Request to CNC a file with Shapeoko

Hi folks,

This is a slight strange request. I want to to have a Shapeoko mainly for making a specific part.
I got the CAD files for this part (DWG, DXF, STEP) which I found online. Before purchasing a
Shapeoko, I would like to verify how well these files will be CNC’d with it.

Therefore, I would like to share these files with someone who won’t mind CNC these parts with his
own Shapeoko. Each one of them is small. It need to be done with 6xxx or 7xxx aluminum alloy, if feasible.

Do I have any chances to achieve that?

I’ll be very grateful for it.

Thanks,
Tomer.
:slight_smile:

@Style - If you upload the DWG, myself or somebody else can have a look and give you an idea if they will run well or not. I don’t have any aluminum sheet to hand, but assuming you use the right bit and take your feeds and speeds accurately, milling aluminum should not be an issue.

Have a poke around youtube, searching for “CNC aluminum”. You’ll get quite a few videos with various wisdom around the home-milling of aluminum on a CNC which should set you up for getting the job parameters right in the future.

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Sounds good. You can find the DWG files here.
If you can take a look and see if it’s “Shapeoko-compatible” it will be great.

Ay, sorry, I typed “DWG” but meant DXF. DXF can be natively opened in Carbide Create…

No problem, I swapped the DWG to DXF files. Please check the link again.

I just loaded each one into Carbide Create and generated a basic toolpath with no issues. All your vectors look clean and closed, no problem at all.

CarbideCreate will “estimate” some feeds and speeds for you base on materials and the like, but I don’t foresee you having any issues.

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Thank you Adam!

How simple is it to load the files and run them? Do I only need to open the Carbide Motion app,
load the DXF files and start the CNC process? I mean, of course I’ll need to figure out the speed
of the motors and drills, but will I need to configure anything else?

I’m trying to figure out how easy/complicate is this process going to be like, and if it will be worth it.

I don’t have an SO3 (got a Nomad) but just so you understand, milling has never been like loading paper into a printer then clicking print (at least, for me). There will be a learning curve–about things like work holding, setting zero coordinates, clearing/vacuuming chips, and on the SO3 things like squaring and tuning your machine if you need maximum precision. Just so you know…

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As @tito said, there is a bunch to this subject. Caride Create and Carbide motion are the software workflow that come with the Carbide3D machines and they are very good for the type of work you seem to be wanting to do. You’d load Carbide Create, open your DXF, size it, position it, setup the material, create a toolpath for your cutter (with feeds and speeds) export the gcode (machine commands), load that gcode in Carbide Motion, connect your machine and you’re off.

There are lots of articles detailing cnc workflows and how-to - check out the Shapeoko Wiki for some guidance there. @WillAdams likely has all the workflow pages bookmarked and may chime in.

CNC is not a simple subject, it needs study and work. It’s not using Fusion 360 or AutoCad or any software and that’s it. What I can tell you is our machines are very good, the technical support a fantasy and this forum that only thinks of helping as you could have noticed. Buy one of these machines to start, it’s a good idea, you will not regret it and develop your program, there will be difficulty at the beginning, but here we help you!
Much encouragement !.

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While CNC is inherently complex, a central goal of the Shapeoko project has always been to simplify it and make it accessible.

It should be pretty straight-forward, esp. since as @Adam_Xett noted the files open as closed paths in Carbide Create.

The prototypical first project is to make a coaster: Let's make a coaster and there are a number of tutorials including an alternate take on a coaster there.

There’s a bit more written up at: https://www.shapeoko.com/wiki/index.php/Workflow

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