Programming for a Thermwood CNC router

[mattb]

Anybody know how to program for a Thermwood CNC? I have some plans drawn up for a 4 lane mdf track. Local cabinet guy says he will router it for me if I can get hi the programming. He has a guy that can write it, but at a cost. Not sure how much, really shouldn't be much because I made the plans so I can use 48 inch outside raius for all curved pieces and typical 4 inch centers with the same for straights. All I would need is the program to do the 48 outside radius curves on a 49X97 piece of mdf and to cut 4 lane straights 20 inches wide on the same size sheets. Two pieces of straight to each sheet of mdf. With just those two programs, I can build a track to fit in the area I have that should be fairly close to a commercial track experience. I will try to scale down and ad my plans to this thread later today or tomorrow.

I did some experimenting last week to see how feasible my plans were and worked this up and it was easy to do and easy to bank and get whatever degree of curve needed.

track building 2.JPG
track build 3.JPG

[Scott V]

I had a cabinet place do CNC MDF routing and plywood profile shapes for my current track build and the entire job including programming fees were very reasonable. Depending on what CAM they use, you can provide most shops with DWG files and slot cut depths for CNC cutting. You might want to look for a place with a more simple 3 axis gantry router instead of a Thermwood. We have a 5 axis Thermwood at my company and programming it is more complicated than what you need. Having an outside person program a Thermwood could get complicated as it depends on what code their model machine takes.

[mattb]

Thanks for the reply Scott. My guy can get his regular programmer to write what he needs to do this, I thought I would see if I could get it done to eliminate the middle man and keep the shop from having to get it done. I would have to pay for the guy to write the program, but money is not a big issue. I've talked to the shop owner several times and we are friends and go to the same church.

He actually gave me a price of $100 to rout 8-9 sheets of mdf, with me providing the mdf from HD at $15 a sheet. Pretty cheap and way less than I expected. I told him I would pay him $200 and be there to help. A couple hundred will cover everything except braid and a lot of the work will be done.

I may write very specific directions and details and just let him give it to his programmer. I don't want to drag it out and miss this opportunity.

thanks

[Scott V]

Sounds like a great price!

[mattb]

I drew up very detailed instructions and drawings yesterday and he will use that to do the programming. I can't pass up this deal and price. I may not go full bore into the build, but I will punch away at it a little at a time. I also drew up some plans to build a typical hill climb if I would also get 360 degree curve routed on a 4 X 4 sheet. I could use the 8 foot diameter curves and the 4 footer for the inside loops. I think I will do one more piece with the 4 X 4 corner just in case. I'm not sure the guys I race with can make it around a 4 foot corner. They are used to a punchbowl Blue King! I apprciate the info.