Figured i’d share my first few days with my Onefinity X50 Journeyman, this is also my first CNC machine ever - So the pre-shipment learning, as well as first time building, using software with the machine, etc - I’ve had the machine a few days now, fortunately I had some time off from my real job and could bunker down. I had a few mishaps that fortunately I can laugh off - Nothing too serious, but a learning experience for certain.
Boxes came, very exciting!
Using a very scientific formula of finding where I want the machine to sit.
Ok heres Tip #1, and I took more time trouble shooting this then i’d care to imagine. The instructional video says/shows the E-stop comes pushed down when you receive it, and you have to twist it to release it to turn the machine on. I did do that, and it looked like this. To a newbie like me - That looks like its been released. But it’s not! Twist that thing with all of your might to make it pop up even higher. I thought I was going to break it twisting it as hard as I did. 
Big fan of the cute stickers they put on the test piece. Nice little touch!
So at this point I decided to trace a line into the table, so I could attach my wasteboard and put it into position easily. This was my first time using moving it around with a bit inside. I homed the machine, attached a a bit, turned the router on and made a pass around the entire perimeter with only enough of the bit dug in to make a line. Doing this made it apparent that my table was not 100% level as well. (I did my best!)
Oh, when I got to the back-right corner doing the outline - I accidentally hit the right joystick downward instead of the left joystick - and proceeded to plunge the bit through my table. 
…but were not going to talk about that.
With the waste-board attached, I tried to follow a youtuber on how to make a spoilboard surfacing path in Vcarve - Which turned out to be needlessly more complicated then it had to be. Fortunately someone in the comments just suggested making a giant rectangle around your entire material and doing a pocket carve. With some settings tuned, Amana Tool database loaded in - I had my first (real) carve ready. I uploaded the file to the controller and away we went. I did the “paper” trick to lock in my Z (Can’t probe the surfacing bit!) I scribbled pencil all over the wasteboard - and after 3 passes it was all taken care of. I noticed I unfortunately could “catch a nail” when running my finger along - Which means I need to learn how to tram the machine eventually (shudder)
With the wasteboard ready - I wanted to make my first “real carve”. Growing up when I was in school, I recall computer class learning HTML and they always made us do this thing where it would pop up and say “Hello World!” So I thought, why not.
I taped some MDF and the waste board, put down some CA glue and decided I should try out the touch probe.
(Pro tip - When you receive your probe and take a look at the TINY holes in it, and look at how BIG the probe is - you’re going to tell yourself, no !@#%ing way - No matter how much I spit on that thing is it ever going to get in the hole. Well, after contemplating it for awhile and gently trying to push it in - I gave it some real power and it sucked that thing inside without missing a beat. I’m still astonished it went in.)
So, with my probe connected, knowing i’d be using a V-bit and I recall reading you can’t use the probe on a V-bit - I stuck an upside down endmill inside and used that instead…
…and this is also when I learned that probing for Z in the SMALL CIRCLE (When using XYZ probe function) is VERY IMPORTANT. Fortunately it was an upside down end mill, but my god was that a heart stopping moment watching it shred it.
With that out of the way - I ran the Gcode and…voila!
Naturally though, I wanted more. What other “simple” things for a simple person like me do? Oh.
That’s right. After spending thousands of dollars on a high precision piece of machinery and countless hours learning, assembling and creating things in anticipation of receiving the Onefinity. I drew a giant dick as my first project.
But it wasn’t all for waste - As my real intention here was to put a giant circle in a piece of wood for my dust collection bucket to sit in. I got sick of it moving around. The circle was going to be scrap anyway - and it was good practice loading several files after one another on the same project with a tool change.
Up next I wanted a different place to mount the touch screen. As handy as it is attaching to the end of the Y rail - I know I will build an enclosure eventually and wanted to sort that out. Figured a piece of MDF in front of the dust collector “holder” would be a good place. Also gave me an opportunity to try the “texturing” feature in VCarve.
It took about an hour, also learned how to merge toolpaths using the same bit. What a great feature that is.
Lastly - I needed to get some better cable management. I did not like my Y-rail cables “drooping” over the table edge. Nor nervously watching the X-rail cables moving around, hoping it wouldn’t catch on the end of the table or something I left in the way.
Got myself a 1" hole saw, some 1" “desk grommets” (To clean the look of the holes up),ordered wire extensions from Onefinity (Came the next day - Perks of living close to them in Ontario), drag chain from Amazon - and went to town cleaning things up and securing things better. This is how my setup is now and where i’m at.
It’s been a very fun learning experience these past few days. Can’t wait to move on to my next project! Cheers everyone - This community has been a wonderful find.
