![]() Admittedly it’s a relatively simple part, but it was still a rush to see that. I was able to watch the video, estimate the sizes, design it in Fusion 360, confirm details with Ron, upload the file to Xometry and put it in to production all in one evening. So that’s something he’s hoping to add in the future. If it is off, especially a substantial amount, you’ve got skew relative to the CNC perceived axis. ![]() Ideally X would be 10 for all three samples. For example Y=12, Y=8, Y=4 all at an intended X=10. He came up with the great idea of measuring three times in a line while holding position on the opposing axis and determining if the opposing value changed at all. Obviously you can find zero but if the work piece is skewed relative to the table, for example if you have to remove it mid-job and put it back later, then you can be right about 0,0,0 but still wreck your project. In our back and forth we discussed bit diameter offset considerations, which he’s in the process of adding to the code, so it will figure out the bit diameter and adjust accordingly (using the known X or Y length of the block deducted from the measured length along a given access). ![]() I’ll be running Ron’s code linked from that youtube post. The opposite end of the circuit goes to the router bit so when it contacts the block it completes the circuit and signals the code in the shopbot. This plate works with the existing Shopbot Z-axis zero plate that connects to the machine and then my (new) alligator lead connects to the stock zero plate and the other end to my new XYZ zero block at the slot in the upper rear corner. This leaves a nice edge to clip an alligator clip to and makes the complexity lower for production. Milling like that is more complexity and money (and I haven’t played with threaded holes yet - let alone on Xometry) so I decided to just cut a simple slot in the same area, all the way through. I also modified his, as he did a horizontal threaded socket to plug a headphone style jack in for the conductor wire. Except I worked in mm and he was in inches and I wasn’t confident enough to mill it, so I wrote him and he kindly send me his Fusion 360 model which I used to confirm measurements and update my drawing (for practice). I tried to use the various CAD formats he had, but ended up drawing it from scratch in Fusion 360. I found Ron Olson via YouTube and the video and link to the code of his project to set X/Y/Z to Zero on a ShopBot PRS-Alpha (same machine as I have access to): ![]() Since I only have access to the ShopBot at my Maker space for short periods of time (3h windows for members), and I have created jobs that required stopping, removing my work piece and coming back a week later to continue, being able to very precisely re-zero the machine to the same point is critical. I’m thinking of making some custom squares and marking rules next, maybe a fence for my Festool-style worktop. If you use this link to sign-up with Xometry you’ll get a $50 credit towards your first project, which is more than enough to do some nice little shop projects. When I saw they could do T6061 aircraft aluminum, I instantly remembered a project I saw on YouTube where someone made a 3D zeroing block for the ShopBot for their local Maker space. They also seem to offer some sheet metal bending, although it’s all “custom quoted” instead of the neat web “instant quote” for everything else. Until I had run that first SLS print job on Xometry and started poking around, I hadn’t realized they offers CNC milling services. I have some business experience overseeing product production and higher level supply chain management and decision making - although it’s relevance to one-off personal projects is minimal. ![]() I’m not an engineer by trade, nor am I formally trained in CAD/CAM, just self taught this year. This is all just a little pet project for me, out of my own pocket, to learn about on-demand manufacturing capabilities - so I wanted to share the results with the group as you’ve all been inspiring. In addition to the 3D SLS power tool battery adapter printing project I’m running with Xometry, I was so impressed with how easy it was, I dove headlong in to trying them out for CNC milling. ![]()
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