GCode Boxes

GCode Boxes

A python script that generates carving instructions for half blind dovetails.

The expectation is that you have a CNC router where you can mount one piece (the pin piece) vertically, clamped next to the tails. You'll need to offset the tail piece by a small amount from the pin piece. The offset depends on the dovetail bit and cutting height, but you can generate the g-code for carving a spacer of the required offset with spacer.py

The dovetails.py script takes a --mirror-x argument if you want to reverse the direction of travel along the Y axis. This is useful if one side of your box is a different width than the other.

Video: https://youtu.be/AtGqviCXuxg.

Dependencies

GCode boxes use mecode to output the GCode.

Instructions

1. Download gcode-boxes
2. Download mecode
3. Mecode depends on numpy, so you'll need to install it.
4. Add your bit information to bit_info.py
5. Update get_dovetail in dovetails.py to match your milling needs.
6. Run spacer.py to generate the gcode for a spacer, and then mill a spacer.
7. Run dovetail.py to generate the gcode for milling the dovetails. A test cut is strongly encouraged.

Status