Hi all, I’ve had my machine since fall of 2024. What is the recommended tool to get the Kreg 60x60 table and the 5 pro to a “perfect” flatness. I have a Klein 935DAGL level/angle finder and am at .01 degrees for flatness, sometimes ) degrees and the same for the z axis. Im am leveling on the x/y/z rails. and then flattening the spoilboard. I am finding points where it is at ), then jog to the 9 different auto jog points where it goes from 0 to .01 between front, middle, back and left to right. Is it possible to get them dialed in to 0 no matter where I have the gantry position? Or am I worrying too much for making Shaker doors with a Vgroove at a .0625 depth?
The level was of the machine in relation to the floor is really not that important.
But, you do want the Z “perfectly” perpendicular to the X and Y. Have you trammed the machine? If not, search for tramming in the forum to find a good procedure. Some use simple arms and others use dial indicators and known flat reference surfaces.
I have trammed the z and have to disagree about the table being flat as the machine did develop a severe twist. I removed the casters and went with the solid leveling feet. I had a the v groove go from .0625 depth to well over .125 front to back or corner to corner. Once the table was leveled the machine came back inline for the vgroove. This was over the 4x4 surface. My table was out of flat corner to corner.
Easiest way to level a table is to retract one corner, then level the other three, then lower the retracted corner.
For the machine, I like to add a sheet of foam under it which will take up any imperfections/unevenness in the table surface, then if everything is assembled plumb and square, the only thing which should be wanted is surfacing the MDF:
Thanks Will, i have done all this. My question was based more on what tool/gadget to level/flatten with and are my expectations too much trying to get to a 0 degree flat level and true 90 degree z. The tool mentioned gets me to within .01 of flatness corner to corner on the machine, not spoilboard and i get to .89 degrees for the z. Google says that .01 difference will have an affect through overall cabinet dimensions. I know it doesnt matter if the cabinets arent between walls, but does matter from wall to wall. I am trying for “perfect” to avoid installation issues. I am a beginner at cabinetry so trying to get as precise as possible. What tool is recommended to be as precise as possible? I understand there are tolerance expectations with the machine
For that see:
and
Yeah ok. That’s more like an uneven table surface translating to the machine rather than level with respect to the floor which is what I meant.
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It seems you are assuming the walls are holding that same tolerance which I have found is not the case. Measuring 0.01 degrees on a vertical wall over the length of a 84” pantry cabinet or 36” cabinet is really pushing it. That’s what scribbing is for if you need it that tight. When I make cabinets it’s not using my 5 Pro, it’s on my table saw. Way too slow using one CNC and I’m not running a cabinet shop as some that have much bigger CNC’s designed for that.
I understand walls are rarely straight. I have a long background in granite tops. Im just trying to dot the t’s and cross the i’s. I run across a lot of very particular folks in the granite career and since im aiming to do flatpack i just want to avoid the “it don’t fit” scenario. I know ai is unreliable at best with its info and since im still a newbie i want to view this from all sides. I failed miserably with a local cabinet guy and i am not pleased with my performance
There are a couple of G-code previewers, at least one of which allows exporting an STL — design a pair of parts which fit together and cut one along each axis, preview the G-code, export an STL and then check the fit in a 3D CAD tool which imports STLs?
Or, do that with actual test parts/cuts?
Understand, we are just providing feedback to help you thru things. You’re at the right place on a very helpful forum.
With respect to flattening your spoil board, it should be consistent across the machine. I do live in a very humid location and it does affect the MDF spoil boards so I have to keep an eye on that with a straight edge routinely. However I am not routinely measuring it, just running the straight edge across it with a side light.
Thanks all, I understand everything folks are saying. The initial question was about flatnes of the machine and what tools were used. I explained that after the machine was flat that i would do the spoilboard. It has been squared, and it has been trammed. Its always been about flatness and the .01 discrepancy with the machine itself. Ive also stated that i know there are tolerances and was simply asking if i am over thinking/over worried about that .01 discrepancy across the range of motion in the machine, not spoilboard. I know this isn’t a big heavy industrial machine, even those have tolerances. I remembered reading about X amount of tolerances and believe it is the .01 but need to verify that so my adhd doesnt drive me to keep trying for perfection if it isn’t in the cards. Thats all im asking about. I love my Shapeoko and the company and just need to set my expectations, I guess i could also be OCD lol. If i have 4 squares and none of them are square to each other, then which square is correct? Im just asking about the tools used to be as accurate as I and the machine can get
The outside of a square is easy to check. I use a straight edge and a single bevel knife blade. The straight edge needs to be at least twice the length of you square.
- Clamp the straight edge to a cuttable surface. I use a pice of MDF.
- Place one edge of the square firmly against the straight edge with the other edge in the center of the straight edge.
- Make a cut mark the length of the other edge of the square with the non beveled side of the knife blade .
- Flip the square about the knife cut.
- Insert the knife blade in the cut with the non beveled edge against the square blade at the bottom of the line close to the straight edge and push the square against the blade and make another cut.
- Remove the square and look at the end away from the straight edge and if you see two lines at the end of the square it is is out of square.
If there is only 1 line the square is perferect.
If the first line is to the left of the second line the square is less than 90 degrees say 89. To correct that I take a center punch and put a dimple on the inside corner of the square. This will move the blade closer to 90 and repeat the test.
If the first line is to the right of the second line the square is grater than 90 degrees say 91. To correct that I take the center punch and put a dimple on the outside corner of the square. This will move the square blade in the oposite direction closer to 90 and repeat the test.
The adjustment procedure works for soft flat material squares. I don’t know if it will work on a hardened steel square.
As for checking the machine make a 90 degree cut and use the straight edge process to check it. If it fails the test then you need to adjust the Y axis sensors. On mine I had to shift the right sensor back 1/2 turn because the right angle cut was a bit over 90 degrees. My Z axis was good.
As for the bed it only needs to be coplanar not necessary level. I check that using a level and a pair of 1-2-3 blocks. You just want to see the same bubble position corner to corner and X cross from corners. The bed the table is sitting on needs to be rigid and not necessarily flat. You want something that will not deform if you move the base. You just do the coplanar test and use paper card stock shims under the bed rails to make it coplanar. Heavy paper card stock is about 0.003" thick and will not compress under load.
After you bed is coplanar you can surface you spoil board.
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Thanks everyone, it turns out that i am overthinking this and am as close as it gets to being flat and trammed.
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