Boxes Are Two Lines (Shapeoko and Carbide Create)

[@cameronwalker5078]

Great to see you're back again, these box videos are really enjoyable and informative. Thank you 🎉

[@GGGG_3333]

I never realised how I missed hearing this intro till it just popped 😅. I am just assembling my CNC and can't wait to apply everything that I learned from you. Thank you for everything 🙏.

[@johnearlclark]

Thanks so much. I still want to be more frequent, but life is always getting in the way :)

[@gizmobowen]

So happy to see you again. I started watching because of your CNC projects. I also saw that you had some laser projects, but I didn't have one of those. Now I do, so if you're up for doing some more of those, I'd love to add them to my saved videos lists.

[@johnearlclark]

Thanks so much. I was actually going to make a short video asking if people wanted to learn about those on the channel too. I shall put you down as a “yes” 😊

[@billm2158]

Great instruction. Thanks John.

[@bjpasco]

So glad to see you producing content again! I've made many boxes and cubes from your posts from years ago. Good to see this succinct review of box making and looking forward to seeing what else you share with us.

[@supadeluxe]

Great video as always.

[@TheCosmicSilliness]

Welcome back! Great video!

[@FuzzyScaredyCat]

Just found your channel, I'm starting out on my journey but struggling a bit with double sided stuff. Like your style and the detail you put into showing how things are done. Just watched the cabinet design video which was really informative. Would you consider doing a similar stye of video for double sided work? So many other videos I've found seem to skip over the important part of alignment? You've got a new subscriber regardless :) Thanks so much for your existing videos I've learned a lot from them.

[@johnearlclark]

I will see what I can do. Double sided is tricky as most of the use cases are each a little different. Let me ponder it and see what I come up with. Thanks.

[@FuzzyScaredyCat]

@@johnearlclark Appreciated, thanks John.

[@BillYovino]

If you were to engrave the top after carving the asymmetrical top and bottom, how would you position the top on the work surface so that it lines up correctly?

[@johnearlclark]

I do it with a centering Jig as I describe in this earlier video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYDUhWh3i9SYsLcsi=PwzDDeAeor1pDwtN&t=574 Basically, you center the design and use settings to start the carve from Center XY instead of lower left. You use this to first cut a pocket in some scrap MDF that matches the shape of the box (select the outer line and pocket), Then stick the lid into the pocket of the jig and do the carve for your engrave (mirror as needed). I think I am going to play with a two sided machining video for the next one, since this does get asked a lot.

[@bjpasco]

I use the Carbide Create 648 software on a generic machine. Thank you for not using pro version so I can extrapolate to the earlier software I can still use with my machine

[@johnearlclark]

I have the Pro version but I honestly don't use it much. 3D is still a bit foreign to my brain.

[@tomradcliffe3192]

I have a couple questions. I notice that you have some tool path settings that I don't have. Stock to Leave and Direction (yours is set to conventional). I downloaded the latest software and even the beta and I don't see that? Second question is, how do you procede with your cutting? Do you save two files, one for the top and one for the bottom with the layers you don't need disabled? Using that T command is going to save me a bunch of time! Thanks for that.

[@johnearlclark]

It's probably a Pro version thing. I am using Carbide Create Pro Build 778 right now. As far as my procedure goes, If I am inverting the top (for something oddly shaped), I save two files (top and bottom). If the box is symmetrical, I just use a single file with two tool path groups and enable/disable them depending on what I am cutting (just remember to save). It took me a little time to get used to the T variable, but boy does it save time. Glad you liked the video!

[@tomradcliffe3192]

@@johnearlclark it has always been a pain when I reopen a file to cut it again. I'll save the stock thickness but then have to go to the tool path to be sure I have changed the depth for the cutout. The T function will save me a lot of time! Much appreciate it and what you are doing!