rvowles
01-27-2014, 03:50 AM
Hi everyone,
I purchased a Shopbot Desktop in May, and only this holidays (I'm southern hemisphere - Auckland, New Zealand) have I managed to get time to actually stand up and use it. Its been frightening and thoroughly amazing at the same time.
I have a few items I am designing for niche markets and I am also starting a Makerspace for the local community.
Part of the problem I have is that readily available wood is NZ Pine (Californian Pine I believe) - in 10mm and 19mm cuts. Now the only bits I have that cut without too much waste are the 1/8" bits - a 1/16" inch ball nosed came with the machine (like everyone I suppose). I wasn't paying enough attention and got singed wood when the bit went too deep (the single flute seems to get the most work here).
I have taken to using a 1/4" to drop the height of my wood to 12.5mm and the 1/8" and 1/16" to then do further work. This doesn't seem very efficient - and I'm happy to have 19mm thick pieces, I just only have 1/4" bits that seem long enough. Is this just a fundamental issue or are there other bits I'm not finding that I should get?
After a hairy episode with the 1/8" bit trying to hammer itself into the zeroing plate, I know I need to get backups, but I suspect someone on here has some better advice. The parts that I am cutting are fairly intricate, and I'm trying not to waste the wood.
Another issue I am finding is that I don't get a chance to put the magnetic shoe on in the standard program when changing bits. This has caused me to export my cuts into one part file per bit. Is this what other people do?
I appreciate any advice!
Richard
I purchased a Shopbot Desktop in May, and only this holidays (I'm southern hemisphere - Auckland, New Zealand) have I managed to get time to actually stand up and use it. Its been frightening and thoroughly amazing at the same time.
I have a few items I am designing for niche markets and I am also starting a Makerspace for the local community.
Part of the problem I have is that readily available wood is NZ Pine (Californian Pine I believe) - in 10mm and 19mm cuts. Now the only bits I have that cut without too much waste are the 1/8" bits - a 1/16" inch ball nosed came with the machine (like everyone I suppose). I wasn't paying enough attention and got singed wood when the bit went too deep (the single flute seems to get the most work here).
I have taken to using a 1/4" to drop the height of my wood to 12.5mm and the 1/8" and 1/16" to then do further work. This doesn't seem very efficient - and I'm happy to have 19mm thick pieces, I just only have 1/4" bits that seem long enough. Is this just a fundamental issue or are there other bits I'm not finding that I should get?
After a hairy episode with the 1/8" bit trying to hammer itself into the zeroing plate, I know I need to get backups, but I suspect someone on here has some better advice. The parts that I am cutting are fairly intricate, and I'm trying not to waste the wood.
Another issue I am finding is that I don't get a chance to put the magnetic shoe on in the standard program when changing bits. This has caused me to export my cuts into one part file per bit. Is this what other people do?
I appreciate any advice!
Richard