Milling - FABtotum Personal Fabricator User Manual

4. MILLING

CNC Milling: Making a "Make More" Sign
In this guide we are going to take a step-by step approach on how to use the FABtotum for CNC milling, by engraving a
sample sign.
We will engrave the "Make More" signon a foam stock block. We'll use foam because we can avoid damages to the milling
bit if something fails.
Files required:
You can download the SVG from which the gcode was created here:
Download the .nc file (is the numerical control file):
Preparing the Milling Job
1. Turn around the hybrid bed so that it shows the milling side.
Do not mill on glass as it's dangerous.
2. Place a piece of material that you will mill and fasten it to the bed (Using M4 Bolts and nuts or in this case two-
sided duct tape as the material is very light). For this example, the dimensions have to be at least 135x55x20mm
(about 5x2x1 inch).
3. Remove the Hybrid Head or the Milling Head and using the provided tools install the milling bit of your choice.
4. Assemble the head on the carriage.
5. Upload the .nc file in "Object manager"
6. Now go to the Make Menu and start the job for the file you just uploaded to the FABUI.
7. Mark the "Origin Point" with a pen on the stock material. The point mustn't be exactly on the edge, but 3-4 mm
centered. For future reference, the origin point is exactly the same point where the X,Y and Z axis values are 0 in
the CAD model.
8. By using the small Jog widget, move the x,y and z axis (move this axis slowly, by reducing the "feedrate" and the "Z
step" to not damage the tip of the milling bit).
The tip has to be few microns from the stock material, to make a fine calibration you can use a piece of paper:
position it over the stock material and start to raise the z axis slowly, start to move the paper until it is blocked
between the tip and the stock material.
NOTICE: If the endtops get pressed click on the warning message "OK" and move the head by hand (If they remain
pressed, the controls won't work).
When the tip is in the correct position, set "Zero" by clicking on the central button, then press "Start" this will
"Zero" the position of the tool so it will start according the CAD drawing and more precisely aligned to the stock as
the CAM instructions (gcode) expects.
Makemore.svg
Makemore.nc
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