# Introduce yourself on the CNC Forum



## Underdog

Hi guys and gals.

My name is Jim Underwood, and I really like woodworking. I like woodturning and carving in particular. 
I also enjoy CNC woodworking, which is what this introduction is about.

If you have a CNC router, introduce yourself with a picture of your machine or projects and tell us a little about yourself.

I'll start off.

I work in a medium sized cabinet shop in Georgia as their technical manager. In my previous life I was an auto-mechanic for 14 years, so I ensure that the machines in our shop do their thing. This includes the KOMO 5' x 10' 3 axis CNC router as well as a HolzHer Edgebander, and a 42" Houfek Widebelt Sander. (And yes, I've been deep in the guts of all three machines. Cursing is a hazard of the trade.)
In addition I'm the "go to" guy for our Cabinet Vision design software. If the software or the user has a problem, I'm there to implement changes, report issues, write some code, or find a workaround. 
I also use ArtCAM and AlphaCAM upon occasion, but not nearly enough to satisfy the creative urge… There are so many things I'd love to make, but we're focused on cabinets.

At home I have the proprietary CarveWright Router, with it's proprietary "Designer" software and the STL importer, as well as access to the ArtCAM dongle and software. So I can create anything that fits the parameters of the Carvewright.

While I've made quite a few projects on our machine at work (not to mention umpteen zillion cabinet jobs) I've only made a few on my CW at home.

Here are a few projects:


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## Handtooler

Simply WOW! I really really like the oak leaf acorn cabinet door. Truly magnificent. Did you write the code for those designs? If so, you are the craftsman of the year; accept the award.


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## RockyTopScott

I agree Handtooler, the door is fantastic.

I was considering a CNC to be able to do work like that for customized box lids.


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## Underdog

No code writing here guys. I've muddled with G-code a tiny bit, but mostly it's modeling, and the software writes the code…

You guys interested in CNC Woodworking?


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## Artz

I Know nothing about CNC Machining But can see that they are another tool and in the right hands can do magic. Do You Know if there are places that will take a drawing and do CNC cutting to reproduce the drawings?


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## Underdog

Absolutely. May be some in your area; cabinet shops, sign shops, independent operators.


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## F40qwerty

Hi Underdog

I've got a small desktop-sized CNC machine with a Kress spindle (spindle not mounted in this pic). 








http://www.brentmorelabs.com/2012/05/the-new-cnc/

This is my second - I built my first one but it didn't turn out as well as I had hoped. 
http://www.brentmorelabs.com/2012/01/my-first-cnc-machine/

I'm planning on getting a larger one once I move back up north in a few months.


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## degoose

Hello from down under…
I have a CNC router… 3 HP 3 phase with inverter… Made right here in Australia.. actually just down the road from me…bought it 6 moths ago… about…. it also has a 4 th axis… rotary device…
I also own a 4 foot by 3 foot Chinese laser engraver…. 80 W Reci tube….I imported this direct… and have been using it for about 18 months or so…
Waiting on deliver of a new laser next week… made in Taiwan by Great Computer Corp… GCC…
12 inch by 18 inch C180II with 30 W Synrad laser tube…
All the bells and whistles and portable… hope to run it at some wood shows…
I also have all the usual woodworking machines and tools…


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## SugarbeatCo

Hello, Kevin & Courtney here from Sugarbeat & Co Woodworks. We run a shopbot PRS Alpha 96"x 48" with a PC router . I've only had it running about 8 months now but we've made some fun stuff with it. I have no complaints about the shopbot. We upgraded to aspire 4 to open up some new possibilities.. I do a lot of traditional woodwork as well, a hybrid I guess you'd say. I got the shopbot as an employee.. One that wont call in the day after the superbowl.. The only errors it makes are my fault. And I can cut absolutely perfect panels every time 1000 times if need be.. Heres some of our work, I will get some pics of my machine soon


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## fge

Kevin and Courtney, my wife and I need an employee like your employee.


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## fge

Underdog, you mention the Komo 5' X 10', I seen one of those at a current auction at http://www.machinerymax.com/detail.asp?id=7186&n=Komo-VR512-MI-CNC-Router-Reserve-Met

Probably a good machine, but looks bigger than what we need for our shop.


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## SugarbeatCo

Kevin and Courtney, my wife and I need an employee like your employee.

Haha, we do sub out its services!


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## Underdog

I don't know what the market is like right now, but right after the housing crash (2008) you could find used CNC routers for cheap, as many cabinet shops and woodworking outfits went under, and didn't come back.


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## wormil

Congrats on the CNC forum. I love that cross at the top of the page, it would look fantastic in bronze (not that it doesn't now.


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## matt5

Love the CNC forum. heres the mill. Is a three axis Roberts bed mill. Its not built for wood working, but if the dust is controlled it works great!!


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## matt5




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## Puzzleman

I have 2 Gerber 408's. They both have the 7hp spindle and 10 hp vacuum table for hold down.

I use both of mine to make puzzle stools (see my avatar), puzzles and other personalized products.

I bought the first one new 11 years ago and still running strong. I bought the second one used in January of this year. Making payments on it but it more than makes me enough money to pay for the payment. Took a 3 year loan but plan on having it paid off in 18 months.

Yes Jerry, they are the best employees. I can put them to work each doing separate programs that will run for an hour or so, while I am close by doing one of several activities such as setting up the work for the next day, creating drawings or doing some light sanding work. What I like is that while they are doing their thing, I can be doing another thing. Just have to be close by in case of a problem.


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## oldnovice

Woodworking has been my hobby for many, many years and my infatuation with CNC started when the Sweet Pea plotter was introduced back in the mid 1980's. I saw that little plotter trace out wave forms and thought to myself, if I replace the pen with a knife or router I could … !

However it wasn't until last year, at the insistance of my dad (for many years before his passing) and the persistance of my youngest son (who is a certified CNC machinist), that I finally broke (financially too) down bought one.

I bought a Shopbot Buddy BT48 Alpha with a 2.2 HP spindle. I still have a lot more, I do mean a lot more, to learn but I really enjoy using it. Not having to make a physical template is one of things I like the best. In many cases making a decent useable template took more time than routing the actual item. Now the template is a toolpath file and can be tweaked without saws, rasps, files, or sandpaper and can be reused without worrying about wear and tear on the template.

Additionall, I was having increasing difficulty holding any but the lightest routers for any length of time and the Shopbot takes the load off of my hands/wrists/arms and allows me to use what has always been my favorite tool.

I hope that this forum is a helpful addition to Lumberjocks!


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## matt5

Kevin and courtney, I have a question about how you milled the Oak Man. Did you have to reposition the piece during the milling or did you cut it all with out moving it? It looks like areas are under cut (which I cannot do with a single fixture mount on my machine)


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## Underdog

So you'd put some bronze paint on the cross, eh? I'd thought about using some of that "stone" paint from Krylon. I'd also thought that it would look better if I'd let the v-bit go all the way to the bottom of the cut. I regret that I didn't now.


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## wormil

Well actually I was thinking actual bronze but then I'm just a big fan of bronze, brass, copper, as well as wood!


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## Underdog

I could paint it with Modern Masters reactive paint. It's a little pricey, but you can get some really good effects with it.
http://www.modernmasters.com/products.asp?mode=group&gid=68


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## oldnovice

Hey *Matt*, is that CNC or scroll work? Either way, it looks very interesting.


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## matt5

Old novice, I did it all on a 3 axis CNC mill, but it was all 2D work. It's installed it in the master bed room floor of this house


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## Underdog

That looks to be a pretty nice house despite the turret in the front. Not sure it's up to the quality of that inlay you did though. ;-)


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## matt5

Thank you. I did a compass rose for my guest room, but I just dont think its what I want so its just collecting dust for now. Its oak, maple, cherry and walnut.


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## oldnovice

Some really nice work *Matt*!


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## DS

What a cool thing to have on this site: a cnc forum for us "faux" wood workers! Haha!

Jim, I've seen and followed you on the cabinet vision forums since about 1998 or so. Our work experiences are nearly parallel in that regard. I spent a lot of energy in those early days trying to get the features and bug fixes that has resulted in the truly amazing (albeit highly exploited) program that it is today. Ucs's and smart constructs automate much of the design work for me these days and I manage to get pretty good volumes of work done each day, considering.

I cut my teeth on a komo innova 408. After a bit of study we made a leap of faith and bought it having no experience whatever. Cabinet vision coupled with cimtech's router-Cim and auto nest was our early configuration. Thousands of cabinets later, I've used several 5×12 onsrud machines and even one of the Laguna routers as well. Cv ultimate with alpha cam screen to machine seems to get it done for me these days.

I've been dreaming of my own personal cnc router for over a decade and last year I dove right in with building it having no plan and no budget so to speak. It is still a work in progress but I am pleased so far with how my 4 axis build is coming along. Many here are following along with my build blog and I really appreciate the feedback and support.










For my new machine I am looking to run vectric's aspire 3d software for making carvings and turnings.

I've been singularly surprised by the amount of backlash there's been on LJs when it comes to cnc machines and "real" wood working. I personally chalk it up to the instigators ignorance. Most seem to think complex tool paths are easy. And sometimes they can be. But, that makes them no less wood working, In my opinion. 
Once someone has spent a week designing a part and see it run on a machine in only a few minutes, will realize it is still woodworking and it is still real.


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## DS

Jerry, the Komo VR512 is a beast of a machine. It uses fanuc controllers and servos which are arguably the best in the industry. The main drawback is the footprint is HUGE! It has a fixed gantry and a moving 12 ft long table. That means the machine is in excess of 24 feet long!

An onsrud with a moving gantry, while not fanuc parts, will do the same work in HALF the floor space.

Just noticed the bid price is only $4k
The rigging to get it in your shop will cost more than that.
The Quincy screw drive vacuum is worth three times that alone.
If memory serves, this machine,when new, sold for about $185k


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## Underdog

Hi DS, thanks for contributing. That's a good looking build there. I never had the guts to start on one. I figured I'd get started and never finish. Keep going! Now I wanna see it run!


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## KarenW

My introduction-joined LJ a couple years ago, didn't post much but read a lot. I've been a general woodworker for well over 30 years and specifically a finisher for about 20. I consider finishing my 'day job'... lol. If I had a "specialty" I supposed it would have been in the decorative area of carving, inlay, woodburning, turning, and so on. No pictures to show of past work-we had a house fire a couple years ago that wiped all that out. But we rebuilt (I was my own general contractor) and after the studs and drywall and trim and cabinets of a home, we built many of the things in it-kitchen island, closet units, bookcases, night stands, desk and file cabinets… lots of things.

My partner retired for the 3rd time and was getting bored playing house frau so I started thinking about a CNC machine as a way to keep him busy during the day while I worked. A mistake on one hand, a brilliant idea on the other. Not thinking about the technical aspect of it (or maybe more accurately, not realizing how much computer work was involved) it took us a few months to settle into it. To put it simply… Wade is a tech-not. He's mastered YouTube finally. LOL! So the CNC, by default, became my thing.
The machine itself is very simple.
The software takes some time.

A few pictures-we don't do much 3D-looks nice but unless we get a specific order for something, I'm not really interested. We do a lot of area festivals and expos so we target specific themes but our specialty is portraits. 








Machine in its tank with dust collection. 








14×20, birch ply, western cedar frame.








Memorial box in maple.


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## DS

Karen, that's a nice compact setup you have there. I am curious about the "tank", as you called it. What is its main purpose? Dust containment? Noise?


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## KarenW

A few more pictures-I could bore y'all to death with them. 








9×11, maple with a gouged edge.








One of my personal favorites-18" pine round and a lot of planning for grain.








And just to prove we're still "real" woodworkers… a gun cabinet. Nothing done on the CNC but yes, reading above, I've gotten the same thing from a few people. If I'm not using a brace and bit or a mallet and chisel then I'm not "real".
We may not be Roy Underhill clones but our woodworking is as real as any.


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## KarenW

Hi DS - yeah, the tank is dust containment but more importantly, noise reduction. While we have something cutting on the machine we also have other projects going in in other areas of the shop. I got tired of raising my voice to be heard over the whine of the machine and the radio.  I can still hear anything that would make me check it but we can have a normal conversation now.


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## oldnovice

Karen you did some good planning with the grain on the round one as you can see the waves on the water, indeed, very nice to be sure.

I would be interested on what software you use to go from photo to tool path.


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## darthford

I'm without a CNC machine at the moment, looking at this Haas in the next 18 months, 10k RPM spindle. I have OneCNC XR2 Mill Professional 3D CAD/CAM software.


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## degoose

Karen, the portraits are fabulous… what program are you using for them…


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## KarenW

oldnovice-thanks. It did take some planning and measuring to place the elements to fit the grain. This is in my top 3 favorite pieces so far. In fact, I've taken this out of inventory and have cut a replacement for events. This one is going in my own house.  
We have started picking these for grain now…just because of this one piece.

degoose-thank you, too. I love doing the portraits even though there's so much computer time invested. High res photos (but not ultra high) seem to work best but I can do lower res with some success. While I won't give away my particular step by step (and I hope you understand ;-) I'll just say I run it through Photoshop or Photo Explosion (Gimp and others will do the same thing, too) to remove the color and even out the shadows then I bring it into VCarve 7 and vectorize it there. That's where the real work begins-deciding what to remove and what to leave in. 
I pay particular attention to the eyes and the hair to bring out as much detail as I possibly can.


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## oldnovice

Nice results *Karen*!

In my opinion, in some the grain pattern seems to revive the appearance very old photographs from an archive while in others the grain pattern adds as to be part of the image. That is my opinion and I could be wrong!


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## degoose

One more thing to try…
Karen, thanks for your reply… I do understand…PM sent…


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## oldnovice

*darthford* you must be going to do more than just woodworking!

That is one expensive piece of equipment!


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## SugarbeatCo

Kevin and courtney, I have a question about how you milled the Oak Man. Did you have to reposition the piece during the milling or did you cut it all with out moving it? It looks like areas are under cut (which I cannot do with a single fixture mount on my machine)

That's light play there are no undercuts, and it was milled entirely on the flat.. The file is actually a vector art stock file..


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## blmac4

Hello all, my name is Bobby and I am a new CNC owner as of the end of December. After looking long and hard at several brands and considering building, I settled on a CAMaster Stinger 1. It is a sweet machine and very well made, and the company is great to deal with. They are there to help with any questions that you may have or problem that may come up. I have been a regular lumberjock member for some time and was really glad when I seen the forum for CNC was created.

blmac4
Louisiana


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## RockyTopScott

Hey Bobby, what type of projects are doing on the Stinger I?


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## DS

If I were to make wooden hand planes using a cnc machine do you think the universe would implode?


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## KarenW

[email protected]!!


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## Underdog

Awesome! Truly. I'm laughing….


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## Underdog

Welcome aboard Bobby. Glad to have you.


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## SPalm

Hey All,

Long time LumberJock and hobbiest. I designed and built a 3 axis CNC many years ago. It works well, although I don't use it a lot. I had no idea about how they worked, but I just had to have one. I went through about three generations before I ended up with one that was usable. I run VCarve CAD/Cam software and Mach III as my controller.

I blogged about building it here http://lumberjocks.com/SPalm/blog/2248

And posted it as a project.


I have posted several projects here on LJs. I guess I like doing boxes with it, but I have a folder full of ideas that I want to pursue someday.











And lots of signs:


Steve


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## degoose

Welcome Steve


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## oldnovice

Nice pieces *Steve* and welcome!


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## darthford

Oldnovice yes its about $60k for that Haas, but I spend almost that now on a new truck and spent nearly $30k on my Kubota for yard work. What the hell you can't take it with you and I'm not getting any younger.


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## oldnovice

*darthford* "he who has the most tools wins" 
That is almost exactly what my dad told me when he said get yourself the CNC you have been wanting for so long.

What is the working envelope of the Haas? Just curious!


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## darthford

That Haas is XYZ 20×16x14. Footprint and power requirements ideal for a home shop. I'd go bigger but the footprint get huge and the power requirements jump to 100 amps 3 phase.


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## oldnovice

*darthford*, my Shopbot Buddy has a 24"x 48"x 5", XYZ cutting envelope and I find that a little restricting for full sheet goods!


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## darthford

*oldnovice* yes if I were doing sheet goods a cnc router with a larger work cube would be on my mind, I'll be using the Haas for metal, think wood/metal melded together that's where I'm going.


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## oldnovice

*darthford*, I see where you are heading and see why you selected the Haas.
My youngest son is a CNC machinist and would really like it if his current shop would get a Haas.


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## drieslaas

Good morning from South Africa
I have a 4×8 foot machine of own design in my shop, which was used for various projects.
www.creaturecraft.co.za has some examples
Machine is a constant work in progress, and is being upgraded slightly for a large cutting project which will hopefully result in earning me a permanent berth on a very nice fishing vessel running from the local harbour.
BTW the project IS the boat…


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## oldnovice

I found this *Kronos* site for building your own CNC and I was wondering if anyone else has any experience with this company.


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## joebob1611

Wow. That Kronos rig looks pretty sweet. Not much more than the BuildYourCNC machine with more rigidity. I'm going to put that one on my short list!


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## ssnvet

Hello all…. My name is Matt and I'm a CNC addict :^)

I work as an industrial packaging designer and manufacturing engineer. We run three CNC machines at work….

1. A CNT Motion Systems 900 gantry router (asset is shared between crating and millwork depts.)

2. An Edge Sweets HT-140 CNC wire profiler (foam fab. dept.)

3. A Data-Technologies M3000 corrugated & foam sample table (tangentially controlled reciprocating knife).

4. I personally converted an X3 series bench top mill to CNC controls and do some hobby metal work in my basement shop.

On the software side, I am proficient in Auto-CAD and Solid Works.

I switched us over from BobCAD to Enroute for our CAM package on the router, and am sooooooo happy we did so. Enroute is powerful, easy to use and fast. We bought the nesting add on as well (though for most of our simple geometries we don't use it). My only regret is that we didn't spring for the full 3D version.

We "cook" our G-code for the foam profiler with an ancient OEM dos program, and the Data-Tech. has a really slick OEM package called M-front (front end software for their M series machines).

Looking forward to exploring the CNC woodworking world with you all.


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## ssnvet

Here's what we do on the reciprocating knife CNC….


















Here's foam and routed wood components in a crate assy….









Here's some of my personal work….


















I'm really only proficient in 2D & 2-1/2D, but aspire to do full contour cutting some day.


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## oldnovice

Nice stuff *Matt*, glad to see your are addicted … CNC really does get into your blood!


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## drieslaas

Finally got the CNC running yesterday.
Cut some real parts that will be used, always nice doing that instead of just mucking about.
Hope to make some more dust soon….


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## Ger21

I've been programming and running big industrial CNC routers for about 17 years. At my current job, we have a 5×12 Morbidelli that we use to cut nested cabinet parts, as well as curved hardwood parts to be run through our arc shaper.
I designed and started building my own cnc about 11 years ago, and worked on it on and off for about 6 years until I got it running about 5 years ago.
http://lumberjocks.com/projects/24976

I'm currently designing and building a 4×8, servo powered machine that will have dual spindles, a rotary axis, and vertical clamping fixtures for cutting dovetails, box joints, and tenons.








I've built several prototype parts, and have made numerous design changes over the last few years. I'm currently contemplating a major change to add two drilling spindles to the two router spindles,. Most of the Z axis components are already fabricated, but I may end up scrapping them and starting over. I don't have the time right now to devote to this, but hope to get back to it this winter. I have already purchased all the linear rails and blocks for this machine.

I also like to dabble in cnc related software. 
I've written an AutoCAD VBA macro that exports g-code from within AutoCAD.

I've created several Mach3 screensets, and sell the very popular Mach3 2010 Screenset. This gives Mach3 a Windows like interface, and automates tool measuring during toolchanges.

I'm currently working on a program for creating g-code for woodworking joints. I'm currently in the process of writing a user guide for the program, and hope to have it available soon.


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## fge

We recently bought our first ever CNC. It is a Techno LC 59120. This week we will actually get live power to the machine for the first time. I already have Gcode ready to be executed. I am hoping my Gcode will provide us with a nicely cut out kitchen ready for assembly. Maybe I can update with some pics soon.


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## joebob1611

Well, after 6 months, more money than I had planned on spending, and some manual labor, I'm now the proud owner of my very own CNC machine. I ended up building a Joe's 4×4 R&P Hybrid and just got it up and running. This thing is so much fun to play with. I haven't done anything productive with it yet but have been experimenting with different cuts and materials to see how it works. I do have a project I want to do or my boss who is retiring in a couple of months. He wants me to make a name plate for his cabin. Been playing around with a few designs and settled on one I think will be great. Now I just need to find the right wood to cut it from. Thinking about either cypress or cedar would fit well with the log cabin look.


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## TexasBlanks

Just pulled the plug and bought my first Desktop CNC. I have no clue on how to use it but I will sure be on here asking alot of questions once I get it all hooked up

First question I do have is. Can I use my laptop which does not have a parallel port and buy a parallel port to USB adapter?


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## joebob1611

TexasBlanks,

I would advise against using an adapter as they do not work well at all for CNC use. The timing is inconsistent and there are a lot of problems with it. Your best bet is to use one of the smoothsteppers from Warp9. I have the ethernet one and it works great with my laptop. The only thing is it is recommended that you have it on its own network. I use the laptop's internal network card for the router and my wireless for internet. You can also look into the UC100 or UC300 usb controllers. I've heard people are having pretty good success with those, too, though I don't have any personal experience with them. The main thing is to have a device that will buffer the data from the usb or ethernet and send it to your controller in a smooth stream.


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## oldnovice

*@TexasBlanks*
I have an Acer mini tower connected to my Shopbot Buddy with USB cables. I did a performance check to insure good communications which I did NOT get from my Dell Insperion laptop. I also do not have my PC connected to the internet, even though it has wifi, to reduce the possibilty of mid task interruptions, like a Microsoft update or whatever else could come "crashing" in!

I am very happy with the results.

I am building an "industrial like", case to keep the PC free of dust. This case will be mounted on one of the lower leg stretchers, fits like a glove there, to keep the wiring fixed and out of the way. I have measured the vibrations on the stretcher while doing a 24" x 48" oval and they are well within reason to the PC and hard drive.


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## Ty520

Hi gang…..a CNC is on the bucket list, but I thought some of you may be interested in the Adirondack plans I have for sale in both DWG & DXF format on Etsy…

https://www.etsy.com/ca/shop/TheBarleyHarvest?section_id=13930514&ref=shopsection_leftnav_3

I just added the new Beach Chair and Family Bench to the mix. Still have to upload the rest of the DXF's for the other plans.

Phil


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## AndyPitts

Hi All,

I am Andy Pitts, a furniture maker in Northumberland County, Virginia. I own a ShopBot Desktop and use Vectric Aspire software in my work. I've quite a few videos on YouTube about setting up and using my machine, as well as one about a recent repair (https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLqdY8AvFNy3uoW75bwwSQFYAR12PFOLet). I have some of my CNC work in my projects area on LJ, and am continuing to build that page. Here's some examples:





I will be teaching an Introduction to CNC Routing course at Peters Valley School of Craft in NJ this August 14-18, 2015. I'm using the ShopBot Desktop and Aspire software. If anyone is interested in this, here's a link:
http://www.petersvalley.org/store/html/product.cfm?id=388

Andy


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## oldnovice

Thanks for sharing your work and I will be watching your videos and further post as I am just a beginner with my Shotbot!


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## cdaniels

I'm considering buying a CNC now. Im a hybrid woodworker with a bit of a change up as I'm now in a wheelchair. My work area is a 10×16 space so I'm thinking about getting one that's roughly 2'x2' for doing smaller stuff like cribbage boards and engravings and what not. Money can be an issue as I can't work anymore but I'm thinking a small machine would be a lucrative investment. Any advice on what to look for or stay away from?


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## SuppressiveFire

Hello everyone! I'm here and I've made it!


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## oldnovice

*cdaniels*,

I have a Shopbot Buddy which has a 24" x 48" x 5" working envelope which is probably more than you want to consider as the Buddy foot print 49" x 72" x 48".

The Shopbot Desktop has a decent work envelope,: 24" x 18" x 3.5", and a footprint of 36" x 32" x 30"(h) with a router and little wider with a spindle.

I have the Buddy and really love it and most Shopbot owners typically love their machines.
I was considering the Desktop unit but my son had bigger ideas.

Another place where you can get more information on Shopbot, which has it's own thread on this site, and almost any other CNC zone on the market


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## AndyPitts

> I m considering buying a CNC now. Im a hybrid woodworker with a bit of a change up as I m now in a wheelchair. My work area is a 10×16 space so I m thinking about getting one that s roughly 2×2 for doing smaller stuff like cribbage boards and engravings and what not. Money can be an issue as I can t work anymore but I m thinking a small machine would be a lucrative investment. Any advice on what to look for or stay away from?
> 
> - cdaniels


I agree with oldnovice that ShopBot is a good way to go. It's a solid machine and the company has great support. I have a desktop, which sounds like it would meet your needs. I have a lot of videos on YouTube using the machine, if you want to see it from a users view (YouTube channel AndyPitts1000).
Andy


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## joebob1611

If you don't mind building, there are some great kits out there also. CNCRouterParts.com has several sizes available and they are a great company with excellent support. The nice thing about the extruded rail design like these is that you can increase the size later on if you want by simply getting longer rails. If you really want to get your hands dirty and build from scratch, look into a Joe's CNC Hybrid or EVO machine. Easily scalable to whatever size you want. Guys have built them anywhere from 2×2 up to 6×12 and larger.


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## hotncold

I'm gonna love this forum!
I have been fascinated by CNC routing for years and knew that I wanted own one someday. The brands, sizes, configurations and especially the "terminology" was difficult to wrap my head around. I am fairly computer literate but I have never dealt with CAD/CAM software (other than Sketchup for designing some cabinet work).

When I saw the introduction of the X-Carve, I felt like I could "get my feet wet" without breaking the bank. I received my X-Carve about 2 weeks ago. The build was fairly easy and after changing out the spindle for a mount for a DeWalt DWP611 it is cutting great. (Tweaking took a little time).

Now I realize that getting a machine is the easy part!! Have spent the last week trying to get acquainted with various software and still haven't settled on something that will allow me to actually use the machine (I need that positive reinforcement) while learning the software and terminology.

As I stated earlier, I'm gonna' love this forum!
Thanks


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## oldnovice

> I m gonna love this forum!
> 
> As I stated earlier, I m gonna love this forum!
> Thanks
> 
> - hotncold


*You, me, and a bunch of others!*


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## joebob1611

For CAM software, you simply can't beat the Vectric line for ease of use and price. Their flagship program Aspire is all you need for doing pretty much any kind of CNC work. I've looked at quite a few other CAM programs and none even come close to ease of use. If you don't need to actually draw your 3D parts in Aspire, VCarve Pro is a great choice and a lot less money. For simple CAD work, Draftsight is free and very powerful. It's only 2D but will handle anything you would need. I haven't wrapped my brain around 3D CAD stuff yet but am trying to learn.

CNC is extremely addicting. Every time I see a sign or slogan or something on Facebook, my mind immediately starts thinking how it would look cut into a piece of wood!


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## oldnovice

I have to agree with Joe about Vectric I have PartWorks and PartWorks 3D that came with my Shopbot Buddy which are both from Vectric and, from my perspective a good start!

And, also on CNC project being addictive.


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## rhubka

Just a quick hello. Just signed in this evening.
Rick Hubka (an old guy) here from Chemainus BC Canada
I build a Joes DIY CNC this year. Can cut 50" X 50" X 8". Took me about 6 months PT to build. Lots to learn and lots of waiting for parts to be delivered. I love it!!!!!








Doing a few signs now for people and work. Love Vectric Aspire.








I built the CNC to carve necks for acoustic guitars I build. However I have a funny feeling I am destined to do as lot of signs. We'll see how this plays out.

Been a hobby woodworker for 40 years but am a computer programmer by trade.
So glad to be here.
Cheers


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## oldnovice

*rhubka*, that is a real nice, good size machine!

Do you have router or spindle on that baby?
Nice Examples of you work too.

Your hobby and your profession are/have joined in your machine.


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## joebob1611

Wow, that horse head sign came out GREAT! I follow your thread on the Joe's forum and am glad to see how it came out.


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## rhubka

Thanks for the kind words. I'm using a 2.25 HP Hitachi router for now. Lots to learn. Doing 6 signs right now.


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## bonesbr549

Hi I'm here and struggling to either build or go brand name or build. I'm a computer guy by trade so the build does not bother me, but every time I watch someone build they have to make custom pieces to make it work. I'm leaning more and more to a ready built unit.


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## rhubka

I'm an IT guy too and did the Joes DIY CNC with picture about 5 posts up in this thread. You are right. I have to buy steel. Learn to MIG weld via YouTube. Cut and fabricate custom aluminum brackets. Drill hundreds of holes. Cut and grind bolts to length. buy wire and solder. Etc. It was a lot of work.
But I would do it all again in a heart beat. I'm so proud to show people what I did. I think we are all here in this forum because that is the type of person we are. In fact, once the build is over in some ways it's almost sad. But I soon learned I had a machine and did not know how to use it. It did not know Aspire software which I'm learning now. Next I want to learn AutoCAD Fusion 360 (Free for hobby use). Then I had painting issues. Then…........ It never ends.

Go for it! Build one yourself. You'll be glad you did.


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## oldnovice

Build or buy, it will be fun!

I was in the same boat but decided to buy as I did building of automated equipment for a major portion of my career and didn't want to make it seem like work all over again!


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