We use cookies to personalize content, interact with our analytics companies, advertising networks and cooperatives, and demographic companies, provide social media features, and to analyze our traffic. Our social media, advertising and analytics partners may combine it with other information that you’ve provided to them or that they’ve collected from your use of their services. Learn more.
I will be purchasing my X-Carve tomorrow or the following day as time / kids allow. My question is, which accessories are a “must have”, and which are simply not needed. I figured the waste board to be, well, a waste but other than that, i’m all ears. Also, as many of you were at one point, beginners to cnc, what is the difference between single flute and double flute milling bits? I will be using the Dewalt 611, mainly because its more powerful and if it fails, well theres a big box store nearby to replace dead dewalts. ( ive literally got around 12 dead dewalts in the shop) Do i need the adapter for both 1/8" & 1/4" bits? My brain says bigger is always better, as im not really doing any engraving, mainly punching out parts and calling it a day.
Also, i saw in a previous post where someone claimed they got Fusion 360 for 1 year free? Hint Hint : )
I think it’s all necessary, but I’m also kind of a hoarder. That shoebox full of bits of strings is also necessary, I just don’t know yet for what.
As for the difference between the flutes, more flutes means you can move your router faster for the same RPM. For 2 flutes, you can move it twice as fast as a single flute bit. The downside is that there are limits to how fast you can move your gantry/carriage, sometimes you want a super-slow RPM, and sometimes you just need less flutes so you have better chip clearance. For instance, if you are cutting plastic it’s super-easy to pack chips into your flutes, which causes them to melt and can mess up your part fast. The best solution I can think of would be to have a handful of bits with different flutes. I have a 4 flute upcut bit I tend to use most of the time, but I generally use the 2 fluter for plastic and aluminum.
Bit size. The larger the shank, the better. Having said that, it’s damn hard to find a 1/32" bit with a 1/4" shank, so you would do well to have collets to fit 1/4" and 1/8" shanks.
It’s true, Fusion 360 free for a year. Unless you’re making <$100k (I think) with it, then it’s free forever. Double check the legalese, but I think I’ve got it forever for the price of a 2 hour download.
Thanks for the input, much appreciated. After rummaging through more posts and parts, i just noticed the new X-Controller is now available. I dont know if you can answer this but maybe someone from inventables can answer. If i purchase the X-Controller with my X-Carve purchase, does that change the price any,other than the obvious purchase price of the controller. Meaning, does this product eliminate any of the previous items previously needed on the X-Carve?
If someone has a link to a free year of Fusion 360 i promise to utilize it ; ) not sure what ya mean by check the “legalese”. I’m a bit simple at 2am in the morning.
Sidenote: i just tossed out a couple hand fulls of shoestrings. Apparently i went through my boots faster than i did shoe strings.
Having had the X-Carve for a while now I realise that the eccentric nuts used to adjust the tension of the V pulleys are not such a good idea. Inventables do now sell eccentric washers that do the same job and are much easier to adjust - Part Number 25195-06. I suspect that some of us may have gouged out a bit of the aluminium frame where the eccentrics nuts have been forced around so the washers should be a great improvement.
If you are getting the 1000mm model think about stiffening the X carriage before assembly - look at the threads about this. I will be doing mine in due course but have to disassemble to get it done.
The electrical connection for the limit switches (I think) on the side of the Arduino board is bit hit and miss. I replaced mine with a proper connector. Take a look at my X-Carve wiring video from about 5 minutes and 20 seconds:
Think about where you are going to locate the power supply and so on and then make sure that you do not cut the cables too short as you go along.
For cutters I would go straight to Whiteside and get their CNC Starter Set - they are 1/4" shank and contain 5 lovely cutters and certainly enough to get you started.
Yes, the X-Controller is a powersupply and motion controller replacement. As of today you can still order the X-Controller for $329 and it will come in before the X-Carve does. You need to order it before the first 400 units are gone otherwise you get to wait until April. If you don’t select the X-Carve options for power supply and motion controller when you order the X-Carve that reduces the price of the X-Carve itself by $196. So you end up paying $125 more in total, but the X-Controller is so, so much nicer than the power supply, arduino, gshield option. It has more power and control. Got my X-Controller yesterday. It took me 1 hour to put together and test with the computer. Will be hooking it up to the X-Carve today. I wish I had not ordered the other parts and just waited for the X-Controller.
Has the play in the v carve wheel bearings been corrected or will i need to order the proper sized fiber washers? I “think” im up to speed now with any other stiffening issues / mods. I’d prefer, as most of us, to assemble this the first time while incorporating any needed mods, soo if theres any other issues feel free to speak up. I read something about the X controller allowing more lateral movement than the previous set up, but havent read anything as to a fix or if this was just one persons experience. I will be using the new x controller.
