"How did you manage that?" Steffi asks me as I hand her the stands for her doll collection, which I remade from wood based on a plastic pattern. So that I can answer this question - for myself - in six months, I have decided to document my involvement with CNC, CAM, GRBL, G-Code & Co. here.
On the left in the picture is the plastic base as a sample. I reworked the right part from spruce wood: The circular blank was cut out on the band saw and pre-machined on the hand lathe and then milled using a hobby CNC machine. The finishing (3 holes for the holding rubber and rounding off the edges with sandpaper) was done manually.
The starting point for generating the G code to control the CNC machine is a - simple - drawing, usually in *.dxf. or in *.svg format, which in this case I created in Inkscape.
I actually wanted to rely entirely on freeware for my CNC experiments. Stinginess is cool! I made an exception for Estlcam. Although you can test the program for an unlimited period of time, I purchased a license key because the program is easy to master, especially for a beginner, and I have not yet discovered functions such as trochoidal milling in free programs! To control my CNC milling machine, I set up an older laptop with Linux and bCNC. Unfortunately, I cannot use the Estlcam controller, a pure Windows program, to control my machine. As a compromise, I loaded the Estlcam firmware onto an Arduino nano and connected it to my Windows computer. So I can at least simulate the milling process on the Windows computer.
I have now copied the G-code file created in Estlcam to the Linux computer and opened it in bCNC. Clamp the workpiece, check all settings seven times - seven is my lucky number! - Then hold your thumb close to the emergency stop button and click “Start”.
Geschafft?! - Noch nicht ganz. Schließlich umfasst Steffi's Sammlung mehrere Püppchen. Und etwas händische Nacharbeit ist auch noch nötig! Den Haltegummi muss sich Steffi allerdings selbst einziehen! Schließlich lautet mein Kredo: "Hilfe zur Selbsthilfe".
Klingt doch alles ganz einfach - oder? Trotzden liegt ein längerer Weg des Probierens und Studierens hinter mir! - Ob ich wirklich Zeit und Muse finde ihn hier zu beschreiben? Wir werden sehen! Ein Anfang ist immerhin gemacht!