Artistic Designs with Inkscape, Eggbot Tools, and ESTLCAM

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LOL

This was pretty complicated design. It has multiple parts, all close together. It was tricky getting the printing sequence right. Came out pretty good, I think.

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Been a while since I’ve posted. I’ve been busy working on getting my table to run off an arduino with SD card. Since I’m not a coder, every little step requires a lot of research and trial and error. I’m sure any experienced developer could have tossed this off in an hour, but it’s taken me days to get this far. So currently, when the machine first starts, it homes, then scrambles an array of numbers from 1-23 (the number of files at the moment). It then starts playing the files (named 1.g, 2.g, etc) in the new scrambled order.

One thing I’m finding is that there are a few designs that don’t look great printed over another - particularly all these animal shapes I’ve been creating. I think on those designs, I will add a wipe to the beginning, so they always print over a complimentary background.

Here’s a video of that table running through some of its repetoire. I just turned it on and let it run.

Looks great Karl.

Glad you got it working. Feel free to post stuff like that. To save other muddling coders the time, and I could look at it and see if there’s something to improve.

I deployed the wiper this morning. It’s in the “wiper” tab. That should be self-explanatory.

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Thanks, Jeff. I have some tweaking to do, but I will definitely make my code available once I’ve solved a couple of challenges. I’m sure others would like their table to run autonomously too.

Thanks for the wiper function.

Hello, new member here. I don’t have a sand table yet but I am collecting components…

I was made aware of this site (and the sand table concept) by another member who bought a piece of software from me that will generate Guilloche patterns (normally used for CNC engraving/carving purpose) and that he wants to use for his sand table. I am tweaking it a bit for him to remove the z-axis movements and the return to zero at the end of the g-code. I guess this post fits under the thread title and hope it is not considered too much advertising but if you want to know what this is about please check out http://www.tailmaker.net/guilloche-.html . There is also a page about maze generator and CAM software that might be interesting for a sand table. The latter actually makes the tool (or ball) trace back completely to the maze starting point without ruining the pattern by a movement across. Both programs have a free demo mode to try it out.

 

The maze would be tough, because it has to be one continuous line. Maybe if the stop and start were not through, but just little spots.

Those patterns are very cool. Many of them could be performed on a sand table, but many would require a pen lift. I originally intended sandify to have an easily programmable interface for trying things like this, but I never got it working. These are great patterns though thanks for sharing. Too bad it’s $60.

Please share your sand table and any designs you find interesting. I’d love to see your work.

Well, so far I have not even started yet designing that thing, but I have a few small steppers, pulleys and linear bearings left over from another project. My biggest problem is going to be where to put the finished project, given the size of our home. For completed work (and if you don’t mind some 600+ posts) you can read about my CNC machine project here

As for the maze, that should be rather easy because it is already one continuous line (for one-sided mazes, that is). The software is intended to carve undercut (i.e. captive) ball channels with a ball end mill. That means the bit has to return the length of each branch to the branching point without lifting the bit and continue in another direction from there. I could easily make a version that eliminates the moves from and to X0/Y0 at the beginning and end or even stop at the end point without returning to the start. I will try that when I get a table running (given my project ADHD and my sometimes unusual design choices, I should better say “if” I get it running).

Sorry about the price. But I need to make some modest revenue to justify the business for the tax man. It is surely not going to make me rich :wink:

:facepalm: Of course, the ball travels along the traversable path. I was thinking it would be traveling to draw the walls.

I’m sorry. I meant no offense. I didn’t realize it was your software (I must have read your first post in a hurry).

I am having trouble around these steps;

  • 12. Open DXF in ESTLCAM.
  • 13. Select the hatching lines and the square outline.
  • 14. Place the Zero point where you want it (I use 0,0)
  • 15. Save the CNC program. The simulator will pop up.
I don't seem to get the hatching lines selected properly because when I save the "CNC Program" I get an error message "There are no objects yet..."

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I’m sure I’m just missing something. Any help would be appreciated.

Mark

You need to tell it what to do. On the line? Inside or outside the square? How deep?

Select Part, Hole, Engrave, and the tool then program

Currently building my own zenxy. All is going wel (so far).

I was wondering if your code was allready available for a print queue or if somebody can point me in the right direction. Randomly printing would be nice, but even if its a set order I would be very content.

Thanks in advance

So, I am a total newb at this, (I just barely got my zenXY table running today), but I was wondering, at some point you import some sort of image, right? Like the circle and the sea gull, do you import them before adding the hatching, and add the hatching to each part of the image?