stacked text tutorial

[lesad]

I was finally able to finish the stacked text tutorial.  now I have some questions for the experts, here are some photos of my sign. Why did the v bit go so deep in the date. it was a 60 degree v bit and I didnt exect it to go as deep as it did. Next why is around the letters so rough" I used a 60 degree v bit there to. Finally I have trouble with my machine almost cutting through but not quite. Is there a way to go back and get it to cut through? How do others handle that? 

Attachments:

[stevem]

You can set the flat depth when using the V-bit. I do it all the time. The normal depth is based on how large the lettering is. If the letters are 2" high, the bit will cut quite deep unless you set the flat depth.
I would suggest trying it out on some scrap MDF. As for the rough lettering, it would help to know the size of the bits you are using. It looks like the bit is just to big to fit into the smaller areas.
I almost always use MDF to test a cut I have not done before. That way you're not making too much scrap.
Other than that, the sign looks good!

[Bob]

How does your preview look?
And, would you be willing to post your crv file?

[lesad]

Dec 3, 2019 23:02:33 GMT -5 Bob said:

How does your preview look?
And, would you be willing to post your crv file?

Bob I will gladly share it but the you tube walks you through creating it. My preview didn't appear to be near this deep.

[johnb]

You're likely "deep" because there's a disconnect between where the Vectric file thought you were setting Z-0 (when cutting the date) and where you placed your puck to touch it off.
You can go back and examine each toolpath...each will tell you what the maximum cut depth will be for that toolpath (and how thick you told it the material was)
If "Tony & Lesa" and the border were 1/4" deep, then you'd subtract that from the (presumed) 3/4" thickness and that will be the "top surface" of "Duncan"
If you then pocket another 1/8" when cutting "Duncan" then what's left is 3/8" thick and you have to consider that whatever the max cut depth of the date is will be that far into material that's 3/8" thick (if you set your Z-0 for that toolpath at the level of the pocket)... even though the file might be thinking it has a 3/4" thick piece of material to work with. If the file thinks that Z-0 (for the date cutting) is set at the top of the "Duncan" level, then it's going to reflect a much shallower cut in the preview.

You also might want to "shrink" your date down a little so it's not crowding the "Duncan" letter and the border.

[Bob]

I sure would be curious to take a look at your crv. It would eliminate a lot of guessing.

[lesad]

I will post the crbv tonight bob, I forgot last night and it is at home. :-)

[redwood]

I'm assuming that you are using a profile toolpath as opposed to a vcarve toolpath. Your options should be a start depth and depth of cut. The start depth is the bottom of your pocket. Usually problems like this have to do with where you Zero your bit and where you have it set in the software. Kind of obvious, but if you zero'd your bit at the bottom of the pocket and the software is set up for top of material, your depth of cut will be much greater. Sorry if this is not the case.

[traindriver]

Did you get your problems resolved? I'm no expert, but here are a couple of thoughts:
1. Either turn up your rpm when you run the V-bit or slow down the feed. I usually turn up the spindle speed a little when I use my V-bits and it seems to make the edges less fuzzy.
2. If you are using a soft wood, like pine, the likelihood of fuzzy edges is higher than if you are using a hard wood. You definitely need to turn faster rpm in softer wood.
3. It looks like on the "Duncan" layer, you merged a larger offset of the "Tony & Lesa" words with the "Duncan" instead of the same size lettering.
4. As mentioned above, the date is carved as deep as it is because you did not set a flat depth on it, so it carved into the wood until the two sides touched.
5. When you say you have trouble with your machine almost cutting through, but not quite, are you referring to the cut out tool path? If that's the case, are you measuring your wood with calipers when you set up your file? Most of the time, I get wood that is rough sawn, and I sand it smooth. I usually don't care how thick it is, so I don't make a special effort to sand it to exactly .750 inches. I measure it, set the thickness in my Vcarve file to that, then for my cut out, I usually subtract .01" to .02" to leave a little on the bottom. I do this instead of using tabs because I run it through the drum sander a few times to take the excess off. Sometimes, I simply cut through it with a utility knife and trim the edges.

[redwood]

Dec 25, 2019 20:56:49 GMT -5 traindriver said:

5. When you say you have trouble with your machine almost cutting through, but not quite, are you referring to the cut out tool path? If that's the case, are you measuring your wood with calipers when you set up your file? Most of the time, I get wood that is rough sawn, and I sand it smooth. I usually don't care how thick it is, so I don't make a special effort to sand it to exactly .750 inches. I measure it, set the thickness in my Vcarve file to that, then for my cut out, I usually subtract .01" to .02" to leave a little on the bottom. I do this instead of using tabs because I run it through the drum sander a few times to take the excess off. Sometimes, I simply cut through it with a utility knife and trim the edges.

In 99% of my projects, I hate when I don't cut all the way through the material, especially with odd ball shapes.  I use small tabs , usually 1/8" x 3/8" tabs on 2x material.  I then use a spindle sander to take care of the tabs.

Most of my signs are out of 2x12 redwood and I just plane them til they are flat and then measure the thickness with calipers and adjust my cutout depth, usually adding just a little deeper to assure that I will cut all the way through..

[Mezalick]

Redwood,
Do you Z Zero from the materiel surface or the spoil board?

Michael

[redwood]

Dec 28, 2019 16:05:59 GMT -5 Mezalick said:

Redwood,
Do you Z Zero from the materiel surface or the spoil board?

Michael

I Z Zero from the top of the material without the puck.  I'm not complaining, it's pretty rare when I don't cut all the way through.