Impressing the boss

[Gerry]

Got a new job two weeks ago, at a cabinet/millwork shop. Part of my job will be programming the $100K+ router. At the end of my 3rd day, the boss shows me a small job they have and asks if I can program it on their router. I explain that I don't think that their $5000 CAM software can do 3D, without paying for more options, and they don't give you manuals, which forces you to pay for training to learn how to use it.

I went home, whipped this sample up in AutoCAD in about an hour, and ran it through MeshCAM and cut it. The actual part would be about 7 feet long (it goes over an entry door), but the sample is only 12".

When I brought it in the next day, everyone was pretty amazed. Now I need to see if I can write a post to get the somewhat unique code that the big machine uses. It's a Morbidelli Author 636.

Sunburst 003sm.jpg (365.1 KiB) Viewed 851 times

There's some tearout due to the sharp corners along the endgrain, but it conveys the intent quite well.
It's pretty cool to think that for under $1500 you can do in your garage what a lot of people with well over $100K invested can't do.

[Randy]

First of all, good on ya for getting a new job in these times! Your boss should be impressed. That is a great proof-of-concept to be able to show quickly. And a great way to show your value to the new company! I hope that your work router is nicknamed "Morbo". I guess only if there are Futurama fans there...

I thought for a moment that I took that picture. I just installed a new MB in my desktop machine and rearranged the hard drives, and that looks just like an Antec HD mounting rail... And you have the same taste in carpet (looks like taupe from here).

I did a similar thing at my last job. We were developing a new product with a boxy cabinet, and the industrial designer wanted to put a kind of shiplap texture on the front, like the inside of your piece but straight across. He wasn't sure of the spacing he wanted, so that evening I machined three samples out of blue Styrofoam insulation board with different spacings (using MeshCAM of course!) and brought them in the next morning for him to evaluate.

Good on

Randy

[Gerry]

First of all, good on ya for getting a new job in these times!

Especially in Detroit, and in this line of work. Yes, I was quite fortunate.

Yes, that is an Antec mounting rail, and a dead HD. I need to try to pull two more files from it before it goes in the trash. As soon as I realized it was going bad, I got the important stuff off, and pulled it to hopefully prolong it's life. It's the only room in the house with carpet, and will be replaced by hardwood in a year or so.

[robgrz]

Congrats on the job and thanks for the part photos. I'll be curious to hear how MeshCAM fits into a production workflow. If you need any help with the custom post processor please let me know.

And for the drive: try Spinrite, www.grc.com , if the drive is dying- it's saved me on more than one occasion.

-Robert