Clearance and large flat areas

[historybuff]

Hi,

I am using VCarve 6.0 and have questions about how to accomplish 2 different routing processes:

1) My full image size is 13.75 x 8.5 and 1/2 deep. Throughout the image there are large areas that need to be routered down 1/16 inch. A .25 flat router bit would work best I think. However, in the same image, there are series of lines 1/16 wide, deep, and between lines. (See below. The bottom of the image contains the large areas to be flattened.) I could use a 20 degree V engraving bit for the entire image, but to router the large flat areas with the smaller bit would take lots of extra time. How do I use the .25 flat bit for the large flat areas, then the 20 degree V engraving bit for the rest?



2) For the lines area, I want them 1/16 deep, 1/16 inch wide, and 1/16 apart. I have tried setting the clearance everywhere from 1/16 to 1/8 inch (decimals) but the router keeps flattening the entire area with no space between lines. What do I need to set where to accomplish what I want?

Thanks in advance for your time and consideration.

Rick Brown

[fison]

Rick,

Without the .CRV file its hard follow. Can you upload it?

[historybuff]

Here are both the .crv and .tap files. Thanks for your help.

Rick Brown

[fison]

Rick,

The problem is that the vectors you created comprise one big connected area. To mill out separate areas you need to break them up. Take a look at this version of your file I edited and see if this is more what you were trying to do.

Note that to cut a series of paralell lines .0625" deep x .0625" wide with .0625 spacing I would use single vectors spaced .125" apart and cut them with a .0625" bit.

My $.02,

tap-crv Updated.ZIP

(277.75 KiB) Downloaded 305 times

[historybuff]

So far, so good. Thanks.

Now I am attempting another routing job. I have an image that is 2.75 X 3.25 inches. It is only 2D, i.e. specific areas milled down 1/8 inch. The rest with no routing. The first time on the image I wanted the white areas to be milled down. All it did was outline the shapes. Then I inverted the image and tried it again. It still only outlined the image. What do I need to change to accomplish this? (I am making a "rubber" stamp.)





Thanks for your time and consideration.

Rick Brown

[fison]

Rick,

For some reason the software does not like your 10 degree V-bit. I changed the cut to a 60 degree V-bit and it worked fine. If you're really using a 10 degree V-bit you might ask Vectric about this issue.

[historybuff]

You are fast! Actually, it just came to me that I used an engraving toolpath instead of pocket toolpath.

Rick Brown