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Post by parkin79 on Jun 20, 2018 12:28:20 GMT -5
First time posting here, this will be my first Axiom cnc machine, i had a V1 Engineering Lowrider before this and wanted to see if anyone has a Axiom cnc in the Seattle area? would love to see your setup and talk about any lesson learned.
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Post by parkin79 on Jun 21, 2018 8:55:48 GMT -5
On another note, when you guys had your cnc shipped to you did they just drop it off or were you able to have them move it to you shop. was just wondering if i need to get something to move this large package.
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Post by stevem on Jun 21, 2018 9:23:16 GMT -5
When they delivered mine, I gave the driver some cash and he wheeled it into my garage. I do think you can they offer lift gate service as well.
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309cnc
Junior Member
Posts: 124
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Post by 309cnc on Jun 21, 2018 9:34:19 GMT -5
My machine had to go from the garage down six wide steps and through a double wide door into my basement.
I had ordered 'liftgate service' and helped the truck driver push it up a pretty much level drive way into the garage
However, the heavy lifting down into the basement was done by a local moving company I hired for the job. Best (as in smartest) $170 I spent in a long time....!
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Post by parkin79 on Jun 21, 2018 13:15:24 GMT -5
thanks guys, cant wait to get this setup. Next week cant get here quick enough!
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Post by dickdelmi on Jun 21, 2018 17:28:09 GMT -5
I live on Mercer Island and would be glad to show you my set up. 206-232-98940.
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Post by parkin79 on Jun 25, 2018 9:05:13 GMT -5
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grg
Junior Member
Posts: 140
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Post by grg on Jun 26, 2018 18:38:12 GMT -5
The answer to your software question is "yes". I went through a similar process recently. I have a lot of experience with Solidworks and AutoCAD. A license of VCarvePro came with my used machine and I was in the process of learning Fusion 360 when I bought my Axiom. Through a series of drawn out learning experiences, here's my impression of both packages. VCarve - if you want to cut flat 2D parts and sometimes do something decorative with 3D components - VCarve absolutely wins hands down. It's simple, no fuss, and outputs GCode files that work very well and can use every feature of the software. It's also very fast to use and I would say it handles like a mix between AutoCAD 2D and graphics software (I do a lot of graphic design)....it's drawing interface is what I wished CAD systems would migrate too. The toolpath features have a number of good and powerful options - but they are simple compared to the likes of CAM in Fusion360. Fusion360 - besides being free (if you make less than $100k when using it), it's exceptionally powerful software. It functions and structures parts a lot different than I'm accustomed to with Solidworks but it has a more organic design feel to it. It's rendering capability is out of this world (see the image below of a project I just contributed on - that's a RENDER from Fusion360). Fusion takes a while to learn and I'm still struggling to do several things with it and work efficiently with multiple parts in an assembly. I've found the CAM programming so full of options and variables that it's really difficult to get the right toolpaths on complicated parts that don't create problems. I've also had serious failure experiences when importing 3D objects into Fusion360 and trying to do CAM programming with them - it just doesn't recognize the geometry very well and toolpaths do all sorts of weird things. I've also found that carving a moderately detailed sign (2D elements in different layers) takes a lot of CPU time and waiting cycles between recalculations compared to VCarve. Probably at least 10x the time compared to VCarve. You can do a lot of detailed CAM path programming but buckle up for a steep and long learning curve and a bucket full of mistakes. I've been pretty frustrated with it trying to do some fairly simple things and probably should get serious about some training before I do much more with it. Also note that available GCode post for Axiom does not play fully with the RichAuto controller from Fusion360. While I did find an unofficial post that works, it has some limitations. A) you can ONLY set Z0 at the top surface of the work piece. If you set it to the surface of the spoilboard, it will ram the tool through the raw material as the GCode post apparently doesn't go to clearance height when moving from the index position to the starting position. I don't think this is much trouble to fix in the post processor but it's aggravating as I prefer to set my Z0 at the spoilboard surface if I'm going to cut clean through. I just haven't had time to look into it. B) When I combine CAM paths that use the same tool into one Gcode file, the code sometimes locks up my controller when going from one to the other. I have to reboot the Axiom, separate the CAM paths into different GCode files, and pick up where it crashed. In summary, Fusion360 has a lot of promise and it's incredibly powerful - but it's a monster to learn and it really doesn't work that well with the Axiom right now. I will use Fusion 360 if I have a 3D part that needs to maintain tight dimensional tolerance (like a mold for composites or other machine part). For everything else, I'll use VCarve to make the parts and get it done 10x faster.
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Post by parkin79 on Jun 27, 2018 11:30:55 GMT -5
Thanks Grg, i will take that info and apply it to the type of work i will be creating.
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Post by parkin79 on Jun 29, 2018 16:20:27 GMT -5
Well it just arrived, now to wait for help to lift it onto the base.
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Post by ricphoto on Jun 29, 2018 17:39:45 GMT -5
Congrats... Where in Seattle are you? I'm over in Port Orchard with an AR8+...Welcome to come over anytime (with notice ;-) Understand the frustration with being so close to having it up and running...I looked at it on the shop floor for 3 days before I snagged a painting crew from a nearby job to help me get it up on the stand...cost me lunch at BK for 4 guys...Ric
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Post by traindriver on Jun 29, 2018 18:02:54 GMT -5
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Post by ricphoto on Jun 29, 2018 18:15:53 GMT -5
Especially since they have a 2 for $6.00 special going...I splurged and had them add fries and a drink and it still came out under $30.00...my back thought that was a great deal ;-)
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Post by parkin79 on Jun 29, 2018 18:23:57 GMT -5
That was a great deal. I live over in Carnation.
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Post by parkin79 on Jul 1, 2018 23:45:04 GMT -5
well i finally got some time with my cnc machine and knocked out two signs for my kids. they are basic, but i am learning a lot about the software and machine.
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Post by parkin79 on Jul 1, 2018 23:46:47 GMT -5
Also before my kids would let me do anything with my new tool, I had to make a house from all the boxes.
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Post by joeblow on Jul 2, 2018 4:05:51 GMT -5
Haha, love it!
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Post by parkin79 on Jul 2, 2018 21:05:30 GMT -5
I am wondering if it is safe to have the CNC on with my garage door closed? I have a decent dust collector, I just know my neighbors may start to get tired of the noise.
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Post by parkin79 on Jul 2, 2018 21:35:03 GMT -5
Not sure if you guys want to see this stuff, but here is my first 2.5D flower. Overall went pretty smoothly, future reference though plywood not the best choice.
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Post by ricphoto on Jul 2, 2018 22:50:21 GMT -5
Pretty good for your first shot at 2.5...
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Post by traindriver on Jul 3, 2018 7:59:38 GMT -5
By all means, post your projects in the shared projects! We like seeing other people's creativity. If there are no voids in the plywood, the layers can make some interesting grain patterns.
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grg
Junior Member
Posts: 140
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Post by grg on Jul 3, 2018 22:09:05 GMT -5
well that didn't take long! Nice job.
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Post by parkin79 on Jul 12, 2018 0:16:31 GMT -5
Well I had my first neighbor complained about the noise for my CNC machine and dust collector. It should be interesting if I ever try and do an overnight cut. Wishing I live further out in the country.
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Post by traindriver on Jul 12, 2018 20:48:05 GMT -5
Oh brother! I worried about the noise mine made before I moved from the detached garage into an actual shop located in a light industrial area. I put the garage door down, and, even though I could hear it in the yard, I couldn't hear it in the house, so I presumed others couldn't hear it in their houses either. Still, I was thinking I might put up some kind of noise dampening paraphernalia, like maybe some moving blankets hung like drapes around the machine so I could open them to get to the machine, then close them while it's running. Don't know if that would have worked with the high frequency noise, but that was my initial plan. If you do resort to some kind of noise dampening, please post what you used and how effective it is.
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Post by redwood on Jul 16, 2018 13:31:40 GMT -5
Noise is something I've worried about for the 3 years I've had my machine. It's not really the CNC, It's not bad, it is the dust collector that makes all the racket. So far, no one has complained. Fingers are crossed as I knock on wood.
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Post by savannahdan on Jul 16, 2018 18:52:35 GMT -5
You can add some insulation to your garage door(s) that should reduce the "noise" down quite a bit. I was running my system today and most of the noise was coming from the dust collector and it wasn't that bad. Some folks put their dust collectors in an outside room that is insulated and helps to get the noise out of the shop as well as the heat and residual dust they generate. What does your neighbor do when the lawn service folks show up and crank up their mowers, trimmers, edgers, blowers and whatever else that makes a bunch more noise than your woodworking equipment? Sorry, the more I think about it the more I get aggravated. It could be worse - you could be running a router instead of the spindle or a shop vac instead of a dust collector! Ok, I feel better now and I'm going shopping for one of those 150mph Honda mowers.
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Post by dickdelmi on Jul 17, 2018 10:53:29 GMT -5
Nice!!!
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Post by davidtu on Jul 17, 2018 12:01:20 GMT -5
First time posting here, this will be my first Axiom cnc machine, i had a V1 Engineering Lowrider before this and wanted to see if anyone has a Axiom cnc in the Seattle area? would love to see your setup and talk about any lesson learned. Parkin, we're in Seattle... but we're a month behind you, expecting delivery today. Even worse, it's our first foray into CNC and we have an immediate need to produce a lot of material fast.... so if you have learned lessons or could give us a leg up, let *us* know.
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Post by parkin79 on Jul 17, 2018 12:14:36 GMT -5
I live in Carnation and work in Redmond. So not to far from Seattle.
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Post by MikeDes on Sept 8, 2018 13:18:26 GMT -5
Loved reading thru these posts, guys. I am gearing up for my fist Axiom purchase (AR4) and I have a software question:
I use Rhino 6 for my modeling and would prefer not to have to learn a new package... does anyone know if I can use Rhino output (in whatever format) to feed the AR4? To the extent it matters, I am carving 3D curved surfaces, to and bottom.
Thanks, Mike
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