Machine purchased, now what.?

[aforww]

So I just bought my M3. Opted for homing switches and rigidity kit. I went with plain mdf as I'm going to personalize my paint job . I'm going to run a Marita 0701 router with shop made mounts because I have a great record with their tools and I already have one. Now, I'm curious on recommend cad/cam software combos. What are people using? MillRight, what are y'all using with your machines? I know sketchup pretty well and played with fusion 360 a bit today. Anyone got some noob tips? Things you learned the hard way so I can avoid them?

[kb9jlo]

There are a wealth of free or nearly free options. One that I'm really getting amped about is Fusion 360 from Autodesk, www.autodesk.com/products/fusion-360/overview. Autodesk is the company that originally (back in the dark ages of PC CAD) created Autocad. They know have many products, maybe even too many. Like many software companies they have grown mostly by acquisition. But Fusion looks like a nice alternative and support the creation of G-code all in the same interface. I've used it for some 3D printing. 

Sketch-up is also an alternative. Both of these packages have a "free" maker version available. 

The important thing to keep in mind is this is going to require some work. You don't just stumble into CAD/CAM in a day or two.

The important thing, IMHO, is that once you have it put together and it works is to watch it work. Create some simple files, send them to the router and watch it. Learn what it does and how it does. I recommend doing this with a sharpie tied to the Z axis or something. Not with router screaming in your ear yet. Find some simple, sample models and then cut something. 
Then once you begin to learn your CAD software, create a simple design, make it into G-code and send it to your machine. 
Learning where "home" is and how the part "looks" on the screen and how it "looks" on the router, well that's something you just have to learn. It will be awkward at first. But then you'll get a handle on it.

Then you have to learn the subtleties of G-code. Feed rate, ramp, helix into a cut, withdrawal, depth of pass... All things you need to know. Or you'll just snap bits off or break your machine. Don't immediately order a slab of steel and expect to machine an engine block. Baby steps...

My experience has been with large industrial CNC routers, many years ago. And since that time I've been trying to get a working machine. I've come close several times. With this affordably priced kit I think it will finally happen. Then I hope to finish a previously started CNC machine. I have a Printerbot 3D printer and a small laser engraver. My 'dream' is to create a small shop and produce some odds & ends prototype parts in my retirement. Whether it is even possible is another story but for now my dream. I'm a computer geek by trade. About 25 years of experience (after my Autocad, CAD/CAM career). 

[aforww]

Sir, I can safely assume you and I will become very close. I'm going to harass you for knowledge I'm sure. Thank you for the reply it's right along with what I was assuming was my learning path.

[Derek the Admin]

Thanks again for purchasing. We are looking forward to seeing that custom paint job. Do you have anything special in mind? Please post pics when you get it done.

The Makita has been popular on other machines, but we haven't used it. Be sure to get a good pic of it all mounted up so others can see. I'm sure it will do well. Check out page 10 of the assembly instructions for confirm fitment of your mount. It has a dimensioned drawing of the Z Plate.

We are working on a basic tutorial for Autodesk Fusion 360. Sketch up is popular, but it's just not in our wheelhouse. Be advised that Fusion 360 likes to throw a G54 towards the top of the G Code file that it produces. Unless you are specifically using the G54 work coordinate system you need to open the g code file with something like notepad, delete that line from the file and re-save it.

Also, you can select a post-processor in Fusion 360 when you are on the CAM side. It needs to be grbl.cps. You will see this once you make a tool path then click "Post Process." If you use something else then Grbl might not accept the incoming code.

Next, some options like MakerCAM will produce too many digits sometimes. When MakerCAM is working in millimeters it will produce too many digits after the decimal. You need produce g code based on inches if you use MakerCAM. I seem to remember that Grbl doesn't want any more than four decimal places. In general though, Grbl has a line length limit. Odd things happen when your G code file has too many decimals in it. G20 tells the controller that the units you send it are in inches. G21 tells the controller that the units you send it are millimeters.

Learn the difference in absolute (G90) and incremental (G91) positioning. Absolute positioning means that if my machine is at X 22.0 and I give the command "G0 X3" then it will move to X3. If I am incremental positioning, it will move to X25. See why? Incremental (G91) means your are telling the machine "Take where I am and add this amount to it." Absolute positioning means "Go exactly to this point."

Be advised that many G Code senders such as the recommended Universal Gcode Sender (UGS) will move you to incremental positioning when you use the "jogging controls." (The controls that let you move around the machine with the arrow buttons in the program). So, if you ever use jogging controls you should just assume that you have been switched to incremental. If you forget this, you might crash the machine into the frame.

Zero your end mill to the stock, then, lift your Z above the stock some. Some programs, such as Autodesk Fusion 360, will produce G Code that does not lift your Z to a specific safe height prior to traversing at the rapid (G0) rate to the first point. Zero it, then lift it, then start the program.

Measure the end mill with calipers before you tell your CAM program that it has a specific diameter. The end mill that some whack job seller told you was quarter inch (6.35mm) might actually be 6.00mm. If your CAM doesn't know that then you are always going to be off a little.

Be sure to check out the resources page for link to some software that you will need. Also look at the huge collection of DXF files listed on the resources page. Autodesk fusion 360 allows you to import DXF files. Download and unzip these files then start checking them out. Some take a while (a couple minutes) to import.

Good luck!

[Derek the Admin]

Hey Dan. Good to see you on here sharing your extensive knowledge. Yours ought to be there in a couple days by the way.

[kb9jlo]

Aug 8, 2016 2:00:25 GMT Derek the Admin said:

Hey Dan. Good to see you on here sharing your extensive knowledge. Yours ought to be there in a couple days by the way.

Tomorrow UPS Says!!

[Derek the Admin]

Aug 8, 2016 2:06:20 GMT kb9jlo said:

Aug 8, 2016 2:00:25 GMT Derek the Admin said:

Hey Dan. Good to see you on here sharing your extensive knowledge. Yours ought to be there in a couple days by the way.

Tomorrow UPS Says!!

Too cool. Let us know if you have any questions with it.

[kevin]

Aug 8, 2016 0:32:31 GMT aforww said:

So I just bought my M3. Opted for homing switches and rigidity kit. I went with plain mdf as I'm going to personalize my paint job . I'm going to run a Marita 0701 router with shop made mounts because I have a great record with their tools and I already have one. Now, I'm curious on recommend cad/cam software combos. What are people using? MillRight, what are y'all using with your machines? I know sketchup pretty well and played with fusion 360 a bit today. Anyone got some noob tips? Things you learned the hard way so I can avoid them?

[kevin]

Congrats on your purchase aforww! The personalized paint job sounds pretty cool. I look forward to seeing what you do with it.

I had done some project design work in Sketchup, before getting into CNC'ing and really like the program, but didn't have much luck with it in designing files for CNC. Inkscape and Fusion are great programs but I find them more complex than sketchup. Makercam doesn't have anywhere near the bells and whistles that Fusion or Inscape have but I found it to be pretty easy to navigate, and has become my go to program for generating gcode. Even if I use Inkscape for the majority of my CAD work on a project, I'll usually go into Makercam to do my final scaling of the project and what ever tweaks I need to make and generate my tool paths there.

[aforww]

Awesome advice from everyone. I have to admit Fusion was giving me a headache. I'm a hands on guy. I do really well hands on and with mechanical and electronic stuff. The Software side of if things tends to be a bit overwhelming. So be expecting some really basic level questions coming from me.

In regards to the paint job, no idea yet. I know it will involve my woodworking logo and that's about all I know at this point. Will figure it out when I get there.

[kb9jlo]

Aug 8, 2016 4:06:59 GMT kevin said:

Congrats on your purchase aforww! The personalized paint job sounds pretty cool. I look forward to seeing what you do with it.

I had done some project design work in Sketchup, before getting into CNC'ing and really like the program, but didn't have much luck with it in designing files for CNC. Inkscape and Fusion are great programs but I find them more complex than sketchup. Makercam doesn't have anywhere near the bells and whistles that Fusion or Inscape have but I found it to be pretty easy to navigate, and has become my go to program for generating gcode. Even if I use Inkscape for the majority of my CAD work on a project, I'll usually go into Makercam to do my final scaling of the project and what ever tweaks I need to make and generate my tool paths there.

Holy cow Makercam looks cool. I hadn't seen that one. I'll have to try that. That looks very simple to use.

[kevin]

Dan said: "Holy cow Makercam looks cool. I hadn't seen that one. I'll have to try that. That looks very simple to use".

I think you'll like Makercam. It's not nearly as comprehensive as inkscape or fusion, but it's pretty simple to use. Even for the projects I make in Inkscape, I'll open them in Makercam to tweak and scale, and I almost always generate my gcode in makercam.