building a box for my vacuum cleaner. (Down another rabbit hole)

[mark33.in.oz]

Sorry folks, this is a real big trip up for me.

This is a bit of a long post.

Only to explain the story - though somewhat academic at this point in time.

But I feel I need to explain how I got here and why to (maybe) help in the bigger picture.

INTRODUCTION:

I have been using Fusion 360 for a few years now but it is only on a limited use and it was done more for 3D printing than where I am now.

Not to detract from what the program can do and I accept its limits.

But recent events have presented me with a whole new rabbit hole down which I am traveling now.

So for the record:

I only "designed" this to get an idea of what I wanted to do and look at how it was going to be built.

Then the situation presented itself that completely changes the course.

I bought a new vacuum cleaner (portable) and want to build it a "house".

I sat down and "built" models on the parts and then the "house" into which it would be put.
This way I could look at item interaction (or how it would look when built) and make sure things were ok.

See the model.

Knowing my luck all the pieces will be everywhere and not where I want.   Haven't worked that problem out either.

Now a "walk through" of the idea:

It is a top/sides and bottom of a box with TWO backs.   1 is the REAL back and the other (in this case) is called the "insert".

Why?

Well, this was done for my benefit for the positioning of the "charger".

At the start I wasn't sure how that was going to attach to the rear wall.   Bolts, nails or.....????

Ends up being two dowels.   There will be washers to fill in a bit of space to fill in the small gap to make it all "level" then a piece of wood (thin) put between the two dowels.

And there is a hole for the power cable to pass through.

That hole also needs to be in the back plane but the two holes for the dowel don't.

So the power cable hole needs to be lined up on both pieces.

This is easy but then lining up the "charger" with the holes is difficult so I hide the "housing" and line up the holes with the "charger" and the holes in the "insert".

Then un-hide the "housing" and move it into position and work from there.

(Sorry, I hope you are still reading this as I still haven't got to the problem yet.)

So with all pieces in place I could see what I needed to build the "house".

This was done by making a drawing of the "house" and showing all / most of the dimensions.

That was kind of painful on my version as I couldn't do all I wanted.

Not sure that is because of the limits of the version or my knowledge.   But anyway.

ALTERNATIVE IDEA:

I showed this to someone for a second opinion and......

Then someone said it could be laser cut easily.

All you need is to export the ...  file in the required format.
(Which ok:  This version doesn't allow)

But that isn't the problem.

I have access to a full version (limited use of for time) and went there with the idea of making/exporting this file.

I "hide" all the non-house parts and export to the file.

Alas ALL the pieces/parts are exported.

What kind of throws the proverbial spanner in the works for me.

QUESTION:

Main one:

What do I need to do?

Delete the non-required parts and then export?

Another while here:

So, the original idea is I make a "model" of all the things and make sure they can "play with each other nicely" in the house I want to make.

But any time I go in and edit a piece/part:  all/most other parts get moved elsewhere/back to their start positions.

Ok, I kind of get that.

But isn't FUSION supposed to be ...... parametric?

And as I am making ... components (separate parts) rather than as I originally did - in one big homogeneous mess - shouldn't they remember where I put them?

I know this is a big ask and it will be difficult to help me.

I am not even sure I am going to be able to understand what will be said/told to me via the group as "SIMPLEX" "HALF DUPLEX"  (two way communication with long delay between who's talking)  communications are not easily processed by me.

I'll stop here as I think I have (probably) gone on long enough now and already lost people.

Going on more will only lose more.

Thanks in advance.

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@mark33.in.oz wrote:
Not a big deal, but you didn't explain "circular pattern" to me.

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Yes, because only 2 @ 180 deg circular pattern can be used (shown in my timeline).

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@mark33.in.oz wrote:

1 - the second sketch 4:18.   Ok, the "origin" is at/on the back of the back part.

You make a construction line from there "out" (forward) the thickness of the wood.   Then a second one form the front of that line.    The distance is set to the depth.....

From there you put a vertical line at that line's mid-point.

Problem (for me)

That means the vertical line will NOT be in the middle of the side piece.   It will be offset by "thickness"

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@mark33.in.oz 

As I alluded to in the video this is a design decision that I made to put in the middle of the inside face rather than from the middle of the panel including finger joints.  I think I sort of stated (but maybe not explicitly) that if you want different you could do differently (leave out the 7mm line).  It is your Design Intent that you should follow - I’m just demonstrating alternative techniques.

[TheCADWhisperer]

@mark33.in.oz 

Manual nesting layout for the dxf - you might want to add additional Joints to fully define position.

I recommend that prior to these steps you create a separate sketch showing the boundaries of the laser table.

https://youtu.be/4FdN2Xp3jDw

[mark33.in.oz]

No problem - I do remember you did mention that.

I just wanted to mention that to clear it in my mind.

All good.

and THANKS THANKS THANKS for the video too.

The laser cutter has "its own program" and all I do is drag/drop the DXF file and it "parses" it as needed.

The units are set, bed size etc.

But thanks for mentioning that.

 Tomorrow - local time - I buy the wood and tomorrow night all things being good:  It gets cut!

 Wednesday it gets glued.

Thursday it gets stained/coated.

Friday I can bring it home.

[mark33.in.oz]

Got the wood cut.

WOW!

Slight problem - my mistake - on the "hooks". The slot was 7mm too big. Easy fixed.
Quick onsite test assembly. Looks great.
Today I am off to glue the pieces together.

Would you like to see the piccies?
(Just offering. No obligation.)

[TheCADWhisperer]

@mark33.in.oz 

We put a lot of work into this - you owe us the pictures of finished product.

(Show the flats before assembly too, if it isn't too late.)

[mark33.in.oz]

I am not sure the order in which they will be displayed.

Pictures put in one at a time.

 

Initial positioning test (above)

 

The wedges being placed.

This is confusing.  I'll put the comments above the piccies now.

The Hooks being positioned.

Oh, and you can see the dowels to hold the charger.

I really messed up with the hole size.   But with some help bigger dowels were used and tapered down for the charger.

Very tight fit.   (Pushed in from the back - with glue)

  

The original problem with the dowels and the hole sizes.

 

Box assembled.   LOTS of clamps while glue is drying.

 

 

(Not the best but another picture of things being done.)

Final assembly of back plane wood.

Walls about to go on.

Sorry I am not really one who takes a lot of piccies.

Today I am going to paint/stain/(something) to it to seal the wood.

Tomorrow it comes home.

Slight update:

Painted/stained.

Looks good.

But still not brought it home.   Leaving it to dry overnight.

More piccies coming soon.

[mark33.in.oz]

(And more piccies from today's staining)

Bare but upright.

 

3 of in being stained.

   

I've left it to "dry" and as said:  hope to bring it home tomorrow.

But - alas - I have a sneaking suspicion that I may need to actually SEAL it.

What I applied today was a STAIN.  (Water based)

I didn't check if that will seal the wood or not.

Which is what I will have to do tomorrow.   Read the tin a bit more.

[mark33.in.oz]

(Last two)

Got it home.

Piccie of it in the sun - better lighting.

Piccie if it where it will live - populated.