Tiling offset

Discussion/questions about software used with your CNC Shark and programming issues

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gpeck
Posts: 181
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2013 1:35 pm

Tiling offset

Post by gpeck »

I am cutting a profile that is 40" long and 16" wide using the y axes to cut the T1 an T2 cut outs. After I cut T1 tile and slide the board to cut T2. tile T2 cut is off by about .002". I hold the board down with screws and make sure the board is tight to the guide board while cutting T1 and then moving it to cut tile T2. Why is the cut moving .oo2 in the x axes? Thanks for any info. gene

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Bob
Posts: 1252
Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2010 3:35 pm

Re: Tiling offset

Post by Bob »

Gene,
It sounds like your guide board is out of alignment by .002"
Do you align the guide board by jogging along the edge of the guide board on the Y axis? I use a short steel rod mounted in the chuck to trace the entire length of the guide board when setting it up.
Also, be sure that the guide board has no curve in it.
That is how I solved my problem when I encountered a similar problem.
Bob
"Focus"
Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek (Developer of the microscope.)

Mimbler
Posts: 76
Joined: Sat Nov 29, 2014 5:37 pm

Re: Tiling offset

Post by Mimbler »

Do you have a problem, or are you just bragging? :) Seriously, .002 over that distance in wood seems like nothing to me. A change in humidity could cause the workpiece to swell or shrink by that much. Even machining metal, one or two thousandths over any distance with moving setups is hard to achieve. Plus, while I love my shark, I'm guessing we would be lucky to get .002 accuracy. I think they claim .001 which would be measured under unloaded, ideal conditions.
Mike

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NewAgent45
Posts: 230
Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 8:29 am
Location: Edgewater, Florida, USA

Re: Tiling offset

Post by NewAgent45 »

GPeck:

I’m not an expert but have some ideas.

First I recall but can’t find the reference that the CNC Shark has an accuracy of +- 0.001 so 0.002 is within this range.
Next how did you square up your “guide board”? I use a 60 degree V-bit to scribe reference lines in my spoil board both in X and y to use for guides this way you are squaring to the actual straight path of the machine. I also have T-slots cut in my spoil board to use for adjusting my clamps or guides. See the attached picture of my spoilboard. The picture is ad old picture.
CNC Shark Spoil-Board 2.jpg
I no longer actually cut through to spoil board as it works well with my own built clamps and I surface plane it to make the surface co-plainer with the spindle. I always add a piece of ¼ MDF for through cutting now. So the ¼ MDF is my spoilboard.

Another thing to look at is your spindle perfectly perpendicular. Mine was not and when the machine was new I noticed a striping pattern when surface planning. I solve this by adding plastic shim stock under the router clamp. If you look closely at the second picture you will see a piece of yellow shim stock under the front edge of router clamp. Since the picture I have added more and I think I have about 0.025 – 0.030 inch under the front of the clamp. I no longer see striping. I should also state I have replace the plastic gantry cross member with the aluminum upgrade. There are other posts on the forum regarding the sagging problem with the one made from HDPE. Anyway my point here is the spindle being perpendicular. I wouldn’t expect this to be the cause for your issue.
Router Clamp upgrade w Shim.jpg
You should be able to easily measure the distant at the extreme ends of the “guide” to a pointed router bit. You could take two separate pieces of material and use the machine in jog mode with a v-bit to scribe a line in both pieces. Then place them together to compare. If they aren’t perfectly identical your guide is off.

I hope this helps.

Have a great day!
… Rod

gpeck
Posts: 181
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2013 1:35 pm

Re: Tiling offset

Post by gpeck »

I am sorry I put the to many zeros in should have been .020. My guide board is straight and is inline with the y axes from front to back 24" long, and the sacrifice board has been leveled with the router. thanks for the in put.

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NewAgent45
Posts: 230
Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 8:29 am
Location: Edgewater, Florida, USA

Re: Tiling offset

Post by NewAgent45 »

OK 20 thousands is significant. I would consider high load cutting conditions where the gantry support arms might be flexing. I would also look at the X stepper motor coupling and make sure the set screws are tight. Is there any possibility something else is slipping or flexing. I really think this sounds like a mechanical issue and not the controller.

I have only used tiling a few times and did not have any issues. Perhaps someone else on the forum has more experience.

Have a great day!

Rod

TAW
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Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2015 10:50 am

Re: Tiling offset

Post by TAW »

Ok I think this post has answered my qeustion in other forum..... can tiling be done with v carve desktop software?

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NewAgent45
Posts: 230
Joined: Sun Sep 08, 2013 8:29 am
Location: Edgewater, Florida, USA

Re: Tiling offset

Post by NewAgent45 »

I have VCarve Pro! So I referred to the VCarve Products webpage.
http://www.vectric.com/products/vcarve/features.htm
From this page it looks like it is included in desktop.

If you select compare: http://www.vectric.com/products/compare.html
The chart confirms it is included.

On VCarve Pro the Tiling Manager is accessed from and ICON on the Toolpath display and the ICON is to the left of the [Save Toolpath} ION. You will probably be surprised how easy this feature is to use.

Have a great day!

.... Rod

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