FC2Video

This is the sign up overview video for the Learn CNC Basics E-Course. Check it over. It gives an overview of what the 7 Day CNC Course is about.

This is the 7th and final day of the Learn CNC Basics E-Course. Today is a fun day where we look at a few different CNC projects and what we can do with CNC Technology. There are CNC Parts we look at and CNC Art pieces we look at. There are CNC Plasma, CNC Router, CNC Mill and CNC Lathe projects that are discussed. Next, we talk about CNC Information. CNC Information is a community site that connects people who have a passion for CNC. There are CNC Blogs, CNC Profiles, CNC Articles and CNC Forums. You can join up for free and also get a Free G-Code Quick Guide if you do. Come on over and join up today!

On Day 6 we learn about CNC Machining. This is where the rubber hits the road. Before this, we did virtually everything on the computer. Now we move into the real world. Machining is about removing material from a piece of stock until we finalize our parts. One thing we learn is that manual machining and cnc machining have similar issues. There is coolant, chips dust and dirt no matter if you are operating the machine or the computer is operating the machine. CNC Machining safety is important during this step. We need to wear safety glasses, protective equipment and appropriate shoes. There are many different types of CNC Machines and types of machining. There are cnc routers, cnc lathes, cnc mills, cnc plasma cutters and on an on. Each of these types of machines operates in different ways and you must learn their differences to be effective. Tomorrow we go over various CNC Produced Parts and Projects. We look at the outcome of all out work and some of the possibilities.

Day 5 is all about CNC Control. CNC Control is made up of three parts. The CNC Control Computer, CNC Control Software and the actually CNC Controller. The CNC Control Computer can be basic and inexpensive. The computer will live in a harsh environment that includes dust and dirt. The CNC Control Software is what processes the G-Code program we made in the last step. You load it in and when you are ready, start the program. The actual CNC Controller has drivers in it and translates the signals from the control program into motion. It sends the signals on to stepper or servo motors that move the various axis All together these pieces can cost a lot or a little. You can also cut down the cost if you build the cnc controller yourself. Tomorrow we machine. This is where the chips fly.

Here on the 4th day we talk about CAM. CAM stands for Computer Aided Manufacturing. During the CAM step of the CNC Process we use software to define how our CNC Machine should move. There are a number of CAM Software packages on the market. They range from the inexpensive to expensive. Much of the cost depends on the number of Axis's that the CAM Software has. With the CAM Software we define things like stock, location, tooling, feed and speeds and the post processor we will use. The post processor is very specific to our CNC Machine. It outputs g-code. We use the G-Code program in our control software next. Tomorrow's Lesson is CNC Control.

In this CNC Basics Video we go over CAD. CAD Stands for Computer Aided Design. During the CAD step we take our initial design and translate it into the computer. We do this CNC Step so we can change the design, resize it, save it, transfer it to someone else, etc. Recording our CNC Design into CAD gives us flexibility. During CAD we learn we first design parts, then assemblies, then groups, then machines. We also learn there are different types of CAD Software. 2D, 2.5D and 3D. These types also come in different software packages from inexpensive to expensive. You can spend up to the sky if you want. The trick is to match the CAD Software Capabilites with your CNC Needs. You don't need high power 3D Modeling CAD if you make simple parts day in and day out. Tomorrow's lesson is CAM. Computer Aided Manufacturing.

In this CNC ECourse Video we go over the first step in the CNC Process. The first step is CNC Design. During CNC Design you are thinking of things like: What size will it be? What material will it be made of? Who is the customer? What will it be used for? Before I design I like to sketch a few ideas out on paper. I like to toy with different ideas to spark my creativity. This is the equivalent of brainstorming. When I really get my juices flowing, that is when my best designs rise to the top. I generally carry around a notebook with me to note designs that I think of during the day.

Here is the final video in the CNC Stomp Pad Tutorial Video Series. In this video, we go over the final assembly of the stomp pad. Then we watch as we used double sided tape to adhere it to the snowboard. Finally we take a look at some final photos of the CNC Stomp Pad on the Snowboard. One Final Note: The Stomp Pad works perfectly. I love the fact you can customize your life with CNC. See you on the slopes, Ivan Irons

In this video we drill the holes in our CNC Stomp Pad. We need to add the traction spikes and they are really a screw and nut. We drill the holes then clean them out. We bend the stomp pad while drilling and we must hammer it flat next. A quick DA Sanding to make the pad look good, then we are on the the next step which is finalizing the CNC stomp pad.

During this CNC Video Segment we sand our CNC Stomp Pad with a Dual Action (DA) sander. We are taking out any deep scratches and giving it a matte finish. The CNC Plasma Cut part then is taken over to a stand. We look at different traction spikes and how they will look. After selecting a spike type, we start laying them out. We layout some marks where we will drill holes in the next video.