CNC Limits?

I have always wondered.. Are there limits to what these CNC machines can cut? Does the human hand still have the upper hand in some work?

Square cornered mortises?

Hi Mo,

Curved braces are still cut and fitted by hand.

Regards

Ken Hume

hi guys, what about compound work and its sometime required acute angles?

There is no limits. At my work we have a 5 axis mill(CNC). It can cut any angle, compound angles and under cuts(over 45).

I am guessing it can handle waney timber to a certain point. More likely the person running the machine wouldn't like wane. Which side does the cnc machine fall on the issue of wane? How about length. If there was room enough in front and back would it do 40'? Or are most of the frame designs for short timber? Crucks are out of the question. Tim

OMG! I only just noticed that this forum existed!
Where have I been?

OK, so...timbers should be cut square before hitting the machine. Wayne is ok on the edges, as long as the bottom surface of the timber is flat, the machine will cut it.
All measurements are taken from the center of the timber outwards, so if we're working with a 10"x10", I would take the average measurement of the timber, eg: top end of a 20' 10x10 is actually 9 7/8 x 9 3/4, butt end is 10 1/8 x 10...I would tell the machine that the timber is 10 x 9 7/8, and it will mill it accordingly. There is always a tolerance factored in, usually about 0.4 millimeters (y'all state-side can figure that one out yourselves).

The longest timber I have cut has been 39', and was limited to that only because of lack of space in the shop. Length isn't an issue, if there's room it will cut it.
Width, however, is limited to 20" (I think) because the clamps can only go so wide, and the tools only so high.

Crucks are out of the question, but logs are not. We fashioned rounded clamps to hold the logs, and had to rotate the log by hand for each "side", but it turned out a pretty cool product - log bents.

Let me know if I haven't explained clear enough, as I'm not very good at descriptive writing.....

*K

Yeah...the corners are chiseled out by hand. But when doing a through tenon there is a small chain mortiser on the machine which gets 'em. It has to be super-duper precise, though, as you could imagine, so these are set to cut with the tolerances off (-0.4 millimeters), so they fit tight, and will still need adjusting by hand.

cnc limits?

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cnc limts?

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cnc limts?

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cnc limits?

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well someone feels strongly about it. I guess I should have worded my question without leaving out the concept of inanimate. So do you ride a horse everywhere? Go post under timber frame philosophy.

yawn.

I'm just now working on a big building and have asked for some help from the local CNC shop. At first glance the biggest block for collaboration is the round ended mortises and tenons. Should I round off or should they square out? They are good people though, I had no trouble feeling a sense of friendship and soul at their shop.
-smile.

dj, I don't think I'd cut tree spikes well either. But don't do much hardcore broadaxe work.