step design|Forum|WOOD DESIGNER

Hi Shane,

I have contacted Joe Cappelli who has confirmed that you need extra CAM software to input you DXF into your machine.

I have contacted the editors of a CAM package called ASPAN by Atool Software in Italy who said that their software will work with your machine and they will be sending me more information.

I'll keep you updated.

All the best,

Ness

PS I'll start a new thread on this theme in the CNC section of the forum.

Hi Shane,

If you use a CNC to cut you stairs it'll be easy to adjust the step widths to the total stair run and make a better and safer stair with no extra time or effort. 

To get the DXf files for your machine goto Files>TXT/DXF Export Optons:

In the dialogue box tick Export one File per Piece:

Go back to File>Export Stair>DXF 2D:

And select a folder to save all the DXF parts.

The parts will come with the origin at the bottom left hand corner.

If you can give me some more information on how you use DXF on your machine I'll try to show you how to set them up for machining.

What CAM interface are you using to set tool paths on your CNC?

If you can send me all the machine and software details I'll see what we can do.

Hope this is helpful

All the best,

Ness

Hi Shane,

For me this is a strange way to calculate a stair.

Have you got any examples? can send to me some drawings ?

The best way to get StairDesigner to set up a step at 250mm is to set the flight length as a multiplication of 250.

If the stair has to turn then put a landing step and adjust it's position to a multiple of 250.

Why do you have to have steps that are always 250+30?

If I understand better your stairs I'll shoot you a video to show the best way to set them up, but you might find that changing the way you design will give better results.

If you can get DXF into your machine it'll certainly be easier than programming from your console.

Hi Shane,

Not sure what you mean by changing the dog leg direction.

If you mean make the stair turn left then just tick the "left turn box" in the stair well parameters:

If you want to change the newels side you have to erase the unwanted newel and add a newel on the side you want.

To erase the newel double click it and untick the newel dialogue box:

Then just add a newel on the side you want it.

For newel I suggest you have a look at :

https://wooddesigner.org/membe.....wel-posts/

and the quick start video here:

https://wooddesigner.org/membe.....ick-start/

StairDesigner always calculates the step widths from the flight length or total stair run. If you want a stair with a specific step width you have to give the appropriate total stair run. For a straight stair this is easy, just take the number of steps you want and multiply by 250 to get the total stair run or flight length.

For a stair with winders things can get more complicated .

How do you usually design your stairs ?

If you can give me a description of the process you usually use I'll tell you how best to use StairDesigner to fit the way you work.

If  your CNC only accepts floppy disks you'll have to get an old computer that will write the DXF files to a floppy.

Some old machines also have serial com ports that you can connect to with a serial nul modem cable, this can sometimes be easier that playing around with floppies but will require some setting up.

Have you got any more detailed information on your machine?

How do you get data into it actually ?

Do you have a CAM software interface or are you programming the machine code directly from the machine console ?

All the best,

Ness

As promised heres a little video showing how to limit the number of winders so that you always get some straight steps:

Click here to view

All the best,

Ness