positioning

[flatlandpilot]

After painting I had troubles placing it back at real excact
for milling the text.

This is what I did with my last panels:
-saving the holes in the panel corner in a seperate file
-after painting, on a flattened mdf board on top of the bed I milled the corner holes into the mdf
-I mount the panel with these holes.

on my "cheap" table I got far better results with a flattened mdf bed,
a 0.1 mm. height fault is no problem with cutting out, but with bevels
and text-milling the table height tolerance should be better than 0.1 mm I think.

doing text with 0.25 mm. 30 deg. 50% overlap works for me.
hitting the acryl to deep gave bad results, it looks like the edges become unsharp
from acryl dust hitting (the side of) the paint.

this new 'due to simpitting hobby' is getting better all the time

[Hessel Oosten]

Ha die Flatlandpilot,

I take more or less the same procedure.

E.g. in first instance not milling holes for rotaries (the later needed 6,1 mm). but drilling/milling them only with a mill of e.g. 2 mm.

Than painting.

After putting the painted panel back, you can center it around the (see before) previous used 2 mm mill (positions saved of course), because the holes are also 2 mm. They do fit tight. Now you can mill the holes (from the front) to the 6,1 mm needed and do the engravings in the same sesssion.

A good (and cheap) way of edge finding is to put an (broken) mill upside down in the spindle motor. Turn the motor on. Move it to the edge. Even the slightest contact can heard easily. Do it on both sides and calculate the mid (you knew the radius of the broken shaft).

Groeten,

Hessel Oosten (Molenhoek, lb).

[flatlandpilot]

Hoi Hessel,
brandde het zonnetje vandaag ook zo lekker in LB ?

more or less the same procedure

yeah, guide holes are more "foolproof",
no math etc, for me that counts

for edge finding I use


groeten,
Martijn Heeroma

[davek]

When I create the panels, I draw the complete panel in the software program and then save that.
I then highlight the areas to cut first and then save the tool path.
then the next cuts such as text.
That way I have always got the whole panel on file to make any adjustments.

To mark and return to centre when doing text or other cuts once painted, I always include a 'centre hole'
This is a .1mm deep impression on the panel.
The machine cuts this first and then the holes, cutouts and then finally the actual panel.
I paint the panel and then I can put it into the cnc and line up the bit with the 'centre hole'
It does leave a small depression in the middle of the panel but once painted, switches fitted and backlit, you dont even notice it.

Alternatively, if i am fitting a back panel with screws, I try and make one of the holes for the screws as the centre of the panel and then use that to line it up.

One of the best tips I have read on here is to do a test run above the panel to ensure that it is aligned correctly. It has saved me a couple of times.

Because I am new to this and learning as I go, I also draw an outline around the panel and mark centre on a spare piece of wood and then do a test run on that. Saves a lot of heartache and frustration in destroying hours of work on the panels made so far.

[robinpaschal]

To be able to compete in these days of work and production shops must look for ways to do their work more productive. Meaning less hours of work with more productivity for each post. These machines have been designed GEKA with your needs in mind.

[fsaviator]

for edge finding I use

That is outstanding. a cheap probe.

How would I go about adding the probe utility to my Mach3?

Thanks,

Warren