depth cut is deeper than setting in the pocket depth setting

[roper]

I am using the pocket tool to remove material in a square configuration. My material setting is 1.625 as I have a board under my project to protect my cnc machine bed. My actual wood depth is 1 inch. I have set the pocket tool start depth at zero (material setting is Z Zero top of material) and a cut depth of .5 for a half inch of cutting. However the actual cutting depth is cutting to a depth of .8 or almost 3/4 of an inch. Any suggestions as to what is going on?

[Rcnewcomb]

Any suggestions as to what is going on?

1. Can you tell us how you are zeroing your bit?
2. In your project is the Material Z set to the top or the bottom of the material?

[roper]

I am using the touch plate to mark my zero point and x,y settings are zeroed out. My material Z setting is set for the top of the material.

[Rcnewcomb]

I am using the touch plate to mark my zero point

Just to be clear, you are setting the touch plate on top of your material which is on top of the spoil board and zeroing with the bit you are going to use for carving, correct?

[roper]

that is correct, I have my spoil board on the bed of the machine with my 1 inch material board on top of that. I then have my touch pad on top of the material board. I found my center starting point on the material point (marked by a pencil mark) and move my router bit till is on the pencil mark. I then zero xy points on the touch pad and then run the app to set my zero point. After going through the steps to set the zero point and the touch pad tells me the zero point is confirmed and after okaying that point, I go to the usb pad and load the pocket toolpath application (*.tap file) and start the procedure. To my uninformed opinion ( I am a newbie at this) if I add the depth of the touch plate (.3125) and the set depth of my tool path (o.50), it machines the pocket to approximately 3/4 of inch instead of the half inch it is supposed to be. After the machining is done, I noticed the touch pad showed a z point of .80 which may be just a coincidence is the decimal number for 3/4 of an inch.

[Ms Wolffie]

I haven't used the touchpad since I bought it but, as far as I remember, the depth is already done in the setup so that the machine adds it itself when you set the Zero.

[Rcnewcomb]

and a cut depth of .5 for a half inch of cutting. However the actual cutting depth is cutting to a depth of .8

if I add the depth of the touch plate (.3125)

as far as I remember, the depth is already done in the setup so that the machine adds it itself when you set the Zero.

That would explain why a 0.5" cut is going 0.3125" too deep.

My material setting is 1.625 as I have a board under my project to protect my cnc machine bed.

I would discourage you from doing adding the thickness of your spoil board to the project. . If the material is 1" thick then use that thickness. The spoil board is considered the base.