3 AxisThermwood CNC router miter cuts

[piratebrian]

I just posted something (I think) useful on the SketchUp 3-D warehouse for use with most Thermwood CNC routers. It is the layer convention names necessary to cut miter angles on a 3 Axis router by directly importing the dxf drawing from SketchUp Pro to the CNC machine. This eliminates the need to use either Profile Modeler, Solidworks or MasterCam (all great programs, but two less links in the CAD/CAD/CAM/CNC chain). To bring a mitered cut part from Sketchup to the machine it now takes 3-4 steps per edge rather than having to redraw the entire part and additional steps per edge. The Thermwood CNC machines have built-in control nesting software that allows direct DXF imports. I don't know what other CNC routers have this capability. The cutting depths and positions are based off of a large excel file that I will latter extract the equations to make a plug-in specifically for use with the Thermwood routers.
http://sketchup.google.com/3dwarehouse/ ... revstart=0
Once I rewrite the equations I could use some help with the plugin.

[Scott M]

Glad to see a fellow THM user interested in sketch up. I was wandering if something tike this was possible good luck with your plugin. I use it often for complicated geometry and mdf glass doors. The biggest problem I run into is that Sketch up's circles and arcs are all line segments. And for that reason I have not ben able to use the drill command I have to use pocket instead.Allso outlines or centerlines on large arcs or circles tend to be jittery unless the number of segments are increased .I for one would like to see a plugin for mdf doors.

[piratebrian]

Hey Scott M
Sorry I just saw you post from 2010.

To do a dxf drawing to the Thermwood machine follow the following rules:

-Use sketchUp Pro
-raw circles as drawn export as true circles in a dxf so long as they are not grouped under a layer name active on the thermwood, and not scaled or otherwise tweeked or exploded.
-Drill layer naming convention "drill z0p250" drills a 0.250 deep hole using a 1/4" dia mill bit, or if you only have a 1/8" diameter bit, it will use it so long as in the tool menue in control nesting the bit is permitted to interpolate that large a diameter.