[ALAN SPANO]

DOES ANYONE USE PODS TO CNC THE PROFILE ON SOLID SURFACE?

[Jon Olson]

We do.

[Andy Graves]

We have but not typically.

[ALAN SPANO]

WE ARE NEW AT CUTTING ON A CNC. PLEASE BEAR WITH THE QUESTIONS.

ARE YOU HAVING AND LUCK WITH DOING THIS.

DO YOU MOVE BETWEEN CUTTING IN A SPOILBOARD THEN CHANGE TO PODS OR ON SET ONE WAY, OR ARE YOU DOING ALL YOUR CUTTING ON THE PODS. ARE THERE ANY TRICKS TO CUTTING ON PODS. CAN WE DO ALL CORIAN CUTTING ON THE PODS OR MUST WE USE BOTH?

[Jon Olson]

Just remember no question is a bad question. We first cut our SS on the spoil board. When we go to re-plane our to rout an edge we put the top on the PODS. We have a Carter laser location that helps us to position the tops .

We have found our home made pods work the best. EOS works great when making PODS

What kind of CNC do you have?

[ALAN SPANO]

A CMS TRIAX 550 WE HAVE THEIR PODS THAT WORK GOOD IT HAS A 36 X 200 VACUUM TABLE AND TWO OTHER TABLED THAT TOGETHER MAKES THE WORK AREA 63 X 200 IF WE WANTED AT THE MOMENT WE ARE USING A 36 X 145 PARTICLE BOARD AS A SPOIL BOARD. WHAT DO YOU USE OR SUGGEST.

[Jon Olson]

We use 1 1`/4 MDF for our spoil board

[ALAN SPANO]

DO YOU USE REGULAR MDF OR ULTRA LIGHT MDF OR DOES IT MATTER

[Jon Olson]

Good question.

We have used both. Not sure if we saw a difference. The Ultra light is more money and I know some will say the ultra light will give better suction.

JON OLSON

[Mike Turya]

This is Mike at Precision Plastics, Alan Spano works with me. Getting back to pods. Is anybody using reference pins for alaignment? Are all of your corners of the top square? If they aren’t, how do you alaign the top? If they are square, is that because you squared them up when you were programming? We cut exactly to the laser template which follows crooked walls and out of square cabinets. Should we be squaring up the corners and letting the installers adjust to the walls? Also is anybody in California who cuts on pods willing to let us visit and share ideas?

[Seth Emery]

I normally square the wall edge(s) to another edge that I can get a referenece from, and then trim the wall edge(s) during the profiling program. I don’t modify any edges until after I have made the shapes that I am using for plowing out for the cove block (when necessary). On parts with funky shapes, I sometimes add tabs for references and then trim those off while the top is up on the pods, but before profiling.

Have a nice day,

Seth

[Seth Emery]

I forgot to mention that we use 3″x3″ aluminum spacers pushed up against both the X & Y axis locator pins. This will be more accurate than just using your locator pins and also lets the tool run out past the top without causing an overtravel alarm.

[John Cristina]

If you plan on re-introducing parts to profile I suggest getting a laser to locate. We use ours alot to profile and cant imagine doing it by using pins or other locating rigs. The laser is the way to go. Most shops that use just the pins can only profile one top per program, we fill the table.

[Robert Abbott]

Jon-

You said EOS is best for pods? I was about to cut out pods on a full 1/2″ sheet of Hi-Macs UGLY green we had in the back until I saw this post. I have to say first off, I don’t know S**T when it comes to pods, learning as I went. So I need to get a 3cm sheet from EOS for my pods instead, correct? We use the AXYZ’s 7012 CNC. I am lost on how to really do the alignment, I sure I can figures it out I guess, we do have a lazer on the CNC that should help alot.

One day I will master this CNC dammit!

Robert

[Author]

Posts