CNC Router Question

[mark shaker]

I would like to build my next MAME cabinet from scratch. The only problem is that I lack both time and talent.

Is there any PC software available that would allow me to make the layouts for a CNC Router? (Is there a standard CNC Router file format?)

I would like to:

[JoyMonkey]

Most shops should be able to take almost any vector format file and convert it to whatever format their CNC software requires. However, they might charge you for the time it takes to convert the file and build a cutting strategy for the file (could take a minute, could take an hour depending on the complexity of your design and what way the shop works). Your best bet is to call a few local shops and find out what would be easiest for them; you might get lucky and find one that will take an Illustrator or AutoCAD file and cut it with little adjustment.

[nickbuol]

I'm doing the same thing.  I built 100% myself last time, this time I've found that should should cost me the same to have them laminate, put backerboard (which most people don't do) provide the wood, and cut it as it would for me to buy the laminate, wood, backerboard, glue, laminate bit and cut it all myself.  That is due to the discounts that they get on the materials and also because I am splitting the programming costs with a guy I work with.  I built up the plans in visio, and found out that they would build it up in AutoCAD for their CNC, so I exported it to AutoCAD (I did this because I am no AutoCAD expert, so I could mess around more in Visio, and touch up in AutoCAD), then I opened it up in AutoCAD, and did some touch-ups.  It is all done now, and I should be sending to the millworks place tomorrow.  I am hoping that my work with Visio and AutoCAD will save some of the $50 an hour of programming I would have had to pay, although if I had them draw it all up for me in AutoCAD themselves, it would have been about 2 hours of work.  I am sure that they will have some touch-ups to do to get it right for the CNC machine, but touch-ups should be a lot cheaper than full programming.  Once they give it a look-over, and we finalize on the price, I am going to have them add in the holes for the buttons, joysticks, and trackball.  They said that they need to be programmed a certain way since the CNC machine will cut those out too instead of using a drill-press or something.

If you are going to have someone do it, you will want to find out any limitations of their CNC machine.  In my case, they wanted 1" between pieces to allow for the actual cut of the router. 

Good luck!

[crashwg]

If you find out they want to charge you an arm and a leg to convert your plans into toolpaths you can find out what format they need and go over to http://www.hobbycnc.com/  They have a board dedicated to getting people to do some CNC-type work.  I haven't seen anyone doing free stuff but it'll probably be cheaper than having a profesional do it.
If you go there you might as well see if there's anyone in your area, who knows, a guy that lives down the street from you may be a hobby CNCer!

[mark shaker]

Everyone,

Thank you!

I'm going to start by contacting a local shop or two and ask them what they need to reduce or eliminate their programming costs.

Heck if I'm lucky I can find a shareware or freeware program that can produce the necessary file types.

   - Mark

[nickbuol]

What plans are you going with?  I have a lot of plans in various formats, and I have LuSiD's in AutoCAD.

[HoopstarsGarage]

I have a friend who runs a metalwork CNC mill at his house for his business..

He will NOT allow people to program their own CAD work because if they make a mistake, the mill head could drive itself somewhere it is not designed to go, causing big $$ damage..

He will use your CAD plans as a basis, but will still charge to go over it as if it was a scratch program - you might find that some of these places will operate with the same kind of rules

Hoops

[RandyT]

I own a 4'x8' CNC router table and expect that to be the norm as well, seeing that I would never trust code supplied by a 3rd party to run on my machine.  There are couple of problems, the least of which being that all CNC machines don't speak the same code.  Most will understand some derivitive of G-code, but there tends to be dialects among some of them.

I think the best you could hope for is to supply a clean, 1:1 scaled DXF (or other agreed upon vector format drawing) and let the CNC guys do the rest.

That being said, if anyone needs a custom CP top or something like that, feel free to send me drawing of what you are looking for, and if I can fit it in I'll send you a quote.

RandyT

[mark shaker]

I ended buying Autocad 9.2 Deluxe for about $17 including shipping.

nickbuol:

I've gone off the deep end... I just got the terrific news that my empty Spincade should be shipping next week, and I don't have any room for it much less anything else.

But ... after looking over the Frostillicus Arcade plans I realized that you can probably create a cabinet with 5 or 6 panels. I won't even start it until I finish my Spincade, but it just has to be done...

May I have a copy of your autocad plans? I've never used a CAD program before, and it would be great to have a starting point.  my e-mail (minus punctuation) is mshaker comcast net.

RandyT:
I'm in the Detroit Metro Area, are you close enough so that shipping won't be awful? (As you can see I've already spent all my money!)

    - Mark

[nickbuol]

May I have a copy of your autocad plans? I've never used a CAD program before, and it would be great to have a starting point.

[Freeplay]

I'm very interested in CNC files for the most popular arcade machines. ( in fact any cabs ) If anyone has them, in any format, I wouldgreatly appreciate.
DXF, AI, autocad or any format. ( 1:1 )

For the likes of PacMan, Galaga, Defender, Donkey Kong Cabs Etc.

I have found a lead to have them done ( Routered ) but getting the layouts in a format for the CNC shop has been a problem.

[PoDunkMoFo]

I used jakobuds plans to set up my outlines for the two cabinets I will be milling.  WARNING - I did have to connect some points and massage some corners.

[AlanS17]

I'm very interested in CNC files for the most popular arcade machines. ( in fact any cabs ) If anyone has them, in any format, I wouldgreatly appreciate.
DXF, AI, autocad or any format. ( 1:1 )

For the likes of PacMan, Galaga, Defender, Donkey Kong Cabs Etc.

I have found a lead to have them done ( Routered ) but getting the layouts in a format for the CNC shop has been a problem.

I'll ditto that one. Some classic Nintendo plans would be sweet if anyone ever comes up with any.

[usedelectronics]

Having done this exact process, I can say it's not as easy as you'd think.
Particularly if your planning on exactly replicating the original cabinet.

Additionally most "cabinet" style CNC's aren't able to do anything but vertical cuts. Many cabinets include angled cuts, which would have to be done manually.

Then you get into bit availability..
Some shops don't have multi-bit tool changing machines, and can't handle narrow kerf cuts (Such as the ones used in tongue and groove assembled cab's).
Also, the bit's designed for getting a finish on MDF are different than those used for laminated ply so that will have to be considered as well.

[Freeplay]

Did anyone ever come good with the CNC files?