Hello!
Now that the tailmaker / fingermaker software is no more available (I had a free copy on my windows machine, but it dies with it… 
), maybe we could find an alternative solution or even make one!
That’s always the problem with software, one day they disappear and nothing to replace them…
So I would like to machine some nice fingerjoints on my ShapeOko WITHOUT a verticale holding fixture.
So here we are talking of using ball nose end bit and 3D path, which seems to be more advanced.
I’m a Fusion 360 user, but anything would do, free CAD soft would be better.
Anyone interested in trying to do this, or any idea to point me at?
Is this what you mean by fingerjoint?
Seems that this is a two dimenisional design…just cut the matching parts and no vertical jig needed. As opposed to a dovetail…which has a three dimensional cut to it and would need to be modeled.
Should be easy to make box or finger joints…
Except maybe because of the rounded corners on the box joints
I worked up a work-around on this at:
My understanding is Tailmaker required a 30 degree endmill and mounting the boards at a 15 degree angle — if the program is truly no longer available I’m sure we can work up something similar. I’ve been working on a couple of alternatives though which don’t require such a fixture or a vertical fixture as is typically used — wrote one up in the Lounge, it’s a blind miter w/ hidden spline and allows one to cut with boards flat. It’s not optimal though (not void free and the ends if modeled are possibly viewed as sort of sexual which I worry about, and there’s an aspect which doesn’t make for a strong joint, but modern adhesives may ameliorate that adequately).
This was also discussed at:
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Tailmaker needed a ficture but not Fingermaker, just flat on the CNC bed! I know I made some stuff with it and the result were pretty nice! I saw your post, very interesting!
So would the fingers be modeled to have their “Tops” rounded over at the radius of the bit that’s cutting the sockets? That should work, yes?
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Yes exactly! So there is no gap anywhere!
So…PLEASE forgive my horrendous modeling skills (I’m below beginner when it comes to using CC to do 3D modeling)…but would this kind of be what we’re after (assuming you got all the measurements correct and got your radii right and all)…
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Yes! I was trying to make it with Fusion 360 also, but wanted to make it parametric which is more complicated, but would be usable for everyone!
You manage to do this in CC for 3d, you’re very good! I didn’t even know CC was able to do 3d…
The folks at Carbide were incredibly generous in making a free year license available for CC Pro, which supports 3D modeling. You can search for free pro license here in the community forum for a link.
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Carbide Create has an optional 3D modeling feature in Pro mode:
A parametric fingerjoint file using a Python script was recently announced on Reddit for folks who use Autodesk Fusion 360:
https://www.reddit.com/r/CNC/comments/gvv2qd/i_have_fully_functional_python_script_to_create/
I’ll have to look into the geometry of the flat fingerjoint w/ fillets.
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So after all my research, sadly I didn’t find anything…
I guess I’ll have to make a vertical holding gig for being able to make nice fingerjoint…
So now my question is what do you use to generate nice design. I want to use regular endmill, no dovetail…
If you’d provide us with the dimensions of the box you wish to make and thickness/width of stock and the joinery technique you’d like to use and the features you’d like for it to have I’ll gladly work up a file for you to use as a beginning point.
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Thanks! The fact is I do not have right now any dimension, it’s for future guitar amp project. But I already made one (when tailmaker was still available) and it was 1/2" stock thickness, 9" deep, 7" height, 16"width…
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