CNC Plaque Tutorial: Part One

This is a tutorial on how to make a plaque on the Legacy Maverick CNC, specifically with starting programming. If you're in a woods class at Grantsville High, you're in the right place.

This is the flow of how this is going to go:

Job Setup

Create Vectors

Create Toolpaths

Create G-Code

Save File (of Aspire, optional)

Original instructions on lwmcnc.com, this has added pictures and explanations so that even a beginner can make this file.

Starting a New File

❏ Open VCarve or Aspire

❏ Click the “Create a new file” icon - File Operations section

❏ Enter Width (x) 12, Height (y) 6 - Job Size (x & y) section

❏ Enter Thickness (z) 0.75 - Material (z) section

❏ Select “Z Zero” on top of the material - Material (z) section

❏ Select the bottom left corner - XY Datum Position section

❏ Click the “OK” button

Draw a Rectangle

❏ Click the “Draw Rectangle” icon - Create Vectors section

❏ Select “Radiused Internal” - Corner Type section

❏ Enter “0.75” in the Radius field - Corner Type section

❏ Enter “10” in the Width (X) field - Size section

❏ Enter “4.0” in the Height (Y) field - Size section

❏ Click the “Create” button

❏ Click the “Close” button

❏ Select the rectangle

❏ Click the “Align selected object” icon - Transform Objects section

❏ Click the “Center both x and y” icon - Align to Material section

❏ Click the “Close” button

❏ Make sure the rectangle is selected

❏ Click the “Draw Text Within a Vector Box” icon - Create Vectors section

❏ Enter your name in the Text field box (Or other desired text)

❏ Select “Times New Roman” from the Font drop-down box

❏ Select “Normal” - Margin Size section

❏ Click the “Apply” button

❏ Click the “Close” button

Material Setup

❏ Click the “Switch to toolpaths tab” icon - 2D View Control section

❏ Click the “Set” button - Material Setup section

❏ Enter “0.2” in the Clearance (Z1) field - Rapid Z Gaps above Material section

❏ Enter “0.1” in the Plunge (Z2) field - Rapid Z Gaps above Material section

❏ Enter “0.5” in the Z: Field - Home / Start Position section

❏ Click the “OK” button

❏ Select the rectangle

❏ Click the “Profile Toolpath” icon - Toolpath Operations section

❏ Enter “0.125” in the Cut Depth © field - Cutting Depths section

❏ Check “Show advanced toolpath options” - Cutting Depths section

❏ Click the “Select” button - Tool section

❏ Select a 90 degree V-Bit - Tool List ❏ Enter “24000” in the Spindle Speed field - Feeds and Speeds section

❏ Select “inches/min” in the Feed Rate drop-down box - Feeds and Speeds section

❏ Enter “60” in the Feed Rate field - Feeds and Speeds section

❏ Enter “30” in the Plunge Rate field - Feeds and Speeds section

❏ Enter “1” in the Tool Number field ❏ Click the “OK” button

❏ Select “On” - Machine Vectors… section

❏ Select “Climb” Direction - Machine Vectors… section

❏ Click the “Ramps” tab

❏ Select “Add ramps to toolpath

❏ Select “Smooth” - Type section

❏ Select “Distance” - Specify Ramp… section

❏ Enter “0.5” in the Distance field - Specify Ramp… section

❏ Enter “Border” in the Name field

❏ Click the Calculate” button

❏ Click the “Preview Selected Toolpath” button

❏ Click the “Close” button

❏ Click on the “New” tab (2D View)

❏ Select the text

❏ Click the “V-Carve / Engraving Toolpath” icon - Toolpath Operations section

❏ Make sure “Flat Depth” is unchecked - Cutting Depths section

❏ Click the “Select” button - Tool: section

❏ Select the same 90 degree V-Bit - Tool List

❏ Click the “OK” button

❏ Enter “Text” in the Name Field

❏ Click the “Calculate” button

❏ Click the “Preview Selected Toolpath” button

❏ Click the “Close” button

❏ Check “Toolpath List” to select both toolpaths - Toolpath List section

❏ Click the “Save Toolpaths” icon - Toolpath Operations section

❏ Check “Output all visible toolpaths to one file”

❏ Select “Legacy 3 Axis CV Arcs (inch)(*.txt)” from the Post Processor drop-down box

❏ Click the “Save Toolpath(s) to File” button

❏ Select the “Documents” fold ❏ Select the “G Code” folder (Create this folder if necessary)

❏ Enter” Name Plaque G Code” in the File name: field

❏ Click the “Save” button

❏ Click the “Close” button

This is not a necessary step at all. If you choose to do so, it will just save an Aspire file with all the vectors you created. If you already have G-Code, however, you will probably never need to open this same thing on Aspire ever again.

File --> Save as

You can take it from there. In the next part of this tutorial, you will learn how to input this code, setup the CNC, and actually cut your plaque.

-Peter W. Porter

2017