# It's Alive
**URL:** https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540
**Category:** Projects
**Created:** [July 11, 2015, 4:58pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540 "2015-07-11T16:58:21Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 38
### Author:  [@WorkinWoods](https://community.inventables.com/u/WorkinWoods)
#### Post date: [July 10, 2016, 3:11am UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540/779 "2016-07-10T03:11:19Z")
sexy sexy lol I am really feeling spoiled check out the tread I just started to watch some videos
> [@Life beyond the X-carve](https://community.inventables.com/t/life-beyond-the-x-carve/25835):
>
> So I bought an x-carve oh idk 8 months to a year ago and started to get some jobs. I got 1 job in particular which I needed to cut out over 300 brackets for a guy and decided right then and there I am going to take the plunge so I set the x-carve aside and bought a 4x8 machine with all linear bearings and will run up to 1200 inch/min I look back at my X-carve and am just amazed at the differences I will still use my X-carve though and might turn it into a dedicated laser engraver So I thought…
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### Author:  [@ErikJenkins](https://community.inventables.com/u/ErikJenkins)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2016, 12:16am UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540/780 "2016-07-11T00:16:43Z")
Another test with the rotary axis…I tweaked the steps per mm and it is spot on now. This is still using grbl:
A 1.125" diameter dowel, I used just a 0.25" ballnose bit on this. A single spiral.
 
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### Author:  [@DarrylKegg](https://community.inventables.com/u/DarrylKegg)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2016, 3:17am UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540/781 "2016-07-11T03:17:59Z")
Pretty damn cool. Out of curiosity, how big was the steps per mm adjustment, and how’d you calculate it? Was it trial and error or did you wrap a ruler around the rod and calculate from there?
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### Author:  [@AlanDavis](https://community.inventables.com/u/AlanDavis)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2016, 9:31am UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540/782 "2016-07-11T09:31:24Z")
HIMMM. I don’t have 4th axis upgrade, but I upgrade my system with MiniCAT 2016 system. The problem is I can’t run the machine. 😆
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### Author:  [@LachlanRoss](https://community.inventables.com/u/LachlanRoss)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2016, 12:48pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540/783 "2016-07-11T12:48:58Z")
just install Idog, that should sort it out
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### Author:  [@AllenMassey](https://community.inventables.com/u/AllenMassey)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2016, 1:12pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540/784 "2016-07-11T13:12:26Z")
It looks like you really splurged and got the multiple redundant MinCAT system. 🙂
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### Author:  [@ErikJenkins](https://community.inventables.com/u/ErikJenkins)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2016, 1:23pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540/785 "2016-07-11T13:23:31Z")
Carve some mice and send them to the other side of the shop 🙂
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### Author:  [@ErikJenkins](https://community.inventables.com/u/ErikJenkins)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2016, 1:31pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540/786 "2016-07-11T13:31:03Z")
For the steps per mm, It was a little trial and error and a little math :-).
The diameter of the dowel was 1.125 inches I multiplied that by 3.14159 (pi) to get the circumference of the dowel, 3.534 inches.
I made a mark at the bit location, told the machine to move 3.534 inches to rotate the radial axis, if correct the axis should rotate 1 full turn and stop on the mark. I adjusted from there.
When I replace the electronics, once everything arrives, the calculations will be translated to degrees of movement for the axis, so I will have to play around with settings again.
But it is fun 🙂
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### Author:  [@Earwigger](https://community.inventables.com/u/Earwigger)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2016, 2:47pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540/787 "2016-07-11T14:47:22Z")
Time to kit it up! I am definately doing this once the cold, cruel Minnesota winter sets in. Next week.
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### Author:  [@JeremyHill](https://community.inventables.com/u/JeremyHill)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2016, 2:55pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540/788 "2016-07-11T14:55:13Z")
Erik- you are really on to something here! Well done. I can only hope that you will share your notes on the conversions you did to make it work. Amazing.
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### Author:  [@DarrylKegg](https://community.inventables.com/u/DarrylKegg)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2016, 2:58pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540/789 "2016-07-11T14:58:23Z")
I have to guess that the upgrades @ErikJenkins did to his Z axis (and X axis height?) are almost a necessity to make the 4th Axis work, unless the rotation A axis somehow happens to fit under the stock XCarve Z axis…
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### Author:  [@ErikJenkins](https://community.inventables.com/u/ErikJenkins)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2016, 3:46pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540/790 "2016-07-11T15:46:05Z")
I knew I wanted a rotary axis, that was the primary reason for the X and Z-Axis height increase.
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### Author:  [@ErikJenkins](https://community.inventables.com/u/ErikJenkins)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2016, 4:46pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540/791 "2016-07-11T16:46:31Z")
Here is a small piece of cherry from a tree I cut down last year. Next time I’ll use a larger bit, but with a 1/4" endmill it only took about 30 minutes to make a nice round cylinder to carve.
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### Author:  [@DarrylKegg](https://community.inventables.com/u/DarrylKegg)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2016, 5:00pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540/792 "2016-07-11T17:00:55Z")
Now you need 4th Axis dust control 🙂 ahh, life is rough…
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### Author:  [@ErikJenkins](https://community.inventables.com/u/ErikJenkins)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2016, 5:18pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540/793 "2016-07-11T17:18:22Z")
Here is one problem with using a rotary axis with grbl…each time a different size cylinder of wood is cut, the steps per mm must be adjusted to match that particular piece of wood, not a huge problem, but just adds a bit of time to a project. Once I get the new electronics installed, it won’t be an issue as true rotary axis support moves the axis by degrees and not linear movement.
Not a show stopper, just something to consider if anyone plans on going this route and staying with grbl.
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### Author:  [@ErikJenkins](https://community.inventables.com/u/ErikJenkins)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2016, 5:19pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540/794 "2016-07-11T17:19:11Z")
I’ve done quite a bit of lathe work, so being covered with sawdust is like an old comfy blanket 🙂
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### Author:  [@DarrylKegg](https://community.inventables.com/u/DarrylKegg)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2016, 6:59pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540/796 "2016-07-11T18:59:22Z")
@ErikJenkins - meant to ask, what font did you use for the scrabble letters and numbers? I’ve been playing with creating tiles but I just can’t seem to find the right looking font. Not sure if it’s just the display, but they just don’t seem correct to my eye…
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### Author:  [@ErikJenkins](https://community.inventables.com/u/ErikJenkins)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2016, 7:02pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540/797 "2016-07-11T19:02:44Z")
I used News-Gothic.
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### Author:  [@DarrylKegg](https://community.inventables.com/u/DarrylKegg)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2016, 7:37pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540/798 "2016-07-11T19:37:19Z")
thanks, I’ll try it.
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### Author:  [@ErikJenkins](https://community.inventables.com/u/ErikJenkins)
#### Post date: [July 11, 2016, 7:57pm UTC](https://community.inventables.com/t/its-alive/10540/799 "2016-07-11T19:57:47Z")
Here is that piece of cherry from my yard with a relief carve.
  
The models are from Design and Make, I used a 1/8" endmill to rough and a 0.5mm radius tapered ballnose to finish with a 17% stepover.
I also noticed that it was 1 year ago today that I built my X-Carve and did my first carve. My machine has changed a bit during this last year, but I am enjoying using it more and more each day. I want to thank @Zach_Kaplan and everyone at Inventables for such a great product, the best customer service I have had the pleasure of experiencing and the most helpful community around.
Now, back to making sawdust!
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