Intro and dumb questions about Desktop Max

[WaltzWorks]

Hey everybody

As I mentioned on another thread, I just pulled my first CNC machine out of the crate on Monday. My wife's side sign & gift business has been pretty successful so we spent the proceeds (and a bit of our personal $) on a serious upgrade to her Cricut :-)

I'm brand new to CNC but I've spent my entire career dealing with CAD and 3D modeling (architectural BIM software to be specific). I've already gone through all the Vectric tutorials and am picking up VCarve pretty quickly.

I've run into a few issues in my first week and I'm not finding anything in the search because I don't know the right terms to even use for this, so I hope you'll forgive a few dumb questions early on. I promise, I will learn quickly and be a contributing member soon!

My most annoying problem so far is this one: when I surfaced my spoil board, there were lines running parallel to the gantry (Y axis?). I also see the same thing any time I use my 1/2" bit. I'm guessing the spindle isn't exactly square to the table, but I can't quite figure out how to tell or how to even measure what I'm guessing is a decimal of a degree so that I don't overcorrect and have to re-run the routine and trial-and-error it 20 times. Does anyone have a recommendation for how to measure and correct this?

[bleeth]

The best way to check it is by rigging up a trammel and using a dial indicator and/or feeler gauges.
Just take a stiff wire that is close enough diameter/wise to chuck up in your collet and bend it so you have the end point close to your spoilboard and a 6" or so radius and check by rotating the head by hand.
Desktops are supposed to come with z properly plumb to start with. Once you have your trammel rigged up you may want to get hold of SB support.
Specific experience on a Max is going to be in short supply here for a little while since it is so new.

Where in the suburbs? I'm old Philly family and was born in the NE.

Dave

[scottp55]

If you can't catch the ridge with your fingernail, then not normally a problem with a 1.25"cutter.
Here's a good thread Tom from exact to stone age,
Currently Fred Flintstone $2 18" brass rod myself, but no grooves at all.
Good thread here, and doing it on a new board Monday on second desktop Monday.
http://forum.vectric.com/viewtopic.p...&hilit=trammel
scott

[WaltzWorks]

Thanks, Dave, that's about what I figured. I'm out in Downingtown.

Scott, that thing looks pretty nice but a bit pricey... still kind of tempting! i like the idea of doing it cheaper.

[Keith Larrett]

I also found I get better results not using the surfacing routine that came with my machine. I found another online "Paco's Surfacing Routine". Instead of surfacing in ever decreasing rectangles, it gives you the option of surfacing in either the x or the y direction. Also, very handy when surfacing a slab as you can cut in the direction of the grain.

http://pacosarea.blogspot.com/2007/0...t-routine.html

[bleeth]

Paco's surfacing routine is much faster for surfacing spoilboard but you don't get to see those "telltale" marks in the opposite direction that let you know your z is plumb (or not).

Great board surface routine.

[tri4sale]

Paco's surfacing routine is much faster for surfacing spoilboard but you don't get to see those "telltale" marks in the opposite direction that let you know your z is plumb (or not).

Great board surface routine.

What are these "telltale" marks you speak off???

[bleeth]

When you run the standard surfacing routine inspect the "tracks" left in the surface.
They will look like a miniature mowed grass pattern.
If you can feel the edges between them your z is out of alignment either from needing shimming or adjusting v-rollers and/or rails.
How the edges are left tells you which direction you are out.
Same as your PRS

[James M]

bleeth,

Could you expand on your statement: "How the edges are left tells you which direction you are out."

I noticed some slight undulations on my spoilboard last time I re-surfaced it.

Thx,

James

[bleeth]

If you are out of plumb then the bottom of the bit will not be level so there will be slight ridges left in the spoilboard.
If you slide your fingernail across the paths you will feel which side is higher. If it is higher towards y-0, for example, that tells you your spindle is slightly tilted with the bottom closer to y-0 than the top