New CNC Owners - Tools To Consider

[Keith Outten]

Two of the most important tools that I have purchased for my CNC Router are a Laser Pointer and a ZZero jig.

Thanks to Steve Knight, who recommended the Laser Center Edge Finder to me, I have been able to recover from what would have been catastrophic failures on more than a few jobs. I also have used the Laser Pointer to setup jobs that were too long for my table setting up dual origins so I could machine large jobs easily. I also use the Laser Pointer to setup custom jigs when I use the center of the drawing as the origin rather than an XY corner.

The Super ZZero Jig that I found on the ShopBot Forum has also been invaluable. This jig will find the origin of your table or project and zero all three axis X, Y and Z. When you need to adjust the origin anywhere on your table or the corner of a project fixture this jig is extremely accurate and fast.

Both of these tools have been discussed here but they are worthy of your consideration if you are new to CNC machines or are researching a purchase.
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[Gary Hair]

Keith,
I don't know how it works on a shopbot but I made a touch plate with the instructions I found on cnczone. the parts cost me about $1.00 and the sofware was downloaded for nothing. All told it took me about 30 minutes to get it setup.

Gary

[Keith Outten]

Gary,

If you just want to do a zzero a touch plate is simple to build. The Super ZZero fixture does all three axis at one time or in any combination. If you need to reset your origin in the middle of your table it really shines, you simply place the jig on the corner of your material and run the appropriate file.

It's not an inexpensive item I guess but if consider how much it is used it is cheap over the long haul. I have to admit that I normally use the ShopBot zzero plate for setting the Z height on most jobs when I eyeball the origin and clamp my material down. For some jobs that won't work, a little more precision is necessary and I can get my origin back if it is lost for some reason placing the jig back on the corner of the material and indexing the jig again. Moving the router bit back to a couple of lines before the job failed is easy when you know that your origin is exactly where it was when you started any job.
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[Gary Hair]

Keith,
The one I use is X,Y and Z, not just a z touch plate, there is one with a reticule also. There are several on cnczone and the one I use has an interface that you add to Mach3 that allows you to choose from several different options. It's been a while since I looked for them, mine is working just fine, but I'm sure there have been enhancements since I built mine - almost two years ago.

Gary

[Nicholas Bukky]

Gary,
Is there a link to the one you built? I run mach and need a zero plate......

Thanks,
Nick

[Rob Wright]

look for the MachBlue Probe screens sets on CNCzone. It will probe the Z and also perform a center finding routine for edge probing. Works great!

[Gerry Grzadzinski]

Here it is.

cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56079

[Bob Savage]

Here it is.

That's very cool!

[Keith Outten]

Thats pretty cool and the price is right but I think I would use something other than copper pipe and aluminum angle. The reason being that copper pipe isn't round and angle sold in stores isn't a perfect 90 degree angle normally. A bearing adapter would have a precision bore that would be preferable to pipe.
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[Gary Hair]

Keith,
As long as you orient the piece the same way every time then it doesn't matter that it's not exactly round or 90 degrees. The idea is to be able to select 0,0,0 with repeatable accuracy. If you do need 0,0,0 to be exactly correct then you could have a piece made that would work fine. For woodworkers, and most hobbiests, it isn't necessary to have a perfect home position. And you are right about the price - you can't beat almost free!

Gary

[Nicholas Bukky]

I have no z plate at all..... i just eyeball it

Maybe I should advance my process a little

Thanks everyone!!

Nick

[Gary Hair]

I have no z plate at all..... i just eyeball it

Maybe I should advance my process a little

Thanks everyone!!

Nick

It really depends on what you are doing Nick. I don't use the touch plate on everything, mainly on jobs that have more critical dimensions. I have a customer that builds steel guitars and inlays the customer name, and his name/logo, into the guitar. It's so big that it hangs off the end of my router so I have to home everything by eye. You would never see two of them together so the exact placement isn't critical, only that the inlay and pocket are exactly the same size.

Gary

[Jim Dailey]

Keith,

"Thank You!!!"

I chucked up the laser this evening for the 1st time in my router. I can see this will be a tool that will be a great aid with dialing in the alinement of rails & gantry of the Shopbot to the table. And will help with positioning of the bit in the future.

jim

[Michael Schwartz]

I would like to add that I find a digital fractional caliper indispensable.

They cost about 20-30 bucks and are extremely accurate. I own two and use them very frequently.

[Keith Outten]

Jim,

Your welcome but the credit goes to Stave Knight since he found the laser pointer first and reported it here. I really enjoy knowing that if I get myself in trouble on a project, lose the origin or lose power It is easy to get back to any known point on a project. Works pretty good in a drill press or milling machine too
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