Two ideas I thought I'd share

[Michaelodunk]

Tabs
I found a sharp chisel cuts them clean and perfect. Just set the chisel on the
tab flat against the part and press down. Can't even feel where it was.

Moving the spindle over x y.

I have a wireless mouse on my computer and I found that it works about
6' away from the computer so I can just take the mouse over to the table
and jog the the spindle around to the spot I want. It works great if you can still see the screen when your that far away.

You guys that use the routers please try the chisel. If you cut the tab on the bot you eliminate a hole operation.

[rb99]

When I put tabs on plexi I just cut or "break" them off in the middle. I have a small hand held electric planer that I keep set to perfectly flat and run the plane over all the tabs.

[jerry_stanek]

I use .25 or bigger bits for a lot of my cuts and have an Amanna 3/16 flush trim bit that fits in the kerf to cut the tabs or onion skin.

[Bob Eustace]

I'm with you Jerry. The Amana bit is fantastic and works very well in the Bosch Colt trimming router. Bits seem to last at least 6 months and under $25.

[pkirby]

Tabs
I found a sharp chisel cuts them clean and perfect. Just set the chisel on the
tab flat against the part and press down. Can't even feel where it was.


Like some others, I use the Amana 3/16" to flush trim bit after I remove the material from the Bot. My problem has always been getting a 3/4"x4x8 sheet of plywood with skinny parts (3"x47") and multiple tabs, off of the Bot without it breaking all to pieces. So I painstakingly cut them off with a utility knife which is a pain because I use 1/8" thick tabs:mad:. I'll now be using a chisel:)

[rb99]

I use .25 or bigger bits for a lot of my cuts and have an Amanna 3/16 flush trim bit that fits in the kerf to cut the tabs or onion skin.

Could you please link to a picture of it?

[jerry_stanek]

Here is a link

http://www.amanatool.com/bits-fv/mr0102_mini_bearing_flushtrim.html

[steve fedor]

I,ve had good success using Harbor Freight mini saw blades attached to a Dremel tool to cut tabs. We cut up alot of melamine using 1/4" up & down spirals. Since the edge quality is not smooth enough for laminate banding, we run the edges and sand off the tabs on an 80 grit edge sander.

[chiloquinruss]

I use the cheapo Harbor Frieght oscillating tool (on sale at the moment for $19) and the small cutoff blade. Works good on sintra and plywood, I don't know about other substrates. Some of the blades are rated for metal so I think they would work on most anything we can cut on the Bot. Russ
http://hobby-tronics.lenzus.com/content/21775739/r/s_15064622.jpg

http://hobby-tronics.lenzus.com/content/21775739/r/s_49674546.jpg

[curtiss]

Depending on the size of the part, I sometimes insert a few 1/4 dowells as the 1/4 bit makes the final pass around the perimeter.

This is somewhat like "inserting tabs" which hold it it place. I usually have my cut finish and exit at the far side of the work which makes the process rather easy.

I usually us a spiral toolpath on the final cuts.