This is the process of machining the Euchre Box.


My Design Software Vectric   Aspire latest version
My Desk top CNC Router ShopBot Tools Desk Top 24 by 18
My Band Saw Mill Woodland Mills My HM126T

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photo01

This is a piece of Black Cherry from our woodlot in Huron County Ontario Canada. I cut the tree, used my Woodlands Sawmill to cut the log to boards, air dried for 3 years and this piece is 13" X by 6" Y and about inch and sixtheenth Z.

photo02

The board is twisted, not flat and true as you can see the gap between the spoilboard and material.

photo03

This has never been a problem, I wedge the two corners to try and make the board as flat as I can. See all the holes drilled into my spoilboard" they are 2" apart X and Y so when I am programming doublesided I place my alignment pegs in the material to align with the spoilboard. I always flip my material on the X .

photo04

In this photo you can see the material is held close to the spoilboard with no gap. You will also notice how I cut a notch in the corner of my material with the table saw wide enough to accept the metal clip I have made, this allows me to machine the complete top surface without the tool bit being damaged.

photo05

When building my design using Vectric Aspire I have found that zeroing my design and my material when machining to the centre of my material, no particular reason, I just find it simpler and consistant.

photo06

My ShopBot 24X18 desktop CNC machine uses a aluminim plate and built in software to zero the cutter to the top surface, works great.

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photo07

I also use a piece of paper to zero with but the paper may be 0.004 thick but in just rough surfacing 4 thou is nothing to be conserned about .

photo08

This is the first toolpath completed. I made a pocketing file about half an inch larger than my material and set the cut depth to 0.020 and as you can see, I only hit the high spots.

photo09

Now that I know where the high spots are on the material, I also know where the low spots are and this is where I will zero the next toolpath.

photo010

So here we are with the top planed or surfaced flat, now to drill the alignment holes, I use ¼ wood dowels, cheap and easy to get.

photo011

After drilling the alignment holes in the material, it was removed and I drilled the alignment holes in the spoilboard and marked them with RED crayon.

photo012

YUP this is my spoilboard, what a mess, however it is still flat and the alignment holes and dowels are circuled by photo editing so you can see them.

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photo013

So with the material flat side down I can run the same pocketing toolpath and surface the area flat.

photo014

Yes I know, I 90° "V" carved the text Euchre from the top material surface projecting the text to the 3D profile. This way I feel there is less chance of bits of wood chipping out of the delicate text areas.

photo015

The lid of the Euchre box is radiused and here I use a ¼" Ball nose carbide 2 flute bit.
That Black Cherry is beautiful wood to work with, much like Sugar Maple

photo016

See how nice and clear the text is. No chipping.

photo017

Here I am using a 1/8" end mill drilling to ½" depth projected to the 3D toolpath.
from Material Z surface

photo018

With the peg holes drilled the next toolpath is numbers, text, and border I use the same bit to pocket the suit ♣ ♥ ♠ ♦ , locations to about 0.070" , the plastic laminate I use for the suit's is the engraving material used for name tags and ID badges usually about 0.063" thick.

photo019

I use the same bit to cut the suit's from the laminate sheet. The bit is 1/8" shaft and the cutting edge is single flute carbide I purchased from off shore, it will cut about 0.050" per pass and only about .100" deep.
The laminate suit pieces are not in position, just sitting there for this photo.

photo020

The lid top is now complete.

photo021

Material flipped over on the X axis the bottom or inner of the lid is pocketed ¼" end mill.

photo22

just a close up of the inner part of the lid.

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photo023

With the same endmill I pocket the lip that will fit into the base and the portion that will fit into the area where the pegs are kept.

photo024

This is the base of the box and the pocketed area is machined with the same ¼" carbide 2 flute flat bottom endmill.

photo025

Inside the lid is V carved text that reads
“ Playing Euchre is a lot like sex . . .
if you don't have a good partner.
Then you better have a good hand ! ! ”.

photo026

The green masking tape indicates with an arrow where 3mm holes are drilled in the base and lid to accept 3mm by 3mm magnets I buy off shore.

photo027

With the cut out toolpath complete using the same ¼" EM and using regular tabs, I am ready to remove the piece from its hold down and cut the tabs.

photo028

There is the lid.

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photo029

There is the base.

photo030

Lid and base no magnets.

photo031

Fits together nice and snug.

photo032

This is just a clear coat, no stain.
The plastic laminate pieces ♣ ♥ ♠ ♦ fit so snug that I don't have to use adhesive, but I use a dab of Locktite 404

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photo033

Side by side.

photo034

Close up of base.

photo035

Some times when I use a lighter wood like White Ash or Sugar Maple I will use a light brown stain then clear coat.

photo036

Lid with pegs indicating
Clubs are TRUMP for this hand
Red team has 4 points
Black team has 7 points
Red team has won 3 games
Black team has won 2 games.

photo037

Box open with Cards and pegs in place.

photo038

In most cases I don' need the magnets to hold the lid in place, the lid and base are a very good friction fit, but, I do it anyway.

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