[stevepudney]

I'm looking to by a cnc router, to carve/engrave wood and some plastics, I will also need the 4th axis to carve small wooden barley twists etc the main roll of this machine would be to engrave/personalise wooden items I turn etc...are products are very similar to the product made by The Oak and Rope Company. | Personalised Oak Gifts | Personalised Gifts

With the addition of the 4th axis, would the above machine fit the job description X6-2200L (3-axis) Woodworking / Metalworking CNC Router --OMIOCNC(Carving-CNC) -omiocnc.com

Thank you in advance for any comments

Steve

[dharmic]

Just bought one of their 2200s with the fourth axis. Yep, it'll do that stuff no probs. you'll need to sort your CAM software of course.

[stevepudney]

Yes, cam software, I was thinking V-Carve.....over Mach3...what do you think ?

[dharmic]

Nope.

You need Mach3 to run the machine, but it's not included and it only runs the tool paths.

You will also need something like v-carve, dolphin, bobcad, or suchlike to create the tool paths to feed into mach3, which will then drive the hardware.

[DanFPV]

Happy to have found you guys! I have been looking for a couple of weeks now, trying to decide on the machine I want to go with. Hard for me because I have access to a Thermwood rather large CNC for the past couple of decades but really getting tired of making the drive at odd hours just to use their equipment. Time to do something in my home.

Looked at the Nomad883, not much work area, 10-12 weeks build time seriously?? and yet the same dollars as the X6-2200L4a... so leaning hard and about to fall over on the OMIO machine.
Used to Mastercam software (don't own it though...) but looks like MACH3 is required by OMIO to operate their machines.

AutoCAD would be my base platform for original design files, however Onshape is looking really interesting as a parametric modeler. You guys have any experience with Onshape?

How are you liking the X6-2200 and what do you cut with it ? I am mainly interested in cutting G10 and carbon fiber plate for RC related products. I have asked about every ? I can think of from OMIO including asking for customer referrals or information so I could converse with users, but of course they can't disclose such due to privacy.

Will watch this thread closely and appreciate any information. Maybe there's a user group or forum specifically for the X6-2200L?

[stevepudney]

Nope.

You need Mach3 to run the machine, but it's not included and it only runs the tool paths.

You will also need something like v-carve, dolphin, bobcad, or suchlike to create the tool paths to feed into mach3, which will then drive the hardware.

WOW !! So complicated, so you can't create and cut from one piece of software.......I obviously need to get my head round the CAM software.....

I've read alot about the control boxes that come supplied with the X6-2200 not being much good and users swapping them out for the G540, what's involved in this process ? are their any "how to" threads ? ...a "how to" upgrade the likes of the X6-2200 ?

[DanFPV]

[QUOTE/...

I've read alot about the control boxes that come supplied with the X6-2200 not being much good and users swapping them out for the G540, what's involved in this process ? are their any "how to" threads ? ...a "how to" upgrade the likes of the X6-2200 ?[/QUOTE]

Just curious where are you hearing / reading this? I should probably have a look and see what the complaints are.

Thanks!

[dharmic]

Yep @stevepudney, it's not trivial.

CAD package creates a model.
CAM package creates toolpaths from the model.
Control program drives the machine along the toolpath.

You need all three to do anything useful. The OmioCNC is set up for (and supplied with drivers and config files for) Mach3. If you have the time and patience you could probably get it going with LinuxCNC but I don't know what you'd do insofar as the USB driver is concerned.

MeshCAM looked good for the middle step except it doesn't support modelling of V tools - I want to be able to cut threads and this got messy. BobCAD seems ok but I'd like to give Dolphin a go too once I have my collets and tooling come in. Currently on the slow wait for the tool boat from China

@DanFPV: I haven't done anything but cut the sample programs on some high density fibre board and use the hand controller to drive all 4 axes around the place yet. So far, so good. On the weekend I'm going to try cutting a steel profile in 4mm black iron just for ****s and giggles. Most of the intended work for my machine will be in delrin or occasionally aluminium. The reason I bought this unit is that it has linear rails instead of rubbery rods so, if it isn't rigid enough for what I want to throw at it, I have the option of building a new frame in steel and concrete and transferring the hardware over.

AFAIK the control box complaints have been aimed at the cheaper HY-3040 etc systems. This one doesn't appear to use shielded stepper cables but (so far) the control box has been just fine. I suspect they are using a slightly better design and quality of parts. From what I can tell, though, if you HAD to go Gecko, you should be able to swap their stepper drivers out pretty easy and keep the USB breakout board and power supply. Fingers crossed though, the quality of build apparent in other aspects carries through to the electronics.

[DanFPV]

Appreciate the information, thanks! Be sure to let us know how the black iron project goes and what mills you use etc. I just had a peek at some of the software mentioned here... truth be told I about passed out!
I have AutoCAD, and assuming the x6-2200 is the one I end up with will then have the MACH3 package, but there's that third part. So I mailed BobCAD and they called me right back. Asked about something more priced for the hobbyist and after talking a few minutes my agent needed to take another call and will be getting back to me here in a few minutes. I had not realized that the software could run as high as the cost of the machine itself.

I'll be back later with whatever I can find out from BobCAD on recommended packages and pricing.

Dan

[DanFPV]

Looks like I need an old pc 32 bit with a parallel port for MACH3. This gets worse the more I look at it. BobCAD did make me an offer for better pricing if I buy today or no later than Saturday.
Think I will scrub the whole idea for a while and keep doing what I have been.

[dharmic]

The X6 has a usb connection. I'm running it happily on an old laptop with XP but they do ship a registry tweak to get it running on Windows 7 or Vista if that's what you have.

You could hand write the g-code based on a dimensioned drawing if you're patient and aren't doing anything complicated in 3D. And if you're only doing simple engraving stuff, I'm pretty sure there's free DXF to gcode processors out there.

My approach has been to get the machine and start using it to work out what CAM features I need vs how much I feel like spending.

[DanFPV]

Thanks for the heads-up on the USB, I looked past that one. Not wanting to give in just yet I did some more searching and found CamBam as a Gcode generator.
They have a trial version good for 40 uses then you can purchase if you like. I installed it and have been learning it's differences vs MasterCAM. If you leave a session open in the background you can learn a lot and not waste your free sessions so quickly.

CamBam is looking good at this point. Next is a viewer to simulate and check the tool paths and routines. CamBam makes reference to CutViewer Mill. CutViewer is free to use for 30 days. I have both installed on laptop running Vista Home Premium and they seem to work fine for my immediate needs. This particular viewer costs as much or more than
the code generator itself. What do you use for a simulator? I found it's a really handy tool to preview your work before going to the machine and finding errors there when scratching the tests.

[dharmic]

Mach3 has a toolpath display which isn't as good as the BobCad simulator. I did install CutViewer Mill to have a play with but it's expired now. I'm mostly just doing an air cut to see what's what at the moment, ie running the machine with Z zeroed well above the table, just to make sure it moves in a pattern that looks sane.

[DanFPV]

Not installed MACH3 yet so will have a look when that time comes I guess. I do like CutViewer but to be more than the CamBam is odd. So this morning I found yet another simulator, OpenSCAM. Not going to load it at the office so will check it out once home. I worked a while on the Thermwood yesterday with MasterCAM5. I always do a scratch test on the spoil board. Takes longer but saves material and disappointments in the end. What I do is add a 13mm piece of expanded PVC as my personal spoil board to the actual MDF table so I don't mark up their surface any. Here's a pic of the pieces cut during this session. For reference the yellow plate is 3" or 76mm...

Attachment 287978



Here's the quote from the site:

"OpenSCAM is an Open-Source software which simulates 3-axis CNC milling or engraving. It is a fast, flexible and user friendly simulation software for the DIY and Open-Source community. OpenSCAM works on Linux, OS-X and Windows.

Being able to simulate is a critical part of creating CNC tool paths. Programming a CNC with out a simulator is cutting with out measuring; it's both dangerous and expensive. With OpenSCAM you can preview the results of your cutting operation before you fire up your machine. This will save you time and money and open up a world of creative possibilities by allowing you to rapidly visualize and improve upon designs with out wasting material or breaking tools.

[DanFPV]

I picked up Bobcad express for $400 with a phone call to them. I thought it was a fair price. Just getting started with my x6-1500GT.

I find it interesting that they will haggle on price for their software. Sure don't see that with any other companies, at least I have not. Since this seems to be a common practice there shouldn't be any harm in me posting what I could of paid had I taken that route and purchased by this past Sat. Just when you think you are getting a deal or bargain... glad I held out now.

Express 2.5 Axis program
Retails at $795
Yours today for $515

3 Axis Standard program
Retails at $2,495
Yours today for $1,069

4 Axis Standard program
Retails at $3,995
Yours today for $1,598

CamBam runs $149. That's after 40 fully functional trial sessions, which by then you would of learned the package easily enough to use. I still have my first session open
from the initial install.

CamBam CNC Software might also have a look at their bundle pricing. Hopefully licenses are all legit. Buy CamBam CNC Software

Looking forward to seeing what you do with and how you like the 1500GT.

[dharmic]

I'm still up in the air with choices for CAM. Playing with BobCAD at the moment but not sure how much I like it. And I hate their website's "psst" bullsh1te popup window and dodgy dodgy marketing practices.

I kinda want to get everything up and running nicely so I can throw a few different packages at it and see which one suits best. MeshCam looked good but can't do V profile cutters on the 4th axis, which kills it for doing external threads. DolphinCAM looks good and I need to have a closer look at CamBam at some point. MasterCAM is out of my league, and SolidCAM same (well, SolidWorks as a prerequisite certainly is). Having used OpenSCAD a little and then burnt it out of my computer forever as an utterly unusable piece of rubbish, I have little faith in their CAM software. But I may give that a go too

For the moment I'm still cutting G-code kinda manually. Mach3 supports a lot more of the G-Code functionality than I've learned on my 3D printer so I reckon it's worth doing. Both to gain understanding of my machine and to gain the skills and familiarity to look at generated g-code later and recognise stuff at a glance.

[John117]

Just purchased the X6-2200L 4 axis package .Attachment 300808
I am quite happy with it so far. Advice from my experience: You may need to purchase a better water pump and think about dust containment (dust shoe and a dust cyclone).

Anyone have specific questions feel free to ask.

[Olaby]

Just purchased the X6-2200L 4 axis package .Attachment 300808
I am quite happy with it so far. Advice from my experience: You may need to purchase a better water pump and think about dust containment (dust shoe and a dust cyclone).

Anyone have specific questions feel free to ask.

I believe coolant water would be fine for cooling the X6-2200L spindle, instead of tab water

[dharmic]

There's a few of us got sick of the green slime in the water so we replaced it with car coolant 50/50 mixed with water. Seems to work fine (and now I don't notice the algae anymore because it's all green anyway).

[DanFPV]

I'd like to get comments on this object and see if you guys think I could pull it off with the X6-2200 4A. I've been looking at using Fusion 360 but I know nothing so far on the CAM portion of that package. I might have to consider something else for software. This is 1.8" diameter and right at .200" tall. I am having a set 3D printed for evaluation but ultimately I will need a more exact model for either molding or injection molding. The wall thickness is right at .025 for the complete piece.

First I would like to see my piece machined in wax for both ease of machining and cost. They (OMIO CNC) show an example of 4a work being done, but when I ask for a video demo they act like I never asked a question so it has me curious. If it were a really good function of the machine I'd think they would be all over themselves trying to sell this feature.

Appreciate any comments or thoughts.