User:Rando/Maslow

Maslow CNC Tutorial

In this tutorial we'll cut a Noisebridge sign designed in Inkscape.

Concepts

1. Creating paths out of text objects
2. Cut types
3. Bit locations
4. Z-axis and material depth
5. Tabs and router bit width

Quick Basics on CNC

You want to cut something. You have a thing that moves which has a thing that cuts on it. Sometimes you want that tool to "work" aka be cutting, and sometimes you don't, so the machine can move to the next cut. The way the machine knows to what to do and where to do it is location based commands which tell it where to move and how fast. For the Maslow, movement consists of left, right, up, and down. The z-axis for the maslow is the depth which the router bit descends into the material.

If you are using 3/4" wood and you want to be absolutely sure the cut goes through, then you need to specify the cut depth as > 3/4". In this case, 0.80" works great.

Design

Use the text tool to write Noisebridge. Add a line underneathe with the line tool and surround it with a rectangle with the rectangle tool.

Select All and then go to Paths -> Object to Path. This will break each object up and create a set of paths. Paths are required for vector based plotter operations.

Once complete, save the drawing as a plain svg.

MakerCAM

It's a web-based application and it's not great. Zooming is goofy, and undo does't work. However, if a mistake is made, it's possible to redo the operation, and at the end of the process, only export the operations you want.

A note about selecting lines, it's best to drag the select square than try to click. Using shift and control to group works fine, just use selection dragging instead of just clicking.

The workflow is to load the file, define what kind of cuts are needed to produce your desired result, calculate the paths, add tabs, and export gcode.

Cut types:

Profile

This cut will cut out a complete closed shape, but the side of the cut needs to be determined, e.g. inside or outside the line. Inside and outside only make sense if the shape is closed.

Follow

A follow cut puts the center of the bit on the line.

Drill

A drill puts the router bit in one places and drills a hole to the desired depth.