[BobF]

I need to cut a headboard for a bed I am building. The headboard is about 22" wide and a little over 60" long. To do this on my Joes 2006, I will have to cut one end and relocate the stock, and cut the other.
I have drawn 1/2 of the shape and I will mirror it to make the other side in Vcarve. Currently I have an alignment strip along the long axis and that will line up one edge of the stock. I am thinking about installing a pin I can use to locate the length. I will need a small hole in the back of the headboard to locate the stock, especially for the second cut.
Has anyone done this? What was the result?
Anyone have a better idea?
Anyone have experience and can share the "gotyas"?

Thanks

[bp092]

What kind of material are you cutting? I wouldn't on a joe 06, more work than it's worth. I would however cut templates on the 06. I'm assuming it's a curve, if you're carving the headboard I would make a jig, carve out 2 parallel lines in your spoil board, make inserts for them so you can slide it, rip the glueup/mdf to fit snug in there. Or you can use locator pins, 1/4" dowels into your spoil board and plan it out in your vcarve. Either way you will get it very close with careful setup. I would test it in MDF first though if you aren't using MDF and make sure the program and setup works. But like I said if it's just a curved cutout or detailed I would do it by hand with mdf templates cut on the 06. You could even make them in two parts, transfer it to a larger template stock if needed. If there is a profile on it I would do it by hand with a router, but usually people do applied moldings.

[rdhharm]

Bob,
Can you post the V-Carve file I have an idea but I would like to see it first before I give a suggestion

Rick

[joecnc2006]

ya, a v-carve file would help and we can see the easiest way to do it.

joe

[BobF]

I will post it later today, its on the other computer. I am thinking I will make 2 paths, one for the shape I have drawn, and a second for the mirror of the shape.

[joecnc2006]

yes, all you need to do is mark the mate point and slide material to that point.

joe

[BobF]

There should be a zipped crv attached that has the profile of the headboard.
This just shows half the headboard and the vertical line represents the center. I will have to mirror the left side to the right to make the complete headboard. I may also add some carving in the middle.

[rdhharm]

I would do as Joe pointed out do half and make a reference point and do the other half

As for the carving I would do it with a different V-Carve file with the starting point on the center of the material.

Rick

[Bertram]

... Currently I have an alignment strip along the long axis and that will line up one edge of the stock...
Thanks

Assuming you are just cutting out the shape (and no carving in the middle), I would add an alignment strip along the short axis also. Cut the 1st half and then simply flip the material end for end and cut the 2nd half. The material will have to be the finished width to begin with, or have the same amount of overhang at each end.

[rdhharm]

Assuming you are just cutting out the shape (and no carving in the middle), I would add an alignment strip along the short axis also. Cut the 1st half and then simply flip the material end for end and cut the 2nd half. The material will have to be the finished width to begin with, or have the same amount of overhang at each end.

Yes that could be done but Bob would have to make half of the shape in a mirror image upside down tough to make that perfectly aligned.

Rick

[Bertram]

Yes that could be done but Bob would have to make a mirror image of the shape upside down tough to make that perfectly aligned.

Rick

Not at all. I mean FLIP it end for end, not rotate it. Essentially using the same cut but from the other side of the material. Admittedly it will only work if any holes are through holes, and there is nothing else cut but the profile.

[rdhharm]

Not at all. I mean FLIP it end for end, not rotate it. Essentially using the same cut but from the other side of the material. Admittedly it will only work if any holes are through holes, and there is nothing else cut but the profile.

I am sorry but that will not work if you FILP it it will be cutting on the bottom of the first cut not the top. Or you could like you said cut from the back side that will work if there is not a detail on the cut like a using a 45 degree bit

Rick

[BobF]

I can't flip it end for end as there will be a profile on the cut, and probably a bead inset and cat alonside the edge profile. I think I will have to find a test board and try it out to convince myself that I can maintain alignment well enough to make the move.
I have to cut the mortises in my legs first and assemble at least the headboard end of the frame to get final measurements for the tenons on the headboard. The legs are turned and all I can do is estimate until I have a rail between the legs.

Thanks everyone for the suggestions and help.

[rdhharm]

Bob after some thinking if I was making this headboard this is how I would do it.

I believe you have a piece of metal along the X axis for reference point Right?

I would change the tool position in V-Carve to be centered on the material. Than move the X axis to just about as far forward as it will go position the material and the router bit on the center mark and run V-Carve for the left half of the project. Do the opposite for the right half of the headboard. You will only have to find the X axis position center mark on the material.

Rick

[BobF]

Bob after some thinking if I was making this headboard this is how I would do it.

I believe you have a piece of metal along the X axis for reference point Right?

I would change the tool position in V-Carve to be centered on the material. Than move the X axis to just about as far forward as it will go position the material and the router bit on the center mark and run V-Carve for the left half of the project. Do the opposite for the right half of the headboard. You will only have to find the X axis position center mark on the material.

Rick

Perfect. This is just what I was looking for. I kept thinking there is a way to do this and I was thinking along similar lines, but the ultimate solution just slipped out of my grasp.
Thanks Rick

[rdhharm]

Bob glad I could help

Let us know how it works out for you

Rick

[BobF]

Bob glad I could help

Let us know how it works out for you

Rick

Will do.

[BobF]

Well it took me nearly a year to get back to this project.
I cut the leg mortises and assembled the legs and rails so I could get the needed measurements for the headboard.
I drew the headboard shape right side in Vcarve. I then created a separate file in Vcarve for the right side and put a mirrored copy of the vector for shape in that. This gives me two separate files, one for each half of the headboard.
I indexed the right side to the lower left corner and cut that half.
For the left side I chaged the index point to upper left corner and after shifiting the blank and reclamping, I cut that half.
Now why would I change indexes and move to the other side of the headboard to cut? This is where the 2 halves meet. It is also the easiest place to sand out any inaccuracy. This is also the end of the first cut.
I line the bit up in the end of the previous cut and set Mach3 to 0 plus or minus 1/2 the bit diameter depending on the direction of cut.
Anyway thats how I did it.