madbeanpedals::forum

General => Open Discussion => Topic started by: irmcdermott on December 04, 2012, 09:15:08 PM

Title: CNC Milling
Post by: irmcdermott on December 04, 2012, 09:15:08 PM
Anyone do it? I'm toying the idea of getting into this. Looking for advice.

I'm trying to get used to the pcb-gcode ulp. Everytime I generate the gcode files and open them in a viewer, either nothing shows up, or they don't look anything like they should.

I also think that ulp is supposed have a preview feature, but I can't see any preview of my board, even thought I have the box selected. Anyone have any experience with this?
Title: Re: CNC Milling
Post by: madbean on December 04, 2012, 09:18:44 PM
You can pop over here anytime to play with mine. Maybe you can teach me how to use it, too.
Title: Re: CNC Milling
Post by: irmcdermott on December 05, 2012, 03:35:05 AM
Haha. I may have to do that. I don't understand a lot of it though.... and I don't know if it's because i'm running windows on my Mac using Parallels, or what, but all of the software on the windows side isn't really working great. A college friend is going to ship me an old PC he built. Maybe I'll revisit it after that. Or....

Maybe I'll stick to chemicals :)
Title: Re: CNC Milling
Post by: GhostofJohnToad on December 05, 2012, 03:57:35 AM
I'd like to learn CNC as well, But I have a 3d printer to take care a lot of my needs.
Title: Re: CNC Milling
Post by: aziltz on December 05, 2012, 04:42:45 AM
I stick strictly to NC.
Title: Re: CNC Milling
Post by: culturejam on December 05, 2012, 06:21:23 AM
I'm waiting on the quick-easy-and-cheap CNC system.  >:(
Title: Re: CNC Milling
Post by: madbean on December 05, 2012, 06:26:44 AM
Well, if you want to DIY the whole thing it's not terribly expensive. The three major expenses are the motors, controllers and the rotary tool. There are some tutorials on re purposing printer motors, there are some prepacked driver modules on eBay and elsewhere and you can use a $50 Dremel. Lot of info on Instructables.

I own a Probotix Fireball v90, but I just have not invested the time into making it work for me. I have plenty of ideas about what to do with it (non-PCB related)!
Title: Re: CNC Milling
Post by: culturejam on December 05, 2012, 06:30:08 AM
Most of the projects I looked at are pretty easy...if you already understand a lot of shit I don't and have experience working with things that I don't.  ;D
Title: Re: CNC Milling
Post by: madbean on December 05, 2012, 06:36:10 AM
Quote from: culturejam on December 05, 2012, 06:30:08 AM
Most of the projects I looked at are pretty easy...if you already understand a lot of shit I don't and have experience working with things that I don't.  ;D

Heh, yeah....but wasn't that also true for building and designing effects when you first got into it? You done pretty good with that....who knows, you might be a gaddam CNC wizard!
Title: Re: CNC Milling
Post by: culturejam on December 05, 2012, 06:42:45 AM
I think my wife just felt a disturbance in the Force.  ;D :D
Title: Re: CNC Milling
Post by: irmcdermott on December 05, 2012, 12:10:39 PM
i was looking at this as an option.

http://www.mydiycnc.com/ (http://www.mydiycnc.com/)
Title: Re: CNC Milling
Post by: gtr2 on December 05, 2012, 01:06:26 PM
I was looking at the zen toolworks stuff a few weeks ago.  http://zentoolworks.com/
Title: Re: CNC Milling
Post by: irmcdermott on December 05, 2012, 01:29:25 PM
Quote from: gtr2 on December 05, 2012, 01:06:26 PM
I was looking at the zen toolworks stuff a few weeks ago.  http://zentoolworks.com/

wow. that's a really awesome kit. the 7x7 would be great for PCBs, except for some Lovetone boards :)
Title: Re: CNC Milling
Post by: icecycle66 on December 05, 2012, 02:30:50 PM
Quote from: GhostofJohnToad on December 05, 2012, 03:57:35 AM
... I have a 3d printer to take care a lot of my needs.

:o
Title: Re: CNC Milling
Post by: jkokura on December 05, 2012, 03:35:11 PM
Quote from: culturejam on December 05, 2012, 06:42:45 AM
I think my wife just felt a disturbance in the Force.  ;D :D

Wow. Just, wow.

Jacob
Title: Re: CNC Milling
Post by: jeffaroo on December 08, 2012, 07:49:27 AM
the best cnc ive used involves paypal and let some other sucker do it