How many things do you ruin before you get a good outcome

I just ruined a nice piece of oak.

A friend wants a nice sign. I have it designed and tested on mdf. But when i went to oak it all went to HELL! Now I am having 2nd thoughts if this stuff is for me. At the end, i saw horrible chatter. I cleaned up and tried to shake it all off, and then see what happened. It seems all my bolts were loose enough to allow alot of flex (mpcnc) and it let alot of chatter happen on hardwood. Mdf heck no, cut awesome! I have it all tightened up now and really question if i want to continue my cnc adventure. I have had my cnc for a very long time and done some nice things with it, but as i was cleaning i also noticed how much wood i went through in testing for those nice things!!!

Just my rant, kinda feeling overwhelmed right now!

Oh bolts were never double checked after recently reprinting core and bearing brackets!!!

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Generally, I wreck testing stuff. Usually only once, but when trying something new, it happens.

I can undersrand feeling dejected about a project failing, but most of the stuff I’ve made would cost a lot more to buy than I.spend, even if I have to buy extra materials. I have also figured out many things that I can do with failed project materials, some of which are even useful, lol.

I’ve also learned to test differently. Small things in an out-of-the-way corner will let me work feeds and speeds, check for chip clearing and so forth, particularly with a new mill and material. (Gotta say, I’m nervous with the upcoming alumimium testing though!)

If it goes poorly, well, the V1 shop sells the aluminum parts for the MP3DPv5, and will also carry XZ plates for the LR4 I’ve got to imagine.

To me, this is a hobby. Wrecking stuff is part of the process, just like crashing RC planes, botching 3D prints, or losing a kendo match. I’d feel differently about it if I needed it to pay the bills, but in that case, I’d likely be doing the exact same things more often, and therefore expect it to go wrong less often. There would be a clear proceedure to follow, and some padding in the pricing to cover the occasional goof up when a tool gets dull or the machine needs maintenance.

The CNC and the 3D printer both let me hold things in my hands that were nothing but an idea in my head, and if that’s not wicked cool, then I don’t knkw what is. To me that’s worth a few ruined materials. (On balance, even with building the machines, I am.probably ahead financially… well with the start on the MP3DPv5 and the LR4… maybe not

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I ruined a nice big slab of oak when I though I had dialed in my bandsaw… For the LR4 my router somehow altered the path and cut into the workpiece etc.

The most mistakes are happening to me if I have done something before and just want to do it quickly again… Wrong fonts, forget to set Z0 etc.

On first projects I rarely mess something up, but it does happen. With the Z axis to 2000 now there might be problems again and messing up stuff again though. :smiley:

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Just tried cutting aluminum for my second real try. The first try was many months ago, was not trochoidal milling but conventional, and failed pretty badly — in hindsight probably due to a dull bit.

In my second try, just recently, I had enough aluminum slab, in a 1/4" thick piece, for cutting up to 6 XZ plates. I really hoped for at least 4 with room to spare for whatever later. I wound up ruining the first two plates due to what turns out to be a dull bit. I then got 4 good ones, using trochoidal milling.

So my failure rate was 33%. I guess learning how to do tests in small unneeded corners is a skill to learn as much as being able to figure out the speeds and feeds.

One thing is for sure: a used bit with life left it for softer stuff like MDF, may well not be sharp enough to cut hard stuff such as aluminum (or oak?).

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Learning from making mistakes (and wrecking things) is probably the most powerful way to learn. It definitely feels crappy at the time, but you’re way more likely to remember how to do it properly in the future.

FWIW, if you can get a small piece of the intended material and do some test cuts first before attempting the “cut that matters”, you can work out a lot of kinks while destroying something that doesn’t matter so much.

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:ox: :poop: !!! There isn’t a guy that’s been around here for any length of time that hasn’t learned a ton from wrecking some real good material! Welcome to the club sir! Name tags are on the left and drinks on the right!

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Ruining something sucks. Especially since you did take the time for a test cut.

I agree with everyone else.

What I will add is a day in the shop is better than a day on the couch. I think I need to make that into a shirt.

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This quote needs to be in the crown cut that is used to commission a completed machine. :slight_smile:

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It was probably your material. I’m guessing you used red oak which has a big difference in density between late wood and early wood. Coming in and out of denser areas can mess you up.

Wood is WAY more nuanced than a manufactured product like MDF. Moisture content, grain direction, open grain versus closed, short grain, run out, defects, seasonal movement and a million other things. There is a ton to consider!

So I don’t think the issue is that you’re not grasping the machining aspects. You just might need to do some more work understanding the material and its properties. The best resource I’ve found so far is the book With the Grain by Christian Becksvoort. It’s a small book that will teach you everything you need to know.

But IMO for a sign try white oak. Similar look, better feel, consistent density, heavier, and highly rot resistant. You might need to get it at a local yard but that’s probably where you want to buy your lumber anyways.

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Just yesterday I was finishing up my little book library. I put the vinyl on and it was slightly wrinkled or stretched. I’m like it’s fine, nobody’s going to know.

Then 2 hours later I peeled it off. I wanted to try a stencil and paint it on. Then the paint bled and looked even worse.

Then I scraped off the paint, sanded, and finished the side again.

Then I put on more vinyl, and this third time it came out perfect. So yeah, I ruined one part of that project like three times before I was happy with it.

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Have you seen the mistakes I’ve had to fix in my kayak build? I won’t mention the costs on that project.

Stuff happens in woodworking all the time. It’s how you work around them that comes with experience and practice.

Wood does behave differently than MDF. I usually do a lot of test cuts when working with a new material. Different speeds. Different depths. Go with the grain, against the grain, and across the grain. I usually cut a square, a circle, and a triangle. If the wood has knots, make sure one of the tests cuts through it. You may have to cut slower if you’re going to cut through a lot of them.

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@RockinRiley if it makes you feel any better… When I built this sign, I had to do it twice. I messed it up so bad the first time I had to start all over again. That was about a $500 screw up, for a sign I was doing as a gift… So its not just you, and yes keep on keeping on! Take notes, learn from your mistakes and I promise its gets better!

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Wow, very sorry to hear that!!!

Thank you to all! I went out and retrieved the piece from my garbage bin. I will use it to test and overcome! Sorry for the hissy fit!

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Meh. I’ve thrown stuff across the shop out of frustration. A forum post is safer.

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Guilty

Agreed!!

No need to be sorry at all! We all get the way you felt completely. That’s what we are all here for as far as I’m concerned lol

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I think if most of us had a dollar for every mistake we’ve made, we’d be able to buy a new slab of material. You have a choice of what to do after, pick yourself up and learn from it is the better option, you got this!

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The best woodworker is that quy who is best hiding all mistakes :joy:

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It took 7? attemps to make this (grub screw was loose :see_no_evil:)

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O.k. I was just testing, and this oak is over!!!

i am not sure why, but this is just shit! It is not cooperating.

I need to circle the wagons and come up with a new plan!

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