Parts 1

[Derek Eggers]

More details of the experience tomorrow

[David Hempy]

OH, DUDE!  THAT IS SO COOL!!!
Take that from me...someone who is not wont to waste large typeface frivolously!

What is the shiny surface where the parts were?


-dave

On Sun, Jul 15, 2012 at 10:06 PM, Derek Eggers <eggers...@gmail.com> wrote:

More details of the experience tomorrow

Sent from an iPhone
--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Collexion-CNC" group.
To post to this group, send email to collex...@googlegroups.com.
To unsubscribe from this group, send email to collexion-cn...@googlegroups.com.
For more options, visit this group at http://groups.google.com/group/collexion-cnc?hl=en.

[Nikolai Warner]

bat'leth?

On Sun, Jul 15, 2012 at 10:06 PM, Derek Eggers <eggers...@gmail.com> wrote:

More details of the experience tomorrow

[Dustin Mays]

THAT IS FRIGGIN' AWESOME. HOLY CRAP.

[Derek Eggers]

I was pretty excited too.

The shiny pink stuff is foam insulation. I'll use it to carve and fit the bulkhead as I make design decisions.  I left the materia on the bed so I can cut more out of it later.  ....but if anyone wants to use the mill you are welcome to move it, cut on it, or use it. (it being the pink foam) 

There was good documentation online for steps to calibrating the x y z axis that are pretty easy.  I didn't use any precision instruments so I used the full 48 and 96 inches to minimize measurement error. It was good enough for the part I was cutting but we probably want to recalibrrate with more precise measurements.  The process is very easy.  It seems the profile was set for mm so I changed it to inches.  I think I saved the settings but it's worth checking before cutting material that you care about.  

I left .nc cut files in the .CamBam folder.  One of the files is good for checking corners.  It goes to the 4 corners of a 4x8 sheet of ply and drills a hole in each corner.

I learned a few things:

1) CamBam rocks.  There are a few things I will demo that can save time.  

      It makes nice little tabs to hold a part in place while cutting and a bunch of other fun stuff.

2) Calibrating is easy and we can all learn how to check and recalibrrate.

3) the machine makes a lot of dust.

4) plugging the Vacuum in 1/2 way through cutting a part can blow a circuit and crash the computer.

5) recalibrating after the computer crashes is not that hard but finding the same origin (zero) is tougher than it seems.  I was off by about 1/8 inch.  

6) it's good to always have the keyboard in hand and be ready to hit escape.

7) when a power line gets hung, it's difficult to decide whether to hit escape or unsnag the line. 

Take-away: We should get the Vac rigged up right away.  I tried to clean up after cutting, but am sure I didn't get it all.  I've seen some cool designs for Vac attachments at the tool.  I'm happy to try to cut this.  If anyone has a design they like or want to collaborate...

We should get the power chain that Dave posted cut and installed.  It will save much hassle in tending power cables.

We could use advice on power to the PC, controller, router and vacuum.   I should have realized the Vac would draw a lot on startup, but got caught in the moment.

I hope to be there Wednesday, but if anyone wants to meet earlier I could.

Derek

[Derek Eggers]

Nick,

I had to google the word.  I must admit it does look similar.  For the trial pieces that won't fit the boat, I'll have to make an ornamental bat'leth.  Who can show us how to use it?

Derek Eggers

[David Hempy]

Excellent work, Derek!  :-D  I can't wait to learn from you!

Not sure how it ended up in mm.  Maybe that's the default.  My calculator tells me that the reciprocal 25.4 (number of mm in an inch) is 0.039 .  That is remarkably similar to the scale we experimentally found when cutting the Collexion logo to no particular size.  I'm betting you just solved 95% of our scaling issues, Derek!

Yes, dust collection is critical.  Got to keep our flatmates happy!  There is at least one design on Joe's forum for cutting your own.  I'll find one and share.  If you want to cut it, that's great.  We can make one from wood ASAP, and find some clear acrylic on down the road. Or buy one of these: http://www.kentcnc.net/nc/products/94-standard-dust-shoe.aspx ...but that would be too wheenie for makers like us!

I plugged the dust collector in behind the front door on the west wall for that same reason. We really need to straighten out our power issues.

Wonder if we could cut the chain out of luan?  Seems an odd choice, but I bet it would work, and super cheap. I'll call General Plastic and see what 4x8' of expanded PVC runs...price some acrylic at the same time...