Can I open a TAP file in Aspire 9.5?

[carolinasmith]

Eric, thanks for the explanations, some of it way over my head, but most made sense.

Mr. Burkhardt, thank you, yes I am able to now save it to a .csv file... but guess I won't be needing that now. I reread the manual and tried again, and have now completed a rough box (haven't dialed in the adjustments).

Scott, your explanation of your workflow clicked for me, and I was happily able to trial a cedar box employing multiple Z2 changes and view it satisfactorily in SB3. Thank you so much. I guess I don't know how to do an air cut either, as I thought it was about tricking the zero level (I had placed a 1/4 in. scrap piece of mdf on top of the lumber and the zero plate on top of the mdf), but was quickly surprised when the first bit maneuver was to plunge way past that 0.25 in and into the lumber.

I also learned by trial/error that the 'board width' in Fingermaker refers to a box dimension, not the literal lumber board width that I wanted to cut the pieces out from. But I love the box I made and hope to do many more. Love the random generator.

[scottp55]

Glad you made your first box Carolina
My first still has a special place in the house.
Wait till you buy(?) the Full version and start playing with 1/8" straight Ball Noses...the joints get nice and funky

You ALMOST had it with your 1/4" scrap...Right idea, BUT it has to be a thickness MORE than your deepest cut(plus the radius of the bit and any overcut you specify in Fingermaker).
For almost the first year, three .3" thick sandstone coasters lived by my machine....until I got used to SB3 and SB3.8.14 and up gradually got the glitches out, and I started using shortcuts like MZ and ZZ.

Exact material height and flatness is key to tight joints like G. mentions in instructions.
Fingermaker has come a Loong way since Beta 2
Keep meaning to make an extra sacrificial board I can just bolt onto my spoilboard using my threaded inserts and existing clamping so I don't have to screw stuff down.
One of these years
scott

[carolinasmith]

Yes, I have a paid license for Fingermaker. Agree on wood prep to make the most of what I consider exquisite mathematical calculations of the software. I joint, plane, and drum sand my boards, and use calipers for measurements. It makes even rough cedar fence pickets left over from a toddler Adirondack chair build look special. I ordered another supply of the long non tapered 1/8 BN bits hoping to beat any 'tariff increases'.

Your air cut comments help solidify my musings on future work. They are really helpful and make progress on the ShopBot DOABLE and fun. I still work full time and so am grateful when I can progress and accomplish more CNC duties in my small and too infrequent chunks of time. It has helped me turn out projects/gifts that are fun and challenging to make and meaningful to the recipients. I appreciate all the comments that folks here so generously share (time and knowledge) which help to keep us moving along in our CNC journeys. THANKS!

[srwtlc]

The easiest way to do an air cut is to choose 3D offset in the fill-in sheet when loading a file. First, raise the z axis high enough to keep all depth of cuts above your material and choose 3D offset in the fill-in sheet. Where the tip of the tool is located is now considered X0 Y0 and Z0. When finished, this offset it canceled and the next time you run the file, the fill-in sheet will show no offset. Be sure you don't have the Z so high that it tops out with any safe Z heights (generally 1 or 2 inches to spare depending on your settings and/or file commands).

[scottp55]

Congrats on the Full Version Carolina!
Make SURE everytime you see one of the randoms that you like....SAVE it..or if you're like me...you'll never see it again
IF you take the chicken way out and make an Aspire file like I did with VCP.....make sure Home position is somewhere near 0,0 so you don't hard stop when working near your limits.

Like I said..planning to get back into it with 5/4 lumber...and stumbled across this when re-ordering from Drillman1;
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/1-8-1250-CAR...gAAOSwx6pYqJL8
NOT in the same price category, BUT made by Oliver in the US, and shipping is Drillman's usual excellent speed of delivery....I bought 2, but haven't used them yet but machining at 10X looks GREAT
Just mentioning.

Also look at G's box clamping system...Gotta make me one of them!

Thanks Scott!
ONE of my MAJOR muck ups when I began was with the 3D Offset...so avoided it like the plague....maybe time for me to try it again.
I have upper Z limit switch(saved my butt countless times) and pretty sure all Max's and Desktops come with Z limits now?
Took me forever to take your tip on MN, and now I use it almost everytime I cut