mdf3790 plans

[viper]

hi all i have purchased the plans for a mdf 3790, the problem is i cannot seem to work out the sizes as i wish to cut the parts with my cnc. it will not cut them as it says the timber is 200mm x 120mm. how do i find the correct size of these items, and how do i resize them..thanks...will

[Clive S]

hi all i have purchased the plans for a mdf 3790, the problem is i cannot seem to work out the sizes as i wish to cut the parts with my cnc. it will not cut them as it says the timber is 200mm x 120mm. how do i find the correct size of these items, and how do i resize them..thanks...will

You need to give more info. What says the timber is 200x120 and what size should it be? what cad and cam are you using

[JAZZCNC]

Come on dude help us out a bit, how the hell can we answer without more info on the plans or the part.? Give us something to work with.

Also why the hell would you want to build a machine from MDF is beyond me when you have a CNC machine already.!

[viper]

Come on dude help us out a bit, how the hell can we answer without more info on the plans or the part.? Give us something to work with.

Also why the hell would you want to build a machine from MDF is beyond me when you have a CNC machine already.!

chill out mate..im new to this

[viper]

hi there im using aspire and when i open the dxf file in it says 200 x 120 may be i could email the file to you

[JAZZCNC]

chill out mate..im new to this

I am chilled out good luck.!

[Clive S]

hi there im using aspire and when i open the dxf file in it says 200 x 120 may be i could email the file to you

Well you are not helping yourself. If you can't be bothered to answer the questions I can't either.

[phill05]

hi there im using aspire and when i open the dxf file in it says 200 x 120 may be i could email the file to you

The dxf should import into Aspire at the correct size it was drawn at if it is not you can resize it to whatever you want.

[Neale]

DXF files do not always contain the "units" - it will just have something marked as "150" for example, withouit telling you if it's mm, inches, or miles. You have to set units in Aspire (if it's anything like Vcarve, which it probably is). Assuming that the DXF file also has only the parts, not the panel outline from which they are being cut, you also need to set the panel stock size in Aspire and import the DXF and position it on the stock. Might be where your problems are. Or maybe not, as your original question left out a lot of info - as requested by others!

I echo the "Why MDF?" qiuestion. My first CNC router was also built from MDF. All the structural integrity of cold-rolled cow dung. It were crap. Daily readjustment of all bearings to cope with frame warp, etc. I actually did quite a bit of useful work on it and it taught me a lot (which is why the Mk2 is welded steel). Still crap, though.

[routerdriver]

I put mdf3790 into a search engine and it took me here http://grunblau.com/MDF3790.html . Looks like a moving gantry machine with a single central leadscrew. It seems that the drawings are supplied in pdf format.I don't believe I know of any CAM system that will generate a toolpath from a pdf and given the anatomy of the machine I don't think I would be bothering anyway.Particularly if I already had a working CNC machine.

[routercnc]

I remember looking at this some time ago.

They have sent you a pdf file with a full size nested parts sheet for printing out (at a printer shop unless you can print 24” x 36” at home). You then cut these out and stick them to the mdf and cut around them. Or they may have marked up the sheets as A4 with lines to stick them all together as one big plan. I think this could be a bit dubious in terms of accuracy, depends on adjustments.

They also say they provide the CAD in various format. Have they sent:
iges
stl
igs
Or anything like that? These can be read into most CAD programmes and from that point you would need to export them as a 2D outline (dxf is common) into a CAM program. Then create tool paths. Then export gcode in the flavour that you CNC machine is compatible with and cut them out.

I think this is an American site so units could be inches although 200x120 sounds like mm for a CNC part.

Does this get you any closer? If not please reply with what you have been sent in detail and what CNC machine you have and your workflow today in terms of software you use.