Wood CNC and re-training on tools

I’ve got a little time off from work and school during December. I’d like to use the wood CNC to cut work an L - Shaped table top with an inner curve instead of a 90 degree corner. What do I need to do now so that I can work on my project when I have my down time? I also want to use it to slice up a whole sheet of 3/4 plywood into repetitive pieces for my french cleat hanger system in my garage.

Also, I’be had workshop basics and was trained on the table saw, jointer, planer and router, but it’s been a while. Where is the schedule of classes so I can get some refreshers?

Thanks.

A drawing of the desktop is what you need first. This is a simple outline in your case it seems, needs to be in a vector format to import in to VCarve.

As for the cleats, I recommend doing this on the table saw. Rip the strips double width at 90, then angle the blade and rip each in half.

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Or it can be drawn in VCarve.

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Are we able to use a version of VCarve on our home computers?

I believe the answer is essentially no. What I remember: If you use the demo version, which you can install, you will not be able to load the files in the “real” version.

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Thanks. Do we have the ability to remote into the VCarve machine like you used to do with the metal CNC?

What’s the process for getting trained on the Wood CNC?

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Yes. It is installed on the JUMP drive and, in my experience, runs reasonably well from there.

However, as far as I know, VCarve will not run until after you have taken the MultiCam class.

Class…
https://calendar.dallasmakerspace.org/?tool=20

There is one Thursday but it is full.

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Thank you Brian. Do you know when the next class might be so I can plan for it? I have school Thursday and Friday evenings, and business travel in November.

So, it’ll sound like I’m whining, but I’m not,. I just need to be realistic, frugal an hope that someone already has plans laid out and could share them early with me. I’d like to use the Wood CNC for a project this fall.

I’ve been a paying member for 3 years. I only get to use the space about twice a year. Most of those instances have been me taking a pre-requisite class in order to try and learn something. Many times, I then come back 6 months later and things have changed, and then I have to start over again, or the equipment is out of service.

Change is good. And down time happens. But the planning it takes for me to make use of the space leads to a lot of disappointment when I can’t accomplish anything with the opportunities it provides. I’m a good member for DMS to have - I’m rule follower, I take care of the tools when I’m there, and I clean up more than my own mess to help pitch in, and because I don’t use the space very often, I cause little to no wear and tear while still providing cash flow to the space.

If there are no classes planning to be scheduled for the Wood CNC that are convenient to my work and school schedule, I think it’s time for me to stop paying for a membership I don’t get to use. I’ve given the space over $2,300, plus donated a few odds and ends and materials. At this rate, I can pick up a nice tool for my garage, plus save myself the 1 hour round trip drive, gas and tolls. Each time I’ve asked about only paying for the months I can attend as a compromise, I’m generally told that I could do it, but that no one is interested in helping me activate my card each time I want to turn it back on.

Anyways - if anyone is planning to schedule classes needed to use the CNC prior to Thanksgiving, I’m interested in participating. If not, let me know, and I’ll use my membership dues to by a band saw and upgrade my router bits. Maybe once I finish my degree plan, I can come back and be a more active member.

Let me know. Thanks.

I’ve witnessed the kind and generous @StanSimmons help several people (re)activate their badge.

I would write instructions for you but it’s been so long since I had to activate a badge I can no longer remember how to do it.

There is this…
https://dallasmakerspace.org/wiki/Badge_Activation_Procedure


Regarding your project: You could try asking if some kind soul is willing to run the MultiCam on your behalf.

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@Brian Thanks for the link to Maker Manger 3.

  • Should I be able to use the same logins as for WHCMS? Using the same logins does not allow me into the site to activate a badge.
  • If I deactivated my account, once I paid to reinstate it, would I be able to reactivate my own badge?

Also - yes, I could ask someone to help. And someone would likely be kind enough to assist me. But I still wouldn’t be able to use the equipment at my own leisure, and it would likely be quite a bit of an inconvenience to someone else to assist me each time I’d like to do something.

The more up-to-date procedure (yet still outdated, probably) is here

(linked off the New Member 411, as well).
It is the same as WHCMS (stated on Page 3).
It should work once the account is brought up to date.

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@jast Thanks Andrew. When you say “bring the account up to date”…my account has been up to date for 3 years. I can log into WHCMS, but the same logins are not working for MM3…is there a step I’m missing? Or should I open a ticket?

If your account is paid in full, I would expect it to work. I apologize. You did say that was the case.
However, your badge should not NEED reactivated if the account has been active the whole time.

Nevertheless, you should be able to log in to MM3 with your WHCMS creds, to the best of my knowledge, any time the account is in good standing. So. If you cannot, I’d first follow this guide
https://dallasmakerspace.org/wiki/How_to_Enable_Your_Active_Directory_Login
including but not limited to the “fake password change” (go to the page where you can change the password, and click save without actually doing anything; alternately, change the password to what it already is). If that fails, I see no other recourse than opening a ticket for the Infra folks by posting to the Issues & Requests category with as much gory detail as possible.

@Clayton,

Your account is up to date and I see an RFID attached to your name.

Please send me an email at [email protected] detailing the issues you are currently having and I’ll do my best to fix them for you.

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Found it. My AD Username is not the same as my WHMCS username. Thank you for leading me to the correct information.

Are we no longer using iTop for trouble tickets?

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we are not.

But Stan’s the man. :+1:

iTop died a horrible death. :wink:

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You forgot “protracted” and “painful”.
:slight_smile:

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If you download Vcarve at home then enter our makerspace ID, you can design the part on your own computer. You can also use the jump drive to remotely make your part on your own computer.

As for woodshop basics classes, right now they’re hosted about twice a week. CNC classes are about once a month when requested.

All classes are posted to our calendar.

If there’s a CNC Class coming up, I would suggest showing up and standing by. There’s a good chance someone else won’t show up, or the instructor will let you watch since you’ve already taken it and just want a refresher, and the class is mostly slide based instruction anyway.

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