Is it possible to pick what cut 3D machines?

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blain1976
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Is it possible to pick what cut 3D machines?

Post by blain1976 »

Hello,

I'm hoping someone can give me some tips/ideas on accomplishing this.

I want to use Cut 3D and VCarve Pro to machine a fret board for an acoustic guitar.

What my idea process would be (not in this order) is to use VCarve Pro to cut the fret slots, inlay pockets, and to cutout the profile of the fret board. For Cut 3D I only want it to radius the top of the fret board with a 16" radius.

Right now though when I import the fret board model into Cut 3D, it radius' the top of the board, but it also goes along the profile of the fret board. Is there any way to keep it from doing the profile and just radius the top?

Thank you in advance for your time.

Blain

blain1976
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Joined: Fri May 11, 2012 11:57 pm
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Re: Is it possible to pick what cut 3D machines?

Post by blain1976 »

I thought I may have just figured it out, but it's not working for me.

I thought maybe if I change the cut plane position in the Model to right at the edge of the boards radius that I could keep it from going down the sides of the board cutting out the profile.
But when I do this, I get an error for the roughing tool path that says "Check the tool step down does not exceed the cut plane depth".

Depth of model below surface = 0.00 (Meaning the top of the board would be tangent to the radius).
Cut plane position in Model = 0.1 (This is about where the edge of the radius is before it starts to cut the profile)
Pass Depth is 0.0625

I don't understand what isn't working. Isn't the tool step down the same thing as pass depth? If so, then it is less (0.0625 vs. 0.1)

Am I on the right track? Any advice on what is going wrong here?

blain1976
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Re: Is it possible to pick what cut 3D machines?

Post by blain1976 »

I still don't know what is wrong with the roughing tool path, but if I deselect it, the finishing tool path works ok, so I guess I'll just proceed with that.

I'd still be curious if there's a way to not have Cut 3D cut everything.

For example, for a guitar bridge, it would be nice to have the finished model, but not have Cut 3D try to cut the pin holes since these would be better put in using a drill bit.

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Adrian
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Re: Is it possible to pick what cut 3D machines?

Post by Adrian »

If you can't remove the pin holes from the original model, which is the best way to do it, then you would really need Aspire. In that you select which areas to machine by using vector boundaries.

Cut3D is not really designed to do what you're trying to do so you're always going to run into issues.

blain1976
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Re: Is it possible to pick what cut 3D machines?

Post by blain1976 »

So you're saying that Aspire can take a 3D model (STL I assume) and will let you pick what you want to machine?

If so, then I should look into it. That sounds like what I might need.

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Mike-S
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Re: Is it possible to pick what cut 3D machines?

Post by Mike-S »

Yes, just make a vector around what you want to machine.
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VectorBounded.jpg

lingsbord
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Re: Is it possible to pick what cut 3D machines?

Post by lingsbord »

Blain, according to the sales blurb for VCarve pro you can also select vectors in there? I haven't looked myself but it might save you the cost of Aspire?

I understand your problem because I'm also in the business of building guitars etc, and in Cut3D I have to create a separate drawing for every process I want to run. Frustrating, but I can't afford Aspire just yet!
I'd rather have a bottle in front o' me than a frontal lobotomy

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Adrian
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Re: Is it possible to pick what cut 3D machines?

Post by Adrian »

It won't work in VCarve as it uses the imported Cut3D toolpath so it can't skip parts of the toolpath which is what would be required here.

Aspire on the other hand does the 3D toolpathing within itself so the toolpaths can be adjusted.

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mrmfwilson
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Re: Is it possible to pick what cut 3D machines?

Post by mrmfwilson »

You can limit the edges to not cut the profile. Set the margins around the part to a small value. Zero won't work. I usually use .01.

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