CNC Mill a Maker Stool - Amazon Web Services...CNC Mill a Maker Stool This guide will show you how...

CNC Mill a Maker StoolThis guide will show you how to make a small "Maker Stool" using SketchUp and a CNC machine.

This is a great entry level CNC project.

Written By: Eric Schimelpfenig

CNC Mill a Maker Stool

© 2017 sketchup.dozuki.com of 13

INTRODUCTION

Here you'll learn all of the concepts of how to take a model that you create in SketchUp into the realworld by milling it on a CNC machine.



Step 1 — Maker Stool Introduction

These instructions will show how towork with the SketchUp model andthe joinery.

We'll explain how to tweak themodel, and how to prepare it formilling.



Step 2

This design works on friction fit joints

Each cross member slots into the side leg and then is tapped in place with a hammer and a woodblock

All of the plywood is .75" thick. You'll have to change that thickness according to the materialyou're going to be milling with (more on that later).

Take special note of the slight angle that is on the cross members. This allows the members to"bite" into the side legs. In the drawing that you will download you'll see the material is drawn to .75thick. The angle on the cross member angles out from .75 to .81.

This allows you to easily start pushing the cross member down, but then a couple of taps with ahammer will make it tighten up nicely and create a firm, wobble free stool.



Step 3

This still is symmetrical. The way it's drawn us using components and hidden lines.

When you split a component in half and mirror it, whatever you do to one side is automatically doneto the other.

Learn all about components here.

Step 4

If you right (or secondary click) oneach part (like the stretcher, leg, ortop) you'll see that it's name alwaysstarts with a double underscore.This tells VCarve to keep the twomirrored parts together as onecomponent)

Keep this in mind as we do theVCarve import.



http://help.sketchup.com/en/article/114523

Step 5

Now that you are familiar with howthis model is drawn and assembledyou're going to need to tweak thejoints for the material you choose.This typically means making all ofthe plywood thinner than .75.

Step 6 — Learning about plywood thickness

In most cases plywood is called outin "Nominal" sizes. This means that3/4 inch plywood that you buy isalmost never .75" thick.

Take a look at the drawing to theleft. This is typical deviation of astack of plywood.

In the next step we'll show you howto measure your plywood.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nominal_size

Step 7

Plywood is never a consistent thickness all the way through, but a good sheet should be close.

Use your digital caliper to measure in 3-6 places around your plywood. Note each thickness andtake an average.

On this sheet, I got measurements that were between .708 and .711. They averaged out to .710 sothat's what I mark on the end of the sheet.

Now you have the thickness and you can start using this to model or plan your toolpaths for CNC.



Step 8 — Importing SketchUp models to VCarve

SketchUp models can be imported easily into VCarve or Aspire.

When importing a model it can be laid out flat on plywood automatically

For this to happen, each part of your model needs to be a separate group or component

To learn how to use groups and components read here and here





Step 9

First start a new VCarve or Aspire drawing.

Next to go File>Import>Import Vectors and find your SketchUp model

If you get an error message saying that your SketchUp model cannot be opened, make sure yoursoftware is up to date.

Step 10

The next dialog box has a lot ofoptions. Don't worry though, we'll listthem below so that you can makethe right choices. The reallyimportant ones are highlighted.



Auto Orientate - Largest face istop face This means that all of thegroups and components will of yourSketchUp model will be taken apartand laid flat. VCarve will take the



largest face and lay that one flat.Sometimes your parts can bereversed, so be careful here.

Orientate by Material This optionwill treat a face (or faces) that youpaint with a color of your choosingas the top face. This is great forreally controlling the way that yourmodel is pulled apart and laid flat.

Gap between parts Once your partsare laid out on the plywood, this isthe gap between them. You're verylikely going to be changing this later,so leaving it at it's default is justfine.

Three Views This option will takethree 2D snapshots of your modeland lay those vectors out.

Create Circles for polygons &Refit Arcs SketchUp by defaultmakes segmented circles andcurves. This isn't ideal for CNC.Thankfully the software actuallycreates smooth curves automaticallyfrom your SketchUp model. You'lllikely want to leave this checked.

Group Imported Parts If you makea group or component of somethingin SketchUp, the software will treat itthat way when it's imported. If youuncheck this, you'll get "loose"geometry.



Replace outer boundary Thisoption will attempt to trace theoutside of your group or component.Be careful with this one if you haveholes or other features touching theedge of the outer boundary of yourgeometry.

Step 11

Start Toolpathing! Now that youhave your SketchUp model loadedup, start setting up your toolpaths.

You may want to practice with theseimport steps a few times to get thehang of them.



This document was last generated on 2017-07-02 05:55:59 AM.

Step 12

Now that you have your geometryimported you're going to need tocreate toolpaths to get your machinecutting the files. The best place tolearn Cut2D, Cut3D, VCarve andAspire is at Vectric's site. Click hereto learn how to make toolpaths.

Step 13 — CNC Mill a Maker Stool

When you're done have some funwith your stools! Paint them orcustomize them. These are great funto make and assemble and alwaysuseful to have around the shop.

If you make your own, share somepictures, we'd love to feature yourbuild.



http://support.vectric.com/training-material

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