Monday, October 10, 2011

Another Day...... Another Project

  After working for a couple of days dialing in my CNC machine and reworking G-Code files I completed another small beginners project on my machine.  I did about a half dozen test cuts in styrofoam so as to not waste more expensive wood and since I've got a pile of foam in my garage it was the perfect thing to use.  
  I wanted to make a small box for my calipers that I use on a lot of my projects.  The calipers is nothing real expensive but it works and so I thought the box project would serve two purposes as I need the practice in working with CNC and the box actually could be useful.  The little plastic container that my caliper came in was nothing more than a plastic blister pack.  Real cheap and flimsy to be sure.  I wanted something that would be a lot more sturdy.

 
The foam gave me a good visual as to the size of my box and if I had designed it to fit my needs. This was cut at 30 inches per minute. 

  The vacuum system worked.... kind of.  That was until It got clogged and I was removing very little of the sawdust that was left on my part.  I cut this part at 30 inches per minute but dialed it back to 20 which worked just as well and the machine ran smoother too.



There's a part under there some place.  Needless to say I removed the vacuum skirt and foot and ran a straight vacuum hose directly on the part.  It was a bit messy but not anywhere near this bad.   I will keep the guard when I am doing engraving or not trying to make a massive cut though wood like this one.  


This looks a hundred times better.  I still want to varnish the box but that is the easy part now. 
 

Pretty close to a perfect custom fit.  I'm pleased with it considering it is the most complicated piece I've tried to put together so far.  A friend of mine at the Co-Lab in Davenport said that the hardest thing to make in wood is a box.  After doing this little one.  I believe him.  Looks simple but it's not.  
  I'm glad to put my tools down for the day and let the dust settle.  

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