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Messages - iqchallengedd

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11
G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Elephant Problem
« on: May 01, 2011, 03:01:58 PM »
Have you tried scaling by its aspect ratio and not 1:1.

(;-) TP

Don't know how. But I'll check. The more solutions, the better.

12
G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Elephant Problem
« on: May 01, 2011, 03:00:59 PM »
This free 2D CAD program has been getting outstanding reviews.
http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/download-draftsight/?xtor=SEC-6-GOO-[]-[]-S-[draftsight]

I'll sure test drive the bugger. Thanks

13
G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Time to come clean
« on: May 01, 2011, 07:19:45 AM »
"Interestingly this is exactly the same issue I ran into when experimenting with inlay work."

Yes. In face to face discussions I've used the inlay example to get people to understand what I was wanting to accomplish. I've disguised my real goal because I didn't yet want "the world" to know what I was doing, AND, because I thought the "puzzle" analogy would cut to the chase. What I'm really doing is trying to kick off a small business using my CNC router to make foam tool mats. It begins with a wrench lying on a light box with a camera perched above. So that gives you an exact silhouette of a wrench. Mechanics would struggle to get the wrenches in and out of such a perfect fit. So I needed some way to dial in a "factor" as needed. Some wrenches might be adequately lose with 0.010" wiggle room while others might need twice that (or more). So I needed a solution that would solve more than one situation. Hopefully Les (Mr. SheetCam) has told me how to make it happen.


14
G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Elephant Problem
« on: April 30, 2011, 10:08:21 PM »
Thanks for your response Rich. And thanks to all. I contacted Les Newell, creator of SheetCam. I asked him to read the thread. He said "Use finish allowance". I've always noticed this box in the process menu but didn't know what it was for. He advised me to put in the amount of offset desired to get the result I need. I haven't had a chance to test it yet but I'm confident it will work as he said. ;D

15
G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Elephant Problem
« on: April 30, 2011, 05:36:05 PM »
I don't know about sketchup but many cad or cam software has the option to keep or delete the original vector.

Maybe sketchup has it.


Jeff

Ah! That would be helpful. Thanks

16
G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Elephant Problem
« on: April 30, 2011, 05:01:11 PM »
Actually, that's the first thing I tried. That doesn't work. Here's why: If you take an eight foot 2 x 4 (1-1/2" x 3-1/2") and increase it to say... 103%-- the length will increase by 2.9". The width will only increase by 0.1" (if I did my math right). So the border is far from equal moving around the piece of lumber. I asked a CAD savvy architect about it and he explained that scale was totally different from offset. So the 2 x 4 was scaled-up but the offset went crazy. My desire is to maintain an equal offset all around the piece. It started off as a need to make a lose-fitting puzzle. But now I'm no longer thinking about how to fool the machine by dialing in a different size bit. That's too limiting. I'd like to think I could make a groove ANY thickness around the elephant simply with the keyboard. And-- you can with CAD (SketchUp in my case). But you end up with having to clean up the drawing. It would be far nicer if I could get my SheetCam or Mach3 to handle it. It has become a challenge for me. I'm positive that the geniuses who design these software programs can do it. They may have elected not to because of the lack of demand for it. But I'm sure they could.

17
G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Elephant Problem
« on: April 30, 2011, 04:33:40 PM »
Thanks for the responses. I guess there is no mechanism for doing it electronically. I'll just have to do it with the bit manipulation. Thanks again.

18
G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Elephant Problem
« on: April 30, 2011, 10:50:47 AM »
I want to make some one piece jigsaw puzzles that are less than perfect fit. It will make it easier to get the pieces to go in. I want to cut the pocket 1/16th bigger than the piece. I could accomplish this by telling SheetCam that I'm using a 1/8" bit when I'm actually using a 1/4" bit. But I like to think I could order this procedure in Mach. I think I'd be less likely (over the years to come) to get confused. I can draw the elephant (or whatever) in SketchUp and then use the offset function of that program to create an image that is 1/16th bigger. The problem with that is that I have to carefully go at the drawing with the eraser tool to get rid of the inside image before exporting it to SheetCam. Is there some way I could take my elephant (in its actual size) to SheetCam as I usually do, and then give Mach a command to cut it with the 1/16" offset. I stupidly thought I could just bump the X and Y up to 103% (or whatever) to accomplish this. But, of course, that does not work. Thanks for any help.

Picture below shows elephant enlarged with offset tool (in SketchUp) and inside image being erased.

19
I know you are looking for a "cook book" answer as how to make this all work for you.  That is how I started out also.  The problem is that your setup is different than mine, how you use your equipment is different than what I do with mine so there is no one "answer".

I realized how difficult it is to answer such a question. Everyone in the DIY CNC world has there own combination of "stuff". Maybe I can take the info you gave me and get a little more from someone else and eventually get it going. After all-- that's how I built the CNC in the first place. Thanks
If anyone reading this knows which terminals to use on the Campbell BOB please advise. Thanks to you too.

20
I've read through this thread. It's obviously packed with info on how to make the edge finder and z probe. Two problems: it's very lengthy and a whole lot of it is gibberish to me. I was wondering if maybe I could boil it down to a third-grader's level with just a few steps and let you guys see if it makes sense. I have a fully functional CNC router with Gecko 201s, a Bob Campbell break out board, limit switches on the X and Y (none on the Z). I have parallel port. I want the zero systems badly. I don't need any help on how to make the plates. What I do need is the wiring and software know-how. As best I could tell from the thread I need to pick "probe" and "low" from the Mach program. I need two wires coming from the BOB. I need to download a screen program to create a screen with buttons and lights for operating the probe. Is that about it? I want to do it in the least difficult way and make it fancy later.

1. I understand I need the so-called Screen 4 package downloaded and installed. Yes/No
2. I understand I need to insert some script which I can copy from one of you guys. Yes/No
3. I understand I need wires coming from the BOB but I don't know which terminals Yes/No

Is this about it? Can you tell me which terminals on the BOB?

My sincere thanks, BB

www.ProjectCNC.wordpress.com

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