[xy_eezy]

Hi all, thanks in advance for whatever help you guys may be able to provide. First of all, I'm running a converted Seig X2, so my travel is only about 4''x9''. As of a couple of days ago, I find that I need to mill an item 2.25'' x 10.5''. At first I thought "no problem, I'll just mill about halfway, and then move my work a couple of inches in the x origin, and finish". Now that this project is actually underway, I'm finding that I'm quite unsure as how to proceed. What I have accomplished so far: 1. Vise is setup so that my workpiece can easily be shifted accurately only in the x axis. 2. I have a completed cad drawing of the design at the final dimensions. What I'm wondering is, will I need to somehow incorporate two different datums, or would I be better off trying to run two completely different g-code files etc. and on and on... I would like a few tips on how this job could best be set up. As for the milling job itself, it's a lot like a simple nameplate(separate letters and graphics), so defining a good separating point shouldn't be much of an issue. There is however a raised outline(all text and graphics are islands) with fillets surrounding the entire piece. And the piece that this is being milled from, is 2.5'' x 12''. By the way, this job is being designed and generated in Dolphin partmaster cad/cam, and milled in Mach3. Hopefully my request is understandable, and I have included enough info. for a handy tip or two to come my way. If not, feel free to request more details. Thanks again.

[MrWild]

You need a reference hole that you can sweep with a dial indicator. It doesn't have to be all the way through, but deep enough you so can get the indicator's ball inside it without it rubbing on the bottom. About .100" deep works. The hole can be an area that gets cleared, and after you move the part, you machine it away with the other material. The biggest problem is matching your depth, as even a .002" difference is noticeable. Best to paint the recess after a little sanding. You can match depth, but it is hard and even sneaking up on it will show a difference.

[HuFlungDung]

Yes, you will need to run two seperate gcode files, simply because you cannot command positions beyond the range of travel. It may be simplest to understand if you make a copy of your model in your cadcam, and move the copy to an accessible position inside the work limit boundary created by your machine travel.

If you follow MrWild's suggestion, you can machine this reference hole as part of the machining sequence in your first program. Then you can slide the part about half its length to the right, pick up the hole as a datum, and set your G5x of the second program to that hole center. In your cadcam, move the copy of the model so that this hole lies on your X0Y0. Then create the remainder of the toolpaths required to machine the given area.

That is just one way to do it.

[xy_eezy]

Yeah, milling the reference mark for the second datum, was just what the doctor ordered. :banana: Thanks again for the input, it was a real help.