CUTTING A CIRCLE?

[jose]

I HAVE ABOUT 200 PCS. 52" X 52" X .75" PLYWOOD THAT I HAVE TO CUT A 49" DIAMETER CIRCLE IN THEM FOR A CUSTOMER OF MINE.
FIRST OF ALL, IM NEW TO THIS WHOLE SHOPBOT THING.MY QUESTIONS ARE...
CAN I CUT THAT CIRCLE IN ONE PASS OR WILL IT REQUIRE A COUPLE OF PASSES TO CUT THROUGH THE THICKNESS OF THAT PLYWOOD?
WHAT WOULD BE THE BEST BIT TO USE FOR THIS JOB?
WOULD YOUR HOME BE AT ONE OF THE FOUR CORNERS OR IN THE CENTER OF THE BOARD?

I HAVE 'TIL THE END OF THE MONTH TO FIGURE THIS OUT. I HAVE MY FIRST LOT OF THESE GOING OUT IN DEC.
ANY HELP WOULD BE APPRECIATED.

[rgbrown@itexas.net]

Jose,

Is the plywood a veneered plywood where the faces need the cleanest cut? How 'good' does the finished cut need to be? Do you have room for two sheets of plywood on your table? If so, you may your handling time by loading two sheets at a time - one on each end. With the proper bit, one can cut through a sheet in a single pass. I would guess the cutting time per pass to be ~1.5 minutes a circle.

If you have the room to set up two sheets at a time, you will be able to load and unload while the other sheet cuts if you have access to both ends of the machine. Are you going to use a vacuum table?

Break the project down into its' component parts - handling the raw material; loading the material; cutting; handling the finished product; handling the waste; handling the dust; shipping.

If someone is near you with a ShopBot visit and ask questions if you can.

Don't forget extra bits - Good luck,

Ron Brown rgbrown@itexas.net (mailto:rgbrown@itexas.net)

[pappy]

I just finished cutting 500 circles for Coca-Cola for Christmas tree displays. A person learns the CC/CP commands well with that.
I would suggest using a 3/8 spiral carbide bit and making two 3/8 inch passes.You could "move" slower and cut it in one pass but it is hard on the bits and router. Its better to do it in two passes. If you use the CP command you can specify in the command to use the centerpoint of the circle and the outside of the diameter and counter-clockwise direction.
If you need more details just e-mail me.

[JOSE]

I JUST WANTED TO MENTION THAT I CUT THE CIRCLES FINE USING THE CC COMMAND,ALL 200 PLUS PCS., WITHIN 3 DAYS! WHAT A LOAD OFF MY BACK!
MY PROBLEM WAS THAT I WAS TRYING TO DO IT THROUGH PARTS WIZARD.THAT JUST MADE A SIMPLE JOB CONFUSING AND ALOT MORE DIFFICULT!
AFTER PLAYING WITH THE CC COMMAND A COUPLE OF TIMES, I REALIZED HOW EASY THIS JOB WAS GOING TO BE.
THE BIGGEST DEAL FOR ME WAS CREATING THE PARTS FILE.BUT ONCE I FIGURED THAT OUT, I WAS READY TO ROLL!!
THANKS,