How long does it take...?

Newbie here! Generally, how much time does it take you from the moment you have your G code exported to the moment the first cut is made? What steps are included between export and the first cut?

it depends:

Is the system calibration acceptable?
Do you have to change the bit?
Do you have dust collection?
Do you have your work piece mounted?
Is the sled attached?

if your system calibration is good, the correct bit is already in the collet and the z axis is zeroed, the system is clean from the last cut, and the work piece is mounted, starting a new cut can take as little time as is required to shuttle the sled to the desired area of the piece to be cut, set the home position (webcontrol) or zero the x and y axis (makerverse), and then press start. This can be done in less than 5 minutes depending on how certain your dimensions are for cut location, but if you have to change the bit, rezero the Z axis, change out the sheet, clean up the floor and waste board, or recalibrate, it could be 30+ minutes. My one router has what is supposed to be an auto unloading collet that is attached to the collet nut, but it isn’t anymore so getting it out is a huge pain and it just adds about 5 minutes just to do that. Your mileage may vary and this last thought is probably obvious: if the system is set up, powered on, clean, zeroed, and calibrated at the end of the last cut, the next one starts pretty quickly.

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping to start some dialogue on how long it takes “you” in your current setup. You being generic for anyone in the community. Not so much dealing in the theoretical. I think it would be interesting to compare times and workflow. Sorry if I did not make this clear.

Put me down for 10 minutes.

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I’ll throw one in, just for fun. In Summer I’ll turn on the AC in the workshop about an hour before I intend to cut anything. Evan with the beefy TLE5206 motor shield, no way i would run the Maslow at 55°C/131°F. The few weeks we have winter, I can agree with Orob on the 10 minutes, as linux from an SSD boots pretty fast, copying the file from my house and starting the software can be achieved in that time if I’m sober…

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