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Unboxing The CNC Finally


kmmcrafts

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Figured it’s a nice day and about time to start setting up my CNC . Gotta wait for a new work table to come in the mail that I just ordered. Was going to build one but read these are fussy about having a good flat solid surface to set on. Table is 10 days out so now back to waiting lol. 

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The wait should be worth it. I am sure you going to have fun with your new toy. I had fun when I got a top of the line 3D printer where I taught school. After playing with it I decided the students should get to use it. Too bad I retired the school got a new Cnc router this year with a lathe attachment. You might be able to take some pressure off your scroll saw. You could come up with something you couldn't do on the scroll saw. Have fun.

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4 minutes ago, Woodmaster1 said:

The wait should be worth it. I am sure you going to have fun with your new toy. I had fun when I got a top of the line 3D printer where I taught school. After playing with it I decided the students should get to use it. Too bad I retired the school got a new Cnc router this year with a lathe attachment. You might be able to take some pressure off your scroll saw. You could come up with something you couldn't do on the scroll saw. Have fun.

Yeah, my plan is not to use this to replace the scroll saw or the work I do with the scroll saw.. but more to do work on this that isn't practical or even doable on the scroll saw... But this might be a while down the road.. I've gotta figure out how to turn this thing on... imagine there is more to learn after I find the power button too, LOL

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18 minutes ago, Sycamore67 said:

It will be interesting to follow your learning curve and what you do with it.  It looks like it is about $4000 plus some other things.   

I have thought about one but need more information and will watch and learn.

Yes I paid $4500 but I got it on sale and with a free water cooled spindle.. the 4500 included the touch plate and two sets of router bits.. I saved about $1000 with the sale. The spindle is the way to go because the router motors are noisy and also get hot under a lot of use.. I've been watching videos on the V-carve software but half the stuff I'm lost on so I just need to set it up and play.. I learn better buy playing around.. plus.. not everyone making videos knows what they're doing either LOL.. 

I think I'm going to start out just making some text on signs etc.. and expand on that once i get my feet wet with running the thing..

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You'll have fun with it.  I have an XCarve and really like it.  It's a lot of fun to mix woodwoking and computers.  One thing I have found, it isn't fast by any means.  But on the plus side, it can be working while you're working on other things.  It's great for v-carving signs, which will help your business a lot (they're great sellers).  It's also really great for making templates for larger woodworking projects.  I even use it for making dados and rabits when I'm too lazy to do it the proper way....it takes a lot more time, but super accurate.  :)

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Good luck Kevin.  Looks like the same brand one we bought a little over a year ago for our joint Christmas gift.  I am the only one who has used it so far though! 😉😊 We got it when they were offering the free laser module at the time as I recall so we do not have the spindle but have a router with ours. They offered the free spindle the next year. 😢 They are fun, make sure you watch the tutorial videos and do some of those projects first to get your feet wet. Let me know if I can help in any way.  I haven't worked with ours in a while so I am afraid I may be back to square one in trying to use it to make anything though. If you look in the sub-forum, "Other Woodworking" both Roly and I shared some projects we did with the CNCs. (We weren't brave enough to discuss in the main forum - we didn't want to get lynched and  thrown out of the Village. 😉)  This is the thread where Roly says he is getting one of those "dreaded machines" and I showed him some of my first projects with it https://www.scrollsawvillage.com/forums/topic/29599-the-dreaded-cnc/ Then there are several threads spread throughout where Roly showed some of the work he has done with his.) Look forward to seeing what you do with yours.

 

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Good for you Kevin, I also look forward to your progress. I hope more people get over this animosity towards new tools and technology. CNC will not replace the scroll saw it will enhance what we do with it. Especially for you Kevin making signs etc, will certainly be a plus for your business. 

Melanie I looked at that other thread and saw some of what you have done with your machine. Obviously you have the enhanced software and are doing true 3D work. 

Kevin learning the software will suck up some time. You bought a great machine and the dedicated water cooled spindle was a great add on as I believe that the motor speed and on/off is controlled by the software. 

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I am getting excited and nervous at the same time, LOL... Not a cheap outfit to buy and no very little about using it.. When I bought it.. I thought I'd probably not use it much.. something I thought I'd use more is the stand alone Laser cutter I bought.. I unpacked that thing and there is sits.. powered up the machine once... never even fired the laser yet.. and it's still setting there doing nothing.. I hope to get some time to play around with both machines this summer.. also have a real busy summer plans for camping etc.. so.. who knows what will actually get done, LOL... I've tripled down the last few days building up some of my inventory that has been sold out since it's been getting warmer out.. Only sold out of about 64 clocks and nearly 80 different styles of ornaments.. plus I'll be making some that are low on stock.. I like to try to keep 20 of each style on hand for the ornaments.. and 2-3 each of the clocks.. and as many as 5 or better each of the popular selling clocks.. so I've got a few weeks work to get caught up... Momma always told me work before play.. so I think that means build up my inventory... then if time permits.. play with the CNC and laser machines 😂

My plan for the CNC was to make some signs and also do some inlay work.. the inlay work I want to do is with cutting boards.. also the laser may be used to do some engraving on the cutting boards.. but may also end up making some of my own logos to sign my work pieces with.. But.. who knows.. by the time I learn to run them... I may have changed my whole plan, LOL   

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4 hours ago, Rolf said:

Good for you Kevin, I also look forward to your progress. I hope more people get over this animosity towards new tools and technology. CNC will not replace the scroll saw it will enhance what we do with it. Especially for you Kevin making signs etc, will certainly be a plus for your business. 

Melanie I looked at that other thread and saw some of what you have done with your machine. Obviously you have the enhanced software and are doing true 3D work. 

Kevin learning the software will suck up some time. You bought a great machine and the dedicated water cooled spindle was a great add on as I believe that the motor speed and on/off is controlled by the software. 

Rolf, I have the VCarve Desktop version of the software that comes with the machine. There is an upgraded version called VCarve Pro and then their ultimate upgrade which does the 3D work which is their Aspire program. There is so much in their desktop version that I have yet to learn that I decided it will probably be a while before I even think I need to upgrade.

the router speed and on/off is also controlled by the software as well.

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I'm not at all familiar with your new toys Kevin but I ask one question. Are these machines compatible with the sawdust environment of a woodworking shop? I see you have yours set up right by your scroll saw area and to me, it would be better in a "clean room" type of setting. Please, educate me.

 

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1 hour ago, octoolguy said:

I'm not at all familiar with your new toys Kevin but I ask one question. Are these machines compatible with the sawdust environment of a woodworking shop? I see you have yours set up right by your scroll saw area and to me, it would be better in a "clean room" type of setting. Please, educate me.

 

The CNC will probably make a much bigger mess in 10 minutes than a scroll saw could do in a couple days... The laser on the other hand.. that has to have a computer to operate it.... and the dust is probably a fire hazard.. so that machine is set up..upstairs. The CNC is supposed to be able to run off a flash / thumb drive..Those that do run a computer usually make an enclosure under the table.. I think..     

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Kevin you have more willpower than I do. there is no way you could keep me away from two new machines. 

Regarding dust, it is very easy to add a pickup brush that connects to a vacuum for the CNC.  Dust is a problem for all of us my biggest concern has always been fire and of course my lungs.  That is why I invested in a centralized dust collection system.  Especially when I started getting serious about Intarsia as that is almost all dust from the sanding.

My desktop computer upstairs gets loaded with a lot more household dust than the laptop I have in my workshop. 

With the laser you need to vent the fumes outdoors. The industrial laser I used at work to cut silicon generated a lot of ozone that our safety folks said needed to be vented.

Edited by Rolf
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14 hours ago, kmmcrafts said:

The CNC will probably make a much bigger mess in 10 minutes than a scroll saw could do in a couple days...  . . .

Kevin is right, the CNC creates a much bigger mess then any scroll saw.  Fortunately, like Rolf - hubby has a central vac in the workshop that all of the equipment gets added to. Then we have a "dust boot" that we use with the CNC to help control most of the dust and get it into the central vac system.  Still, you get more dust then the scroll saw probably! 

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You might need to build a box to put it in and sound proof it and the dust collection attached to spindle which is what I did I also connected a camera to watch on my phone when I go in for tea I have my google home connected to my workshop to cut the power should I need too. Have fun and never give up. :thumbs:Roly

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