Newbie needs help(long)

[bob_reda]

I recently purchased a used prt48 and am really quite new to the cnc and programing. What I am attempint to do and would appreciate your help with is this. I have a thousand little boxes to make that require 1/8" finger joints. I plan on making a shoe that will hold approx 50 parts on edge so that the router can go back and forth cutting in the fingers. I will need three patterns, one for the male end, one for the female end, and one that will allow me to place a sliding lid in it. I drew one end up in parts wizzard with vector lines and selected cut along vectors. Will this do what I would like to do or am I missing something? Your help is really appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Bob

[den73160]

Bob

I dont know what length you are thinking of for standing these parts on edge. But, I think that you might want to reconsider. The Shopbot has only got 3" to max 6" clearence without special mods. As to the patterns, not really sure what you expressing. But if you send a copy I might be able to offer some suggestions.

[richards]

Bob,
If I can visualize what you're trying to do, and if the boxes are small enough to fit within the machining envelope (as Dennis pointed out), everything should work. Stacking 50 at a time will eliminate most of the tear-out that you'd normally get. You might need to space things a few thousands of an inch further apart or closer together, depending on the exact diameter of your cutter (and also depending on how tight you want the joints to fit). Machine-along-vectors is what I'm running at this very moment on some motor mounts. Try running the parts in simulation mode until you're sure that everything works correctly.

[kerrazy]

Bob,
Here is a crazy idea....of course.
why not create a jig, that offsets each panel 1/8th of an inch so you could effectivley cut all parts at once. Cut some 1/8th inch deep cuts as wide as your final piece thickness and then offset the next cut the same distance as your panel thickness. This will aid as a clamping device aswell. you cold fashion a toggle clamp on either end and away you go, you making chips. Create two sets so one is being loaded up while the other is cutting. I will try and draw a diagram for you.
Dale

[kerrazy]

7132


Maybe this is more confusing, but the femal part would be recessed into the jig where the male part would be at the surface of the jig....
Or just forget my mindless banter all together.
Dale

[bob_reda]

Thanks Guys,

The pieces will all fit under the router. On some of the bigger ones I will cut a blank out of the table to recess them in. Dale, I actually thought of that, however, one side I need to allow 1/4" so I can cut in a sliding top, some pieces are thicker than others and so forth. I guess I was just wondering when I choose cut along vector, and since the vector lines are so close to one another that, it will do what I would like it to do.