karossii
01-13-2015, 04:21 AM
Okay, since I have had the carvewright, the majority of the time I was not using it for one reason or another. I recently started using it a lot, several hours per day, several days per week. And I have noticed that my design and setup habits seem to be leaving me with some issues.
I design a lot of double sided carves. The only sled I have is a 1x12 with a 8"x10"0.125" carve region to hold corian for lithophanes. Otherwise, I just use wood as close to (and somewhat larger than) the designs I make in designer.
Almost all of my wood comes from big box stores. 1x8, 1x10, 1x12, 2x10 are the most common sizes I get. And I just get common boards, which seems to be knotty pine most of the time.
I design most of my projects at slightly under the 'actual' sizes of those boards. A 1x12 is theoretically 0.75" x 11.25" - so I design the project at 0.7" x 11". I do this because I always have variances in the width and thickness, and often in the length too, when measuring a board. This is especially troublesome on a 2-sided carve, since frequently enough, two or all three measurements come out differently when I flip the board.
I don't want to measure a board and design the project to that one specific board... for one, with the variances I mentioned above, it doesn't always work out when I try that. The other issue is, I often want to try and carve a project 2 or more times, on different boards.
I haven't had time to make a sled, and am unsure what all features I would need to incorporate, with all the various different sizes of projects I carve. And as a new dad, I have been pressed for time and barely get enough time to design and carve a fraction of what I would like to, much less extra time to make one or more sleds.
I have seen multiple references to different techniques for laying out projects. Here is my current preference/habit;
1) I create a new board based on the dimensional lumber I think I will use, given the desired project size.
2) I make it roughly the same size as the project, though I may resize it a few times as I design it.
3) I try to have it within 1"-2" wider and longer than the actual carves and cuts, so I have a minimum of 0.5" and up to 1" on all four sides.
4) I select a board from my 'stock' (or go and buy a board) which is at least 6" and no more than 10" longer than the project; this gives me from 3.5" to 6" on each side to stay under the rollers.
5) I load the project in the machine, and use the following settings (assuming no errors occur);
--> Stay Under Rollers (NO)
--> Keep Original Size (YES)
--> Center on Board (YES)
--> Cut to Size (NO)
So, my double sided carves line up properly, within 1/32" or so, less than 25% of the time. I don't know that I have had it line up perfectly more than once or twice. Given that, I think it is time for me to make one or more changes in how I design, and/or set up the project at the machine. I have seen a plethora of methods mentioned here on the forums. Just wondering what method(s) you would recommend, and why...?
Adding 4" to the right of the project in designer, and placing on end - theoretically would work, but I've done this three times, twice it seemed to do it as it is supposed to, though neither time did it align perfectly front and back; the other time it placed the carving on the wrong end of the board (the end without 4" of padding was butted up against the edge of the board, and the entire project was carved in the wrong half of the board, using the knotty bits).
Jog to position - I have *no idea* why, but I am just intimidated of using this option. I have thought to try it many times, and always end up choosing center instead. I would appreciate tips/descriptions of exactly how you do this - jig or no jig? jog to corner or center? How do you choose where exactly to jog to? How reliable/repeatable is this, especially if a double sided carve?
Using a sled - as mentioned, I don't have the time to make a sled... not unless it is the only option. It would mean setting aside time from designing and/or carving projects to sell. And it is another thing I am somewhat intimidated by, for no rational reason. I have the skills required to make one, I know. I have made more complex items before. But if I screw up making the jig, then it will mean not only the lost time in making it... but it will likely then screw up future projects I make, using that jig. At least until I figure out that I screwed up the jig (and how), and then fix it.
Any other methods? Any advice for me, other than to get over my irrational dislike/fears of doing something different from what I have been?
I would really like to have this machine become more reliable for me. So far, roughly 1/3 of the projects I have carved, I have had to stop and recarve from one third to halfway through (or in the worst case, I don't catch it until it is done, and recarve the whole thing)! That is just not acceptable for a CNC Router, which is, in theory, a precision machine. I am making a small profit right now on carving custom items - but it is very small indeed . . . and really not yet a profit considering what I have invested into this machine and software thus far. Granted, I got it more for personal use than as a means of income, and I do enjoy it from both the hobby aspect of designing and finishing the items as well as from the personal items I have made for myself. But I do hope to start making better income using this machine, so I am trying to be smarter about it - without ruining the fun I am having!
I design a lot of double sided carves. The only sled I have is a 1x12 with a 8"x10"0.125" carve region to hold corian for lithophanes. Otherwise, I just use wood as close to (and somewhat larger than) the designs I make in designer.
Almost all of my wood comes from big box stores. 1x8, 1x10, 1x12, 2x10 are the most common sizes I get. And I just get common boards, which seems to be knotty pine most of the time.
I design most of my projects at slightly under the 'actual' sizes of those boards. A 1x12 is theoretically 0.75" x 11.25" - so I design the project at 0.7" x 11". I do this because I always have variances in the width and thickness, and often in the length too, when measuring a board. This is especially troublesome on a 2-sided carve, since frequently enough, two or all three measurements come out differently when I flip the board.
I don't want to measure a board and design the project to that one specific board... for one, with the variances I mentioned above, it doesn't always work out when I try that. The other issue is, I often want to try and carve a project 2 or more times, on different boards.
I haven't had time to make a sled, and am unsure what all features I would need to incorporate, with all the various different sizes of projects I carve. And as a new dad, I have been pressed for time and barely get enough time to design and carve a fraction of what I would like to, much less extra time to make one or more sleds.
I have seen multiple references to different techniques for laying out projects. Here is my current preference/habit;
1) I create a new board based on the dimensional lumber I think I will use, given the desired project size.
2) I make it roughly the same size as the project, though I may resize it a few times as I design it.
3) I try to have it within 1"-2" wider and longer than the actual carves and cuts, so I have a minimum of 0.5" and up to 1" on all four sides.
4) I select a board from my 'stock' (or go and buy a board) which is at least 6" and no more than 10" longer than the project; this gives me from 3.5" to 6" on each side to stay under the rollers.
5) I load the project in the machine, and use the following settings (assuming no errors occur);
--> Stay Under Rollers (NO)
--> Keep Original Size (YES)
--> Center on Board (YES)
--> Cut to Size (NO)
So, my double sided carves line up properly, within 1/32" or so, less than 25% of the time. I don't know that I have had it line up perfectly more than once or twice. Given that, I think it is time for me to make one or more changes in how I design, and/or set up the project at the machine. I have seen a plethora of methods mentioned here on the forums. Just wondering what method(s) you would recommend, and why...?
Adding 4" to the right of the project in designer, and placing on end - theoretically would work, but I've done this three times, twice it seemed to do it as it is supposed to, though neither time did it align perfectly front and back; the other time it placed the carving on the wrong end of the board (the end without 4" of padding was butted up against the edge of the board, and the entire project was carved in the wrong half of the board, using the knotty bits).
Jog to position - I have *no idea* why, but I am just intimidated of using this option. I have thought to try it many times, and always end up choosing center instead. I would appreciate tips/descriptions of exactly how you do this - jig or no jig? jog to corner or center? How do you choose where exactly to jog to? How reliable/repeatable is this, especially if a double sided carve?
Using a sled - as mentioned, I don't have the time to make a sled... not unless it is the only option. It would mean setting aside time from designing and/or carving projects to sell. And it is another thing I am somewhat intimidated by, for no rational reason. I have the skills required to make one, I know. I have made more complex items before. But if I screw up making the jig, then it will mean not only the lost time in making it... but it will likely then screw up future projects I make, using that jig. At least until I figure out that I screwed up the jig (and how), and then fix it.
Any other methods? Any advice for me, other than to get over my irrational dislike/fears of doing something different from what I have been?
I would really like to have this machine become more reliable for me. So far, roughly 1/3 of the projects I have carved, I have had to stop and recarve from one third to halfway through (or in the worst case, I don't catch it until it is done, and recarve the whole thing)! That is just not acceptable for a CNC Router, which is, in theory, a precision machine. I am making a small profit right now on carving custom items - but it is very small indeed . . . and really not yet a profit considering what I have invested into this machine and software thus far. Granted, I got it more for personal use than as a means of income, and I do enjoy it from both the hobby aspect of designing and finishing the items as well as from the personal items I have made for myself. But I do hope to start making better income using this machine, so I am trying to be smarter about it - without ruining the fun I am having!