I’d like to make a hole grid for my MPCNC using the mill attached, so essentially the MPCNC will cut into it’s own table (on purpose !!)
Similar to one of these:
but its my inch thick wooden table instead. lol
My workspace is 35" x 35", was thinking a 5" space in between with 6 x 6 holes like this, although some on the perimeter would be nice too. Holes are 3/8" or so diameter, planning on putting T-nuts.
I use Solidworks to Estlcam to Repetier-Host, if that’s needed information.
When I do take the model posted above, it works fine but it also renders it cutting the perimeter, which I don’t want obviously.
I have zero to offer wrt SolidWorks or EstlCAM (I use Fusion 360), but as someone who has researched these kinds of spoilboards, and has constructed one for myself, I have a few comments.
Inserts screwed in from the top tend to pull out with use. You really want to use some sort of flanged inserts. Some people use T-nuts. I used flanged inserts like this:
Almost all tutorials/examples I found using inserts like these, use 1/4-20 threads. In addition, you want to keep them as short as possible. It is likely you will want to surface your spoilboard multiple times, and you don’t want to hit the inserts.
With the flange, you will need to mill your spoilboard from the backside and include a pocket for the flange. The needed result is something like this for each hole:
While there are specs for the size of the hole to cut for the inserts, I did a test block with various sizes to pick one that I though worked best.
As for spacing, I covered my entire spoilboard (24" x 32") with a grid at 65mm spacing. Having used the spoilboard for some time, I found 1) there are large sections of inserts that I’ve never used, and 2) in the heavily used areas (front and edges) I wished they were closer together…maybe 50mm or 45mm. When I redo my spoilboard, I’ll vary the density of inserts based on my experience.
I milled from the back and then flipped over the spoilboard and mounted to the base board. I did a lot of work to make sure the spoilboard was square with the machine, both during milling and during the final mounting. I’m not sure all that alignment work mattered very much in the end.
F360 user here but when in SW you should be able to save the drawing you used to create the model as a DXF. If you bring the DXF to Estlcam you should be able to pick the objects you want cut and use the perimeter to set you origin.
This is your answer. I have the same workflow. I design in solidworks and then save the file as a DXF and use the DXF in Estlcam. This is always the case for 2D milling, which is 90% of the time for most CNC users.
Turns out, you need to select either “Hole” or “Part”, depending on what it is; select whatever it’s supposed to be according to your needs. Then, go to “file > Save CNC program”
Thank you everyone !
