Carbide Create 101

[72begin (Bill Tumbleson)]

I am brand new to this CNC world - Shapeoko XL - but have a bit of woodworking experience.

I found a toy helicopter pattern for cutting out with a scrollsaw. I thought it would be a challenge (admittedly not a very complex one) to convert the pattern into an SVG file. I won’t go through the steps as they are pretty basic but I found it a helpful exercise. It took a couple tries but didn’t create too much firewood. I have all the pieces cut out and ready for assembly and am pleased how well everything lines up.

Bill

[Julien]

Hi @72begin,

Those cuts look quite clean, which is not always easy to get in plywood, care to share what cutter and settings (and how much manual finishing) you used ?

Also, it looks like you could submit that project to the community challenge #8!

[ispot]

Can you share that project? I think it will be a fun project for my son.

[72begin (Bill Tumbleson)]

Julien:

Thanks for the comments. I used an 1/8" upcut spiral bit - Freud model # FRE75-100

Settings -
stepover - .063"
depth of cut per pass - .063"
feed rate - 60 ipm
plunge rate - 20 imp

If I am missing something let me know.

Finishing was 100 grit sandpaper and took just a few passes to remove the fuzzies.

The use of Baltic Birch plywood for this project is important. I offer this suggestion from my perspective as a woodworker.

Bill

[Julien]

Thanks for the info.
Adding to @ispot request, if you feel like it this would be a good project to upload on CutRocket, in the “Toys/Game” section.
Else you could just upload the c2d file here

[tink07 (Keith Tinkler : Pro Photographer : Sales Person : Retired)]

Thanks for the info… cant wait to see it completed

[72begin (Bill Tumbleson)]

Ahmed:

The helicopter project is uploaded to Cutrocket in the toys section.

I would like to see yours if you make it.

Thanks, Bill

[ispot]

You’re awesome, you made my boy very happy, thank you.

[Quantock (Graham)]

Thanks for posting the design on CutRocket, the timing was ideal for my lad’s birthday (29th!) helicopters is his job.
I don’t have any ply so planed down some of my pile of mahogany to 9mm and then had to jiggle the pattern to get the long grain on the weakest areas of the design. It cut really well and looks the part, so much that I had to make one for myself - to remind myself of a previous life!