Hi all, Also my first post, so here goes.

I just got my Zenbot 2448, and got it all together and am using SketchUcam of course and Mach3. I am practicing routing a single pocket for a guitar pickup, and I thought I'd use the pocket tool after watching some of the tutorials. So the good news is the feed rate was right for my 1/4 in two flute bit, and the machine didn't destroy itself in the first few seconds, but, alas, the resulting pocket is not quite right.

Here is my Sketchup 14 drawing:
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Looked good to me, but things got a little puzzling when I generated the Gcode, here's the SketchUcam plot:



I was a little puzzled as to why it didn't follow the path from the SketchUcam "overlay" or whatever the lines added on the drawing are called, but as this was my first time through, I decided maybe it cleans up or whatever. Wrong. Router tip follows the lines exactly. I proved it! So I ended up with this pocket (laugh away, I did):



So, questions is, what obviously dumb thing did I do wrong, or, does SketchUcam only generate code that routes or moves in the X and Y (and of course Z) directions? (Btw, the step over, return to zero, and Z depth were perfect!)

Can it follow a circle or a tilted off axis pocket like mine?

 

Thanks ewo, here's the .skp file. I didn't know there was one way or another to do it, but I suspect there is more to the program than meets the eye.

 

Now I am grateful, but confused. I'm trying to figure out just why our codes are so different, when the setup panel is almost identical.

How did you get what you got, and I get what I got? Is there some documentation which I can learn from? I've seen most of the videos, and I don't think I've seen this sort of approach mentioned, but maybe I did and didn't realize what I was seeing (more likely!).
The part that puzzles me up the most is that on yours, the"Generate 3D GCode" box is not checked, and the stepover is only set to 50%, not 70%.

 

Well, thanks a bunch. I think I'm catching the drift, it's all about the tool path. I had thought that it was standard practice to draw a thing in 3D, then somehow whip out the gcode to cut so it matches the shape, but in reality, one should concentrate on specifically where the cutting edge of he bit needs to go, in order to achieve the best results.

I've been able to duplicate the cut you produced (though not the code exactly, 3 path zig zag) (mine in the longer direction, vs. yours in the shorter) and the perimeter of the inside of the pocket.

Now it's time to go wake up the rest of the family... they sleep in too much anyway...

Thanks again ewo!

 

Woke em all up. Here is the result from the TravelTapper 2.skp file ewo... getting there. The width of the surface in Sketchup 2014 measures exactly 3/4 inch wide, but the cut came out at closer to 5/8 per the attached image. And it has a funny ripple on the -X travel side. It did take however the 3 "finish(?)" cuts around the perimeter. but that process did not eliminate the ripple, of course.

and the length was too long by almost 1/2 in., which I thought was weird, as I measured very carefully with a micro.

 

I'll take your 2c, and pull out my trusty HSS 3/16"" And dial in the stepover.

Q: isn't "stepover" the amount inward (or outward) of a previous path in percentage? Like if I have a 1/4 in. bit, and set stepover to 50%, won't it overlap the previous cut by 1/8 in.?

 

Indeed you are very clever, and taught me a few things to boot!
So, before I made the adjustments above, I re-generated the code after re-shaping the pocket in Sketchup a bit wider and shorter. Then cut. Then noticed that the first (zigzag) and second (call it "inner") linear cuts did not go all the way down to 0.5000! And, the final "outer perimeter" cut only went down to Z0 0.0900 and then no more code!!!

So, with what you've explained so far in mind, I opened the .cnc file with Notepad, copied the cuts or "passes(?)" for the first 2 operations, zigzag and inner linear, and edited the copied cuts to get down to Z0.500. Then, I did the same for the last 3 "outer perimeter" passes, and made them all 0.1250, and BINGO! my first perfect pocket!

The measurements hold up to my project and my next time using the code will be on the actual instrument!

But not today, I'm emotionally exhausted...

 

Swarfer, I can't thank you enough for the help you've just shown me. I won't embarrass myself more than I already have, but after watching the vids, enough light bulbs went off to fry the hair off the top of my head... no wait, to fry the freckles off the top of my head...

I didn't even know there were menu picks under the tools drop down. Duh. Well I've learned my lesson. I am going to go off now and apply some of the things I've learned, and if I ever get to Grahamstown, or if you ever get to Detroit, I do believe I owe you a drink or two.

And if you were a musician, I'd send you one of my prototypes that seem to be gathering more and more real estate in my little corner of the basement! Many thanks Swarfer!