Hello, I created what I thought would be a simple holder like box thingy (sucker winded up being over 2 hours) and I didn’t even get an hour in before I had some issues.
The Sweepy Dust thing that came with it, really was not helping with dust collection - What So Ever.
Because of 1 I had to keep pausing my job to do a considerable amount of dust clean up, else I was afraid if I walked away, came back 2 hrs later, I may not even be able to find the Shapeoko itself as it would be consumed with wood chips.
I’m asking, does multiple pausing mess up a job? if not, was it this mistake I made that messed up my job: I know one time after a pause, I will admit, I started, before turning the router actually back ON. So I noticed it “shutter” when it got down to the wood. In a matter of seconds my mind went, "Aaah, what tha…whats wrong…oh sheeeeeit, I forgot to turn it back on. Turned it back on and it seemed then cut off course, like more towards Y1 and I could tell right then, that my project was ruined. Now, I just dont know if it was my pausing, the fact I started with router turned off or just my gcode that was messed up to begin with. Anyone got any clues or ever had this happen?
That “shutter” you encountered is called a “Crash” and what happens is the stepper motors start slipping, but the G-Code doesn’t know about that so your Zero for the axis that crashed is now off from what you set it, but the program continues now off-center.
Long story short - yes a crash will likely ruin your project, but pausing should not result in any issues.
As for dust collection I would recommend suggest looking into a Z-axis independent boot like the “Suck-it” or in the short term maybe babysitting it with a shopvac.
Thanks, I appreciate the feedback. Lol, yeah, I started baby sitting my butt off and then when I realized (well allowed myself to admit) the project was dead, I just said to hell with it. To be honest, I chalked it up to a Much Too Big project for a first. So I dulled it down to a couple simple signs and shapes just to really get the idea of it all. I will go back to that 2 hour plus project another day.
Dont get discouraged. If you Sweepy is not keeping up with your dust generation then take a look at your vac system. What is your dust collection (DC) consist of. If you have any leaks the vac at the router goes down considerably. If you have a small shop vac is your filter clean. Shop Vacs need their filter cleaned often with a dust producer like the Shapeoko. The bin may not be full but efficiency goes down considerably when the filter gets clogged. So depending on you DC you need to get the one you have as efficient as possible. If you dust collection is inadequate you may be spraying dust into the air from the filter or from the Shapeoko and that is not good for your lungs.
If you are using a shop vac check all your hoses and make sure they are not leaking. Most people with a shop vac use an Onieda Dust Deputy to help keep dust out of the collector. The cyclonic action keeps the fine dust from clogging your filter. If you have a full size dust collector again check your hoses for leaks. Any vac leak decreases the effectiveness at the router/sweepy. I have a Jet DC1100 DC and have an Onieda Super Dust Deputy and I get almost no dust in the bag or the filter. The smaller brother the Dust Deputy works as well and keeps the smaller systems running at top efficiency.
As far as pausing they should not cause an issue. Just be careful when pausing that your router may be running. I have a BitRunner and the router shuts down when pausing. If you dont have the BitRunner the router is still running and partially hidden by the Sweepy so dont get the back of your hand routered. If you fix your vac then the pausing will stop.
Awesome stuff man! I definitely need a better, stronger vac and that deputy deal. few days prior to getting my Shapeoko, my 16 Gallon actual Shop Vac (brand) died on me, had planned to use it as DC. So now I’m using a lil 4 gallon Craftsman, brand new and everything, but that Sweepy thing, just didnt fit my hose nozzle. My hose nozzle actually slid all the way down into the Sweepy Dust Boot. At first I thought that was a good thing. Then I realized, that the nozzle needed to be sitting up in the Dust boot to actually create suction, that’s after like 30 darn minutes I finally realize that. So, I’m scrabblin through all my vac accessories, NOTHING is fitting (the damn vacuum industry ought to be ashamed of themselves not making adapters that actually work all these years lol) So, I just said to hell with it, killed tha vac and just let saw dust accumulate. It was during this time, I paused once more to do a nice clean up, restarted, but forgot to turn the darn router back on and it must have jarred itself out of sync or something because I could tell right away, it was not cutting on the path it had been cutting on. So I just scrapped that project for now, banged out two more smaller sign projects just to make sure my endmill and machine still worked lol. I love it all man. The good, the bad, I feel I made progress today. Up in the AM to do it all over again HOOAH!
If you want to sample the opinion of the community on the matter, we just had an interesting thread a few days ago, worth a read so that you can make informed choices:
About that Sweepy situation, there are a number of threads on the forum (just search for “sweepy adapter”) about various adapters that people have used/made. If you have access to a 3D printer, it’s easy (see for example that recent thread), if you don’t it’s also possible to use that opportunity to put your Shapeoko to good use by milling one, see for example that thread.
Got it! I read the thread, thanks. And to be honest, I think my first post got taken out of context. I practically “was” baby sitting my cut, heck I had to because I was vacuuming. I may be new, but I’m not oblivious, I would never just “leave” the thing. Now walk away, to my kitchen to get a drink or bathroom to take a leak, which are both about 10 feet away, yea…I f’ll do that regardless of what thread you show me, because I’ll be right back. Something happens in between that time, I’ll take the L like a Man. But like I said, I get the gesture and the point and was basically following it. Now that I do see it’s a Golden Rule, I’ll make some better accommodations for myself and everything will be cool beans. Even better, Cool “Ranch Style” Beans! I especially like the point one person made about not leaving their table or band saw. The thread creator said it was different, which I agree with, but I still see the other guy’s point. I mean, the worst that could happen if you walk away: Bit breaks, project killed, belt issues (maybe). We all walk away from our stoves all the time while cooking, and that could very well burn our houses down and change our lives. N E Way, all very valid points taken, I am One With The Force and I choose to “Watch” my projects. All you Darksiders that choose otherwise…Prepare for Destruction You Must (in my Yoda voice)
If your house fits in the sweepy, just wrap it with some tape until you get a tight fit. Wrap the end of the hose before putting it in, not the whole joint in case that wasn’t clear. I had to do that with the adapter I bought for my 2.5" hose, used blue painters tape since I had it sitting there.
No worries! It’s cool. I appreciated it and when I asked did you honestly stay, I wasn’t being smart or sarcastic either (sometimes messages can seem that way, specially these days) I was really wanting to know did you. But as I soon found out, most people are doing that. And like I said, I was basically doing it to, because I was vacuuming my Hind Parts off lol
Dang Man! Thanks, This is just one of those moments like…why didn’t I think of that. I’m mostly really really “really” good at improvising (8 years in the Army will do that to you) but I was like a little kid at Christmas with this thing, so ma Spidey Senses were off a bit lol. Thanks man, that’s something “I Can” do.
To your original question, I have had a few long hour cuts. (still new to this cnc) This one took 14 hours (not counting corrections) and I paused and continued over a couple of days. Even had to re-zero x, y and z later than mid project twice and still got it pretty close.
Red Oak and not sanded
If you don’t mind sharing, what bits did you use for that project? Red oak can get pretty stringy on me so I try and use other wood, but I have a lot of it.
@RoughDraft40
The majority of it was cut with a 1/4 shank 1/8 inch 0 flute straight.
some of the rework and cleanup was with a .079
some of the rework and beveled edges was with a 1/4 shank 1/16th round nose with a 2.6 taper
The v-bit was a 60 deg 1/2 inch
profile was good ol 201
The bits worked pretty well, and I did not have much of the stringy filament issue, there is some to the left of the Libra Scale and some behind the Aquarius guy but not to much.
That piece is not sanded. The only hand cleaning that I did was while the final pass was cutting I would rub some spots with the side of a pick tool.
The dewalt router quit working during (Brushes)
You will probably make much nicer things than that.
It’s all a learning experience.
Point is… I probably paused and started 20 times if not more.
I would NOT recommend walking out of the room and leave it running.
Doesn’t take but a second for Murphy’s Law to seriously kick some ass…
I especially like the point one person made about not leaving their table or band saw. The thread creator said it was different, which I agree with, but I still see the other guy’s point. I mean, the worst that could happen if you walk away: Bit breaks, project killed, belt issues (maybe). We all walk away from our stoves all the time while cooking, and that could very well burn our houses down and change our lives. N E Way, all very valid points taken, I am One With The Force and I choose to “Watch” my projects. All you Darksiders that choose otherwise…Prepare for Destruction You Must (in my Yoda voice)
