Dumb Door Routing question...

[Joe Dusel]

This is just curiosity on my part since I don't yet have a router. Is there a way to do batches of routed doors using eCabs or is this something that is done at the machine? What I'm wondering is if you have a client who just needs doors can you just input the door style and the sizes, or do you have to have doors that are associated with cabinet boxes in order to batch them?

Thanks,

Joe

[Joe Soto]

Joe, the way I do doors without cabinets is open the cabinet editor, click the place item then door/drawers buttons. Select the door or drawer front I want to use as default, then enter the size I need, move it off the target or move the target off the door then enter the next size and so on. Last I click the cnc button to create the .twd file. As far as I know there is no way to just enter door sizes. Maybe Thermwood could add a new feature so we could just add them as a batch.
Joe

[Joe Dusel]

Thanks Joe.

That sounds painful, especially if you are doing lots of doors and drawer fronts. Maybe Thermwood will add it to the next version to have doors and drawer fronts added to a batch. That would make a lot of sense since they are now pushing the MDF door capability of the machines. I would think it should be an easy addition to have the Batch Editor setup to select a door style, size and quantity. Wouldn't this be a great addition to have for AWFS?

Joe

[Mark Taylor]

Another method for creating the mdf doors is once you have loaded the default door you've choosen - save it as an assembly ie: door12x15 then load another size door and save it the same way. Once you have a single door of each size you can load them into the batch and adjust quanities from there.

BTW - there is an update for doors I'm not certain if it is part of the door editor or not (?) but it's coming in the next release...I saw it briefly in Greensboro - but I can't remember any specifics regarding mdf doors.

Mark

[Forrest Chapman]

Guy's

I don't use ecabs to do my mdf doors but I would think you can acheive this with a cab that has all the parts deleted. Thats the way I do my drawers. Then add and change size accordingly in batch.

Forrest

[Ryan Hochgesang]

To All,

Another option you may look into for creating customized MDF doors would be using the Cabinet Editor to create a display panel with Sheet stock, then take the panel into the Part Editor to put your customized design on it, using the profile tools available or with tools you've created. Once you've saved the panel, you can then use Batch Editor to batch the doors which would have been saved as an Assembly (.esa file). However, you are limited to only changing the qty. and not the overall size of the door or drawer front. The overall dimension would be set when working with display panel in Cabinet Editor.

As far as the newest addition to doors in eCabs, this is referring to the 5 peice style doors. We've just released the new option for the Thermwood Controller to create Five Piece Doors and Drawer Fronts. Now any Five Piece Door or Drawer Front designated as build in-house in eCabinet Systems version 5.1 will export to the machine for processing. Simply create a .twd file and send it to the controller. We have developed an innovative clamping system that holds the stiles and rails to create precise joinery. Vacuum holds down the panel material while the machine cuts out a straight, arched or cathedral arch door based on the flexible parameters set in eCabinet Systems.

Hope this information has been helpful. You can contact us (812 937 4476 or email program@thermwood.com) directly at Thermwood if you have additional questions or concerns.

[Mike Seisser]

To All,

Another option you may look into for creating customized MDF doors would be using the Cabinet Editor to create a display panel with Sheet stock, then take the panel into the Part Editor to put your customized design on it, using the profile tools available or with tools you've created. Once you've saved the panel, you can then use Batch Editor to batch the doors which would have been saved as an Assembly (.esa file). However, you are limited to only changing the qty. and not the overall size of the door or drawer front. The overall dimension would be set when working with display panel in Cabinet Editor.

There is a way to make resizable 1 piece doors using the Part Editor. Take a frameless cabinet, any frameless cabinet, delete everything except the back. Change your back material to whatever material you are using for the one piece doors. Take the back into Part Editor, draw a path for your tool(s) in Contour mode, and run the tool(s). Once back in Cabinet Editor, enter the Constraint Manager and constrain the vertical dimension both top and bottom, and the horizontal dimension both left and right.

You can change the size the way you would any other cabinet. It nests just fine, and you can change the size when you batch them. I'm uncertain as to what that means as far as the controller goes, but I'll go out on a limb and say this is more like what you're all looking for.

The beauty of it is that you only need to make 1 file per rail/stile size and you've got an instant 1 piece resizeable door anytime you need it.

Mike

The information in this post is guaranteed until someone proves me wrong. (That and $2.42 will get you a gallon of unleaded gas.)

[Ryan Hochgesang]

Mike,

I must say, that is an excellent idea

[Mike Seisser]

Mike,

I must say, that is an excellent idea

Ah, hell, it's the least I can do. I upgraded to 5.1 for free today, so let's consider us even.

[Ryan Hochgesang]

Everyones input is certainly appreaciated!

[Jason Susnjara]

A little different way to batch doors is to take a frameless cabinet. Then delete all parts except for the toe kick. Add a left or right hinge door. Then change the toe kick to 0 for height and 0 for inset and uncheck Has Toe. This will give you just a door that is the same size as your cabinet. Then just change the sizes as needed. The same works for drawer boxes.

[Mike Seisser]

A little different way to batch doors is to take a frameless cabinet. Then delete all parts except for the toe kick. Add a left or right hinge door. Then change the toe kick to 0 for height and 0 for inset and uncheck Has Toe. This will give you just a door that is the same size as your cabinet. Then just change the sizes as needed. The same works for drawer boxes.

Hey Jason,

Will we be able to take doors into the Part Editor in a future release/build? What about drawer fronts and drawer boxes?

Mike

[Jason Susnjara]

Hi Mike,

We do have plans on the ability to take mdf doors/drawers into the part editor as well as drawer boxes in the future. 5 piece doors/drawers is still in question.