How I Make: Tapered hood enclosure in Mozaik

Walking through the steps in Mozaik to make a parametric tapered hood enclosure.

[@chadallen1147]

Wow! I've been using Mozaik since 2013 and had no idea that you could create parameters like this for Side Taper etc. And of course these formulas will be very useful moving forward. Thank you!

[@KBrogger]

Just my opinion, but a basic understanding of geometry, trigonometry, and algebra is a must to get the most out of a lot of the CAD/CAM software options.

[@chadallen1147]

@@KBrogger I agree. I wish I'd pursued more classes and put forth more effort back in the day. But when I graduated HS in '88 I was already building cabinets in my dad's shop & never considered the advances in technology that might require those math skills. That trig stuff loses me!

[@KBrogger]

@@chadallen1147 You can learn anything you want with the internet. I taught myself basic trig from youtube and a couple of websites. I'm a highschool dropout, I was over it in 10th grade. Abstract stuff doesn't jive well with me, and I suffered in school because of it. Nowadays, I love it, because I have an application that is actually usefull.

[@micaheckenfels533]

Holy smokes my head is spinning! I've been using Mozaik for over a year but I have not ventured this deep into formulas. Its a challenge to think the way the program wants me to think and input the information that way. I can figure all of these things out but communicating to Mozaik is still a work in progress. Thanks for sharing this.

[@KBrogger]

You can do it. The thing with really any parametric software, is you want to use a native variable to modify something whenever possible. The last resort is just putting in a number to alter a part. Anytime you can tie multiple operations, or modify part shapes/sizes with a variable, you want to do so. Trig, Algebra, and variables, you can do just about anything to cabinet parts. I build cabinets in a really weird way, it makes sense to me, but not to everyone. That has pushed me to figure out how to get the cnc to do as much work as possible, and to make life on the benches as simple as possible. Along the way, you learn how to really manipulate the parts and the software to get what you want. I'm also extremely lazy, so if there's an easy way to accomplish the goal, and save some effort in the future, I will do it.

[@Samuelhlr]

WOW! Thank you!

[@Cpedro1685]

Great video. I have been watching all of your videos...good stuff. Unrelated question, but what brand shaper cutters do you prefer? I’ve been happy with freeborn insert cutters, but always looking to branch out. Keep up the great work!

[@KBrogger]

I use Dimension in Tooling for insert heads and have been super pleased with their product. Brazed, I really don't have a preference. I do have a fair amount of LRH stuff, but they don't exist anymore

[@departureblue]

Thanks for this run through. I just started with mozaik a couple days ago. I was running fusion 360 and built a bunch of parametrized cab boxes for kitchens. It was still painfully slow to get everything perfect and toolpathed for my router. Do you know of a cheet sheet that lists parameters that can be called up?

[@KBrogger]

Yes. All of the parameters are listed somewhere on the Mozaik forum

[@ericmac564]

It would seem Ive been using a cave man club on Mozaik and use use a scalpel. Im gonna get some training on parametric then build one of these for practice. I feel like your shop is about 4-5 years ahead of mine. I really enjoy your content. Strong work.

[@KBrogger]

Thanks Eric. One of the biggest things I've found with Mozaik is anytime you can modify something via either the native parameters, or parameters you've created, it's a better path. Just modifying parts has potential to create a lot of headache. I'm the laziest human being alive, so I'll do everything I can to make things easier in the future. This video, and some responses to it on the software forum made me decide to start another library just for oddball things like this so they can be called up again and again, so I'm not re-doing work I've already done. You should see some of the wacky machining we're doing with cabinet boxes to save time on the benches for assembly. Adds a little time in the office, adds an insignificant amount of time on the router, saves a huge amount of time at assembly, and the product is better for it. Thanks for watching!

[@ericmac564]

@@KBrogger I’d love to see it. I bought an existing shop with a 5x10 CNC and have become good friends with the previous owner. He said I’ve got a much better program than he ever had, so I feel like I’m moving in the right direction. Having no previous business experience, it’s a lot to learn, from payroll to CNC programming. I’m looking forward to the day we get to move out of the crappy shop we are leasing and build a shop with some planned out workflow.

[@KBrogger]

@@ericmac564 It's a tough road. If you constantly look for improvements, and reinvest that's the best you can do. Nobody is doing it right, only what is right for you, but there's always things that can be learned and gleaned from others. The internet has made information and education so accessible. I owe a lot to it. If you ever have questions, I started a forum recently. thewoodworkforum.com There isn't many users, but there also isn't any moderation and I'm funding it out of my own pocket so I'm not beholden to any manufacturer's wishes or desires.

[@ericmac564]

@@KBrogger Nice! I’ll see ya there!

[@jacobwilson3316]

I'm new to Mozaik, been using it for 3 months now, I've been intimidated by that whole formula panel, and maybe I'll just have to get 1-2 hours of training to really get my brain wrapped around how to work it, watching you use it shows me there's a lot of potential in knowing how to use it, so my question is do you have computer programing skills or have you been instructed by Mozaik, I'm just a carpenter with 25 years experience drawing things out on cardboard full size then cutting it out.I have12 years in a custom cab shop w/ Holzer CNC router, but came to a small company that bought a Komo, using Mozaik to produce the G-code, going from Sketchup/Layout to Mozaik has been fun and stressful. what advice would you give me for direction to go? Thanks

[@KBrogger]

No computer programming for me. I'm a high school drop out. I did maybe four hours of training the first few months with Mozaik, and I've done a few more since then to resolve specific issues, or to get something to work the way I wanted. My advice is, just keep pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, and keep thinking about ways to make things easier on the bench. I do a ton of stuff that Mozaik doesn't do natively, just to make assembly easier. On base cabinets, all of my stretchers run through the partitions where necessary, there's a notch in the partition, and there is a shallow dado in the stretcher. If I've done my part in the office, at the bench you almost don't need to measure anything. Same with my nailers in base cabinets. They have a dado to accept the notch in the partitions. Assembly is super easy. I don't know what your math skills are, but learning/knowing some basic geometry and trigonometry is super useful. With math functions and variables, you can do just about anything in parametric software. Keep pushing. I'm a little over two years into Mozaik and having a cnc. Laziness makes me want to get the router to do as much work as possible. Avoid making custom parameters if you can. It ties up the ability to modify the part. I only have one active one that I use. A "Custom Parameter" is different than a "User Created Variable" or "User Created Parameter/UCP" Take notes. If you're struggling with something, write it down. When you have a page of notes, pay for an hour of training and go through the list with the trainer. I did that a couple of times. I just kept a Word document on my desktop. It all takes time. I'm still learning stuff. I wish there was a Matrix option where I could plug in and just know things. But, there isn't, so you just push and learn.

[@jacobwilson3316]

@@KBrogger Thanks, my wife was a math major, taught High school Physics and Math, so with her knowledge we can get an understanding plugged into my brain, I’ve seen a lot of your posts on Mozaik forums, I’ll keep pushing and reading, help desk has been a lot of help as well!

[@KBrogger]

@@jacobwilson3316 You've got a leg up on me there! I had to teach myself trig with youtube. lol I still have to cheat on the regular, or hack my way through it.

[@jacobwilson3316]

Have you learned how to square your dims? If not my wife just taught me to put in either dim or parameter then use ^ so ApronH^2 will square your parameter, as I said she was a math major, that carrot is above #6 on keyboard

[@patoleary5334]

Hi just wondering if you use mozaik manufacturing and if so how do you utilise it?

[@KBrogger]

I'm not tracking. In what way?

[@patoleary5334]

KBrogger was thinking of getting mozaik manufacturing for solid/mdf panel doors ie cut lists calculations sheet optimising etc and was wondering if you had experience with this module?

[@KBrogger]

@@patoleary5334 I don't, other than I use the full cnc version. Which should be everything the same, except for you won't be creating nests with any machining like I do.