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hvqb6IBrKgw am I CNCing yet Real question- how do I set hard limits on axis movement in mach 3? I wanna futz around with test gcode but the first little program I plugged it hit the table's physical X-axis limit (had my hand on the Big Red Button so it only made an Ugly And Bad Machine Noise for a fraction of a second, phew). I think 'soft limits' might be it but those seem to only hold valid until you re-zero the axes. e: It would appear that I am interested in something called "end switches" but fellow Taig users say running out of travel won't hurt the steppers or the machine but will make you lose position. Good enough for me?? Ambrose Burnside fucked around with this message at 23:44 on Aug 16, 2016 |
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Aug 16, 2016 23:29
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