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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
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