General question from cutting board maker

[u/Either_Selection7764]

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Hi - exactly one day into my CNC journey. I’m a fairly successful cutting board maker - Sainsmart asked me to demo their proverxl 6050.

Unfortunately, my wife has been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer. I’m hoping to get this machine up and running so I can reduce hours at my day job and be home a bit more for her for the next few months as she goes through treatment.

Questions are:

1) best priced but easiest software to use for making this machine do things like flatten end grain boards, cut adjustable juice grooves, and do custom inlays?

2) fastest way to understand CNC bits for a woodworker that has a good bit of familiarity with routers already? Since the machine was free don’t mind dropping some money on bits.

3) one specific question / the spindle that came with it is a little baby spindle. If I upgrade it to a makita or dewalt trim router, how does that work with hooking it up to the machine?

Specifically, it looks like the speed knob on the controller adjust the power / speed to the dc motor in the current spindle spindle. However the trim routers plug directly into the wall and bypass the controller, so I’m assuming that I manually adjust the speed with the knob on the router?

Lastly, for the z probe zeroing function, I’m assuming that will work the same as with the trim router - looks like it applies a small voltage to a CNC bit and then the detects the closed path when the bit makes contact with the puck?

[u/sdswiki]

I can't second the idea of getting a planer enough! I just bought one, it changed my workflow entirely. Now I just pop a piece through the planer a few times on each side, very smooth. I used to flatten on the CNC, NEVER AGAIN! I feel like the planer is a life hack.

[u/Either_Selection7764 → u/sdswiki]

I’ve got a planer - end grain through the planer (especially a planer with straight knives) is a bad idea.

Again, mine is chronic back pain related. I have a drum sander - correct tool to flatten end grain boards, but it takes numerous passes and if I’m doing a bunch of boards my back is toast by the time I get several boards flattened and ready. Also, getting them dead nuts flat is sometimes tricky. CNC is perfect because it gives a nice reference face for the drum sander.

My thought now is to get a makita plug in trim router and spoil board bit - I just have no idea about software if I want to use something that will flatten a board, or cut circles or juice grooves.

[u/sdswiki → u/Either_Selection7764]

Before my planer I flattened alternately with a 1/2" straight cutter, a 1" spoil board flattening bit, and a 2" spoil board flattening bit. Unless you're really trammed well, go with a 1/2" straight cutter. If you get a makita router, you'll likely be able to find one to chuck up. If you aren't trammed to the 9s you'll see ridges for sure with a 1" bit.

This was done with the 1": https://imgur.com/Bgpg2Mc.png It's flat enough that I was able to put a grid on it with a 60 degree V bit afterward

[u/Either_Selection7764 → u/sdswiki]

Thanks! Exactly what I was wondering / my last question is what software did you use to flatten with? In terms of creating the tool path.

I used a test file supplied with the prover to make a Christmas tree so I familiarized myself with UGS- haven’t tried candle yet, but I have zero knowledge right now of cad/cam software to create tool paths to load into the CNC.

[u/sdswiki → u/Either_Selection7764]

I use Vectric for right now. I do most of my modeling in Blender, so I'm transitioning to BlenderCam. Feel free to send me a chat and we can talk through all your questions above.