I’m assuming you started with 2 blocks of wood and just carved away everything except for the walls in the opposite corners. How big are these and roughly how long did that take?
@CoreyMitchell - I am not sure what project you are talking about…too many things in this thread, can you be more specific…sorry.
I think I know which ones you mean, the box made of interlocking pieces. They are 3/4" inch thick material and about 5" x 7". I used a 1/4" endmill to hog out all of the material, I think it took about an hour for each one…I don’t really remember exactly, but I can check the file when I get home. I usually add cutting time into the header of the g-code file when I finish cutting, so when I go back and make more copies, I have a good solid time to cut.
Oh sorry I tried replying to that particular post so you knew which one. Thanks that’s what I thought you did. No need to check the time… an estimate is good enough and that’s about how long I assumed each one would take with a 1/4.
I might try making something similar and engraving one side with a cross or something and make a nightstand bible holder.
That sounds very nice.
It might be time for me to start a new thread…lol
The Gecko G540 and Ethernet Smoothstepper are all wired up and Mach 3 is configured. The first cuts with the new setup were a huge improvement. I ran a relief carve that I had done with UGS before.
The roughing pass with UGS took: 1:14:41 and with Mach3: 50:29
The finishing pass with UGS took: 1:54:05 and with Mach3: 1:21:16
The only change I made was to use the Mach3 Post Processor. I still need to tweak the settings a bit, but I am happy with how it is running. It also separated the Y-Axis motors so they each have their own driver, and the rotary axis is setup properly. I am very pleased so far.
I didn’t like the Mach3 screens, so I have been changing one around to suit my work better. Here is the new enclosure all wired with Mach3 on the monitor, and the first carve still on the machine right after it finished cutting. The carving is about 3" x 6" and the horse in the foreground is about 0.65" deep, so it is a fairly deep relief carving.
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What software? In V-Carve, I have noticed a HUGE improvement since I switched to the “Mach2/3 ATC Arcs (inch)” post processor setting. The files are smaller, carves are faster and more accurate. Also, I just used the default screen and after 7 years or so, it is like an old friend. I wish i would have tweaked it when I was getting started because I love that GIANT cut preview screen you have. I might have to mess with that…
The huge problem that I see with Mach2/3 Acrs is that it doesn’t support tool changes? does anyone know a post processor in V-carve that supports tool changes?
I’ve never worried about the tool changes as I just save each operation as a different file. So no help from me 
Do you have an ATC?
Whatever happened with the grain made that front horse comically surprised about something on the ground in front of it.
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Have you tried the Mach2/3 ATC ARCS PP?
Oh yeah with my new machine I have been just loading all the operations in 1 file and then post from Fusion 360 and the machine will stop and turn the router off so I can change the tool
then just re-zero the z-axis and hit go again makes it super easier than loading 5-10 or more gcode files when you can contain it all in 1 file
just make sure and make sure you tool numbers are different in Fusion before you post if not it will think you are using the same tool and continue automatically
I used the same post processor as you. I was surprised that it took about a third of the cutting time off of the roughing pass. Part of that I believe is the constant velocity setting in Mach3 as the machine seemed to just move faster, I didn’t adjust the feedrates in the g-code, but movement was smoother.
And I love that you can change the screen around in Mach3. I have a 26" monitor and the default screen was using about 1/4 of the real estate…I had to change things around…I love the interface now (even though I’ve only run 1 job…lol). As I continue to use it, I will continue to make it how I want it.
No I was using Mach 3 2/3 arcs post processor
Dont tell me the ATC stands for Automatic Tool Change lol??
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yep
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Holy Crap!!!
Thanks
My wife saw the dark spot on the horse’s eye and said the same thing.
I will have to look at the gcode but I hope that it turns off the spindle and allows me to manually change the tool and not try to go to a automatic tool changer
You can program Mach3 with any gcode you want it run when it sees the tool change, so you can have it move the spindle front and center so you can change it, then if you have a fixed tool probe it can move over to the probe and touch the new tool to determine the new length automatically
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