FREE G Code For You To Try!

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How We Did It!

Each of the pockets were first drawn in a CAD Program. We then simply opened them in a CAM program and decided what tool to use, spindle speed, and linear travel speed. From there we chose a cutting strategy and generated this code for you to work with.

For the knight, we started with a Corel Draw file and used the Cimagraphi  Software to do the surfacing and then generated the code, just as we did for the simple pockets. It is no longer a difficult process to do CNC programming and code generation. Just a little help and a few hours practice and anyone can do this.

We know this is a LONG page... but we thought it best to show the steps here so that beginners can see how easy this really is. Just keep scrolling down for more free code!

Here Is What you Will Cut!

1....Right Click on the "Click Here For "G" Code File" Link below. When the box shows up... left click on the "save link as" selection... then save the file to a directory on your computer. Download The Code File
 

2.... Go to that directory and re-name the file knight.t or any other name you prefer.... as long as it ends in .t .......NO! We haven't lost our tiny minds... .t is what the MAX program recognizes. ;-)... AND... in case you already have a knight.t... we didn't wipe out YOUR file!

3..... Put the file on a disc, and transfer the file to the computer hooked to your mill. On that computer... put the file in the MAXNC  (Maxnc_S for closed Loop Machines) directory. The hard part is over!

4..... Put a piece of material in your milling vise at least 2" square. and 1/2" thick. Make sure it is level in all directions.

5..... Put a 1/16" BALL end mill cutter in the spindle. You will need a cutting length on the end mill of at least 1/8".

6.....Start the "MAX" controller program and using the jog keys....( If using a CL Machine Home the machine before going on)  zero the X & Y axis. The zero point for this "G" code program is in the bottom left corner of your material when facing the mill from the front! Using the jog keys, center the cutter on the X & Y axis so that it is half "on" and half "off " the material. When done correctly, the bottom left corner of your material will be in the center of the cutting tool. ...read that last sentence again! Sorry, it just needs to be said that way!

7......Using the jog keys, lower the "Z" axis down to the surface of the material.For the first few times, place a piece of paper under the cutter during this step....move the piece of paper around on the material surface while using the SLOW jog to lower the "Z" axis. The instant the cutter stops the paper from moving...STOP! Try this a few times for practice.

8.....Make sure the knight.t file is the one loaded... There is a box on the Max screen that tells you. If it is NOT loaded...load the program.

9......Here Goes! Make sure everything is clear of the cutting tool.  If you are using a CL machine, the spindle will start automatically. If you are using an OL machine you will need to turn on the spindle manually.

10.....Press "2" on the keyboard...... Sit back and watch!

WHAT TO EXPECT..... The first thing that will happen is the "Z" axis will raise .15" for safety clearance. Then, the "X & Y" Axis will move the material under the cutter to the starting point. The "Z" axis will drop the cutting tool into the material. From here the SPIRAL cut starts, cutting until the knight is completely carved out just like you see here. Last, the "Z" axis will raise back to it's .15" safety height and the "X & Y" axis will return to zero position.

WANT A ROUND POCKET!!! ???? ......

This is the start of a small vacuum vise to hold a 1" disc. This is a pocket .030" deep, cut with a 1/8" flat end mill in 7075 aluminum. I used a clean circle command in CAD and a spiral tool path. You'll notice in the one of the images, I have laid a brass disc in the pocket...Look close at the edge of the disc...it fits really snug! These machines WILL do inlay! ;-)

I have had several folks ask me if the machine will cut circles... the answer obviously is ... Yep, they will. This is due to being perfectly synchronized in ALL axis....You can cut a convex or concave surface in the bottom of the pocket just as easily.

1....Right Click on the "Click Here For "G" Code File" Link below. When the box shows up... left click on the "save link as" selection... then save the file to a directory on your computer. Download Code File HereThis is a tiny 1K file! ...Don't blink, you'll miss it transferring!

2.... Go to that directory and re-name the file cjig.t or any other name you prefer.... as long as it ends in .t .......NO! We haven't lost our tiny minds... .t is what the MAX program recognizes. ;-)... AND... in case you already have a cjig.t ... we didn't wipe out YOUR file!

3..... Put the file on a disc, and transfer the file to the computer hooked to your mill. On that computer... put the file in the MAXNC directory (MAXNC_S For CL Mills). The hard part is over!

4..... Put a piece of material in your milling vise at least 1.5" square. and 1/8 to 1/4" thick. Make sure it is level in all directions.

5..... Put a 1/8" Flat end mill cutter in the spindle. You Won't need alot of cutting area on the mill... this is only a .030" deep pocket.

6.....Start the "MAX" controller program and using the jog keys....( If using a CL Machine Home the machine before going on)  zero the X & Y axis. The zero point for this "G" code program is in the bottom left corner of your material when facing the mill from the front! Using the jog keys, center the cutter on the X & Y axis so that it is half "on" and half "off " the material. When done correctly, the bottom left corner of your material will be in the center of the cutting tool. ...read that last sentence again! Sorry, it just needs to be said that way!

7......Using the jog keys, lower the "Z" axis down to the surface of the material.For the first few times, place a piece of paper under the cutter during this step....move the piece of paper around on the material surface while using the SLOW jog to lower the "Z" axis. The instant the cutter stops the paper from moving...STOP! Try this a few times for practice.

8.....Make sure the cjig.t file is the one loaded... There is a box on the Max screen that tells you. If it is NOT loaded...load the program.

9......Here Goes! Make sure everything is clear of the cutting tool. ( CL Machines start the spindle immediately!) Turn on the spindle. Rev it up! Better too fast than too slow! Now... if you stopped the "Z" axis correctly in step 7..... you just now cut NO material.... REMEMBER.... you had the thickness of the paper as clearance. ;-)

10.....Press "2" on the keyboard...... Sit back and watch!

WHAT TO EXPECT..... The first thing that will happen is the "Z" axis will raise .15" for safety clearance. Then, the "X & Y" Axis will move the material under the cutter to the starting point. The "Z" axis will drop the cutting tool into the material. From here the SPIRAL cut starts, cutting until the pocket is completely cut out just like you see here. Last, the "Z" axis will raise back to it's .15" safety height and the "X & Y" axis will return to zero position.

CONGRATS! If nothing blew up you just cut a round pocket!!! Like Magic isn't it! Add this to your Library of "G" code... You are building one aren't you??? It really comes in handy! ENJOY!

WANT TO PROFILE OUT A FANCY HORSE???

You Inlayers (is that a word??) will enjoy this.... I get ask many times a week if these mills and CIMIGRAFI will do inlay... here is the profile to start with... This is a 6.5 minute job! The horse is about 2.25" tall and long. Remember... the INSIDE piece is what we would save to insert as an inlay. Look at the tiny detail in the profile around the mane and tail.... ZERO BACKLASH AT WORK! ONLY FULLY INTERPOLATED mills can do this!


Found this fancy little horse in the Coreldraw 9 Library book... Took it into CIMIGRAFI....spent 15 minutes and went to the mill to do the cutting. CIMIGRAFI wrote 100% of the code! So Will RAMS Software!

Cut from an old scrap of pine board....

Click On Our GraphiTech Button To See More Of What Cimigrafi Can Do.... This is the simple stuff!

Do This To Save And Cut The Profile Of The Horse.....
 

1....Right Click on the "Click Here For "G" Code File" Link below. When the box shows up... left click on the "save link as" selection... then save the file to a directory on your computer.  Download Code File Here This is about a 13K file... easy! You'll miss it!

2.... Go to that directory and re-name the file hse1p.t or any other name you prefer.... as long as it ends in .t .......NO! We haven't lost our tiny minds... .t is what the MAX program recognizes. ;-)... AND... in case you already have a hse1p.t ... we didn't wipe out YOUR file!

3..... Put the file on a disc, and transfer the file to the computer hooked to your mill. On that computer... put the file in the MAXNC_S  directory. The hard part is over!

4..... Put a piece of material in your milling vise at least 3"" square. At Least 1/4" to 1/2" thick. Make sure it is level in all directions.

5..... Put a .015" conical (15 deg) or flat end mill cutter in the spindle. This is only a .031 deep cut.

6.....Start the "MAX" controller program and using the jog keys....( If using a CL Machine Home the machine before going on)  zero the X & Y axis. The zero point for this "G" code program is in the bottom left corner of your material when facing the mill from the front! Using the jog keys, center the cutter on the X & Y axis so that it is half "on" and half "off " the material. When done correctly, the bottom left corner of your material will be in the center of the cutting tool. ...read that last sentence again! Sorry, it just needs to be said that way!

7......Using the jog keys, lower the "Z" axis down to the surface of the material.For the first few times, place a piece of paper under the cutter during this step....move the piece of paper around on the material surface while using the SLOW jog to lower the "Z" axis. The instant the cutter stops the paper from moving...STOP! Try this a few times for practice.

8.....Make sure the hse1p.t file is the one loaded... There is a box on the Max screen that tells you. If it is NOT loaded...load the program.

9......Here Goes! Make sure everything is clear of the cutting tool. ( CL Machines automatically start the spindle) Turn on the spindle. Rev it up! Better too fast than too slow! Now... if you stopped the "Z" axis correctly in step 7..... you just now cut NO material.... REMEMBER.... you had the thickness of the paper as clearance. ;-)

10.....Press "2" on the keyboard...... Sit back and watch!

WHAT TO EXPECT..... The first thing that will happen is the "Z" axis will raise .15" for safety clearance. Then, the "X & Y" Axis will move the material under the cutter to the starting point. (about where the chest and front leg connect in this case) ..The "Z" axis will drop the cutting tool into the material. From here the profile cut starts, cutting until the horse is completely cut out just like you see here. Last, the "Z" axis will raise back to it's .15" safety height and the "X & Y" axis will return to zero position.

If you followed these directions close you now have a horse profile cut into your material. If not, figure out what you did wrong & try again! This is good practice! ENJOY!