Python script to create GCode for surfacing stock

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Hi Folks :slight_smile:

Here is a Github Gist of a program I wrote to quickly create surfacing GCode.

I wrote this Python command-line script a year or two ago and have improved it since then. The script creates GCode for surfacing stock. I find I do this with most projects. It seemed silly to me to create a job every single time when all I really needed to do was to take the dimensions of the stock and set a few parameters.

The bit will run from side to side and optionally at an X margin off of the stock to give the bit a rest from milling.

Here is an example of how to run the program. If the program is invoked without any parameters, it will spit out a list of the required and optional parameters.

surfacing_gcode_generator_with_outside_margins.py -x 510 -y 820 -zd 0.5 -zp 0.5 -xyf 2500 -zf 1000 -o 75 -bd 25.4 -bm True > media-cabinet-recovery-surfacing-0.5mm.nc

I don’t know if anyone wants this or needs this, but I thought I’d share it with you. If anyone has feature requests or improvements, please let me know.

There is code to start and stop the spindle.
M3 1000 # starts spindle
M5 # stop spindle
These lines may need to be changed for your setup.

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Nice!

I’ve been working on a more generalized project along these lines:

and arguably, that sort of capability is something which should be doable in it, or maybe included, though I’ve shifted recently away from directly outputting G-code to outputting a DXF which can then be loaded into Carbide Create.

That’s a lot of technical stuff though, and I’m not sure how suited it is to the majority of our customers — you might want to see if the folks at:

would be interested as well.

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This makes spoilboard surfacing much quicker and more convenient, especially for repetitive jobs.

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@WillAdams That is an impressive project! I will take a closer look at it.

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@Elissa I hope you can use it. I use it for spoilboard surfacing and when I need a flat piece of stock. The command line has quite a few parameters but I save the ones I use most often in a notepad.

I usually create a .gcode file with one pass and then repeat as necessary. When I get closer to finished, I reduce the height of the pass, either from the command line or just by editing the text file itself. There is also the option of multiple passes if there is more surfacing to be done.

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Thanks! (sent you a PM, it’s marginal in terms of on-topic-ness here, and I really need to finish it and the Kickstarter/book which it should be driving).