First cuts - Pocket / Cut-Out / Relief Carve

[dare]

Finally got around to my first cuts. Documenting, in case it is useful for other newcomers, including my mistakes, and tutorial links.
Main goal: getting over the hump of an initial cut, and learning a few basic techniques: etching, pocket cuts, cutting out, and depth map relief carving.

Software used: Universal Gcode Sender (UGS), Fusion 360, Dmap2Gcode (plus a little Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop)
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1) Very first cut: SPOIL BOARD GRID. Sick!
Bit used: 1/8" end mill.
For a first cut, it has the benefit of no code, and no software (except for UGS to manually jog the machine, of course). I just followed AFORWW's instructions, which I posted here for posterity: millrightcnc.proboards.com/post/2979/thread



2) POCKET CUT TEST.
Bit used: 1/8" end mill.
I made 2 vector shapes in Adobe Illustrator, and imported into Fusion 360. Simply ran through Derek's great "Importing DXF" tutorial. I highly recommend for first-timers, as it walks you through the whole process from importing your art through exporting the code: www.youtube.com/watch?v=I1JMBFXyyVU&feature=youtu.be

If you need to learn how to make shapes to cut for the first time:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSYyz21TcJU&t=57s

These are both located at the big tutorial depot, which you've found already, no doubt:
millrightcnc.proboards.com/post/4710/thread

Notes: DONT SEND THE CODE UNTIL YOU ZERO the machine. First time I tried to run this job, I bashed the Z-plate into the side of the machine because I did not know (or at least remember) to set the starting bit position to 0,0,0. Example: in your file, you chose bottom left as the origin... on the machine you set the bit to bottom left of the wood surface, then you give the command G92 X0Y0Z0. You will see the machine set the work coordinates you are currently at to 0,0,0. Then send the code.



3) CUT OUT OPERATION.
Bit used: 1/8" end mill.
I made a quick pig shape in Illustrator, and followed the 2nd half of Derek's .DXF import tutorial (same one I linked to above, in POCKET CUT). In the second half, he sets up the 'contour' cut (though I am avoiding calling it that, cause contour to me implies relief carving), which cuts all the way through the stock, so a shape can be removed.







4) CLAMPS
Bit used: 1/8" end mill.
Was getting tired of using scrap wood + legos (sad but true) to try to clamp my test stock, so I milled Dan's clamp set. Whew! Life's better with clamps. Here is Dan's post, including the link to the .DXF files (go watch the tutorial linked to above on importing DXF). millrightcnc.proboards.com/post/274/thread

Notes: I blew it two times, and got it the third time. Both screw ups involved issues of board thickness - first time, didn't cut all the way through somehow / 2nd time I mis-entered the extrusion value, and cut 5mm down into the spoilboard - thereby losing my tabs, and freeing the elements before they were ready.





5) RELIEF CARVING - test 1 (quarter circle)
Bit used: 1/8" ball nose.
I am planning on relief carving my own 3D sculpts (from Zbrush and 3DsMax), but as a first test, I just did a google search until I found a decent looking depth map. To keep first test quick, I took the pattern down to just a quarter of the image, and inverted (cut into the stock negative - more like a mold), rather than milling down all the negative space around the positive form. This worked great, and had amazing detail.

Dmap2Gcode tutorial I followed (this link I made skips the first half, which is specific to their project):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=WT0_fyTzTfk&t=2m8s

Also consulted Derek's post on Dmap2Gcode here:
millrightcnc.proboards.com/thread/28/primer-on-3d-carving



6) RELIEF CARVING - test 2 (full circle)
Bit used: 1/8" ball nose.
The first relief test worked so well, I restored the full pattern, re-inverted and cut. This was also my test for running multiple passes (roughing pass, finishing pass, and cut out pass). It went off without a hitch. The detail is shocking - it milled this poplar down to paper thin detail.

Notes: I set up the roughing pass + finishing pass in Dmap2Gcode, and the cut-out pass in Fusion. I just used the same 1/8" ball nose bit for all passes (but roughing pass was 2.54mm step overs, and finishing was .2mm I think). Roughing pass had good chip size, but finishing pass was way too fine a powder, and the work area got really hot. I gave it a break mid-job to let things cool down. I need to work on feed + speed calculations (I basically didn't do any, just went close to Derek's for roughing, but wasn't sure on finishing).



Hope some of that is useful to someone. I love how active and supportive this forum community is. Thanks all.

[Bruce]

Thanks Dare, great post! There is nothing wrong with repeating information. It takes two or three rounds of reading information sometimes to get it through to the gray matter for me.

[aforww]

Good work. For future reference, not cutting all the way through is sometimes desirable. It's called onion skinning. And if you didn't mean to do it, don't scrap your project. If it's just a little material left use a utility knife, scroll saw, or chisel to free the part and then clean it up on a belt or disc sander. Those can be bought cheap if you don't have one.

[Derek the Admin]

Excellent work! I'm going to put a pointer to this on Facebook. It is an excellent documentation of your first cuts. Great results.

[dare]

AFORWW - Actually I did end up freeing the clamps with a utility knife. Still took to my 3rd try for some reason. There was a paper thin veneer left. It looks like my table isn't level to the XY plane, so it was thicker toward one end. When my resurfacing bit arrives, I'll take down the spoil board.