Hello All, NEW to Vectric, Question inside

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lward1988
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2019 12:24 pm
Model of CNC Machine: laguna swift 4x8

Hello All, NEW to Vectric, Question inside

Post by lward1988 »

Hello,
I just wanted to drop in and leave a message and hopefully begin learning this new Cut 2dPro software sooner than later! I've been using an XCarve for years now that I expanded to 39x72. Needless to say i've spent these years learning the Easel software, which is very easy to work with. Fast forward to now and we have a brand new Laguna Tools Swift 4x8 and I've chosen Cut 2dpro to run my business on with this machine.!!! We make simple square cutouts from xpvc and i've figured out how to make the squares for the outer diamter, but I need a door cutout with .25 radius as well as a 1/4" pocket around that radius to create a backstop for the door that will be in the center of the square. I see that I can cut outside the line as usual for the outside cut, but when I do the door, I'd like to be able to cut the center out for the door and then make the "pocket" for the door to fit inside all in one file...I've been searching for weeks on here to find exactly what I need and don't think its on here, although it seems so simple to do, i've yet to figure it out...Thanks to anyone with any insight!

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Martin Reid
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Video tutorials

Post by Martin Reid »

Dear ....

Vectric have some great video tutorials here...

https://support.vectric.com/tutorials/V9/?

Sincerely
Martin

lward1988
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2019 12:24 pm
Model of CNC Machine: laguna swift 4x8

Re: Hello All, NEW to Vectric, Question inside

Post by lward1988 »

Thanks for your reply Martin! I've been through them video's so many times at this point. None of them should how to simply put a "lip" on a cut...The pocket feature seems to only be to "clear" large areas but I simply need to be able to run a square cutout and then put a recessed lip around the cutout...

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Adrian
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Re: Hello All, NEW to Vectric, Question inside

Post by Adrian »

You create two vectors. One is the inside edge of the lip and the other is the outside edge. Now create a pocket toolpath with those two vectors selected and set the depth of cut to how deep you want it to be.

The pocket cut clears the area constrained by one or more vectors to the depth you set it to. That are can be as big or as small as the cutter will allow and can be any shape you desire.

lward1988
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2019 12:24 pm
Model of CNC Machine: laguna swift 4x8

Re: Hello All, NEW to Vectric, Question inside

Post by lward1988 »

Adrian,
what you are saying is the only thing I can think of to do, learning how to do it is the real issue! My biggest issue is i'm not used to cutting the OD on the cnc, we've always cut that on the saw and set the part at 0,0 home and just cut the center. Vectric I find is difficult to know where my parts are in space on the program. I've just made a test cut that was nowhere near my 0,0 home position. I'm thinking the origin maybe where it cut from...

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Adrian
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Re: Hello All, NEW to Vectric, Question inside

Post by Adrian »

Start at the beginning with the tutorials and work your way through. Don't just watch them, work alongside them and keep repeating it until you understand how it works. The examples might not be exact copies of what you want to do but all the techniques build up. The Help Contents on the Help menu is interactive as well so you can click on the various icons in the screen shots and drill down to get more info.

This is not the sort of software you can learn by just diving in without becoming frustrated and missing out on some basic things. It takes an investment in time with the tutorials to get the best out of it and it will pay dividends with more complex jobs in the future.

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TReischl
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Re: Hello All, NEW to Vectric, Question inside

Post by TReischl »

There are a bunch of "zeroes" that can confuse the beginners all to pieces.

First there is the "machine zero". That is the one that the machines moves to trying to find switches that tell it that it has arrived at a known point. (commonly called machine home, origin, etc) (Note, some machines do not do this at all, but those are a bit weird)

Then there is the "offset zero point". The machine is moved to a location and the x/y zeroes are set.

And then there is the "part program zero point". This is the point designated in the programming software as zero.

Machine zero is not important unless you run your programs from that location. Not a good idea.

The reason I called the second one "offset zero point" is because that is what it is, it is an OFFSET location from the machine zero point (commonly called machine home, origin, etc). On many machine controls there can be many offset locations, often referred to as workpiece offsets or fixture offsets.

The important thing to understand is that the zero used in the software is the same one used by the offset zero point. So if you set zero in the lower left of a part then you will be cutting in the plus directions in x and y. Therefore you need to set the zero at the lower left corner of the work.

Zero is rarely where the machine starts cutting. In most cases the machine never cuts anything at the zero point.
"If you see a good fight, get in it." Dr. Vernon Johns

ezurick

Re: Hello All, NEW to Vectric, Question inside

Post by ezurick »

Clear as mud Ted.... lol.


Can you post a picture of what you are trying to do? It would help some of us understand where you are having a problem. I purchased CUT2D at the same time I got my machine, but it was weeks before I actually powered it up to do my first cut. As others have suggested, those tutorials have a wealth of information. Also, download and look at many of the free projects. I've dissecting many of them before I jumped into trying any. The vectric software line is very powerful and of course it can be overwhelming for us beginners. Be patient and I am sure you will figure it out. Again, a picture, or a copy of your project uploaded would really help to assist you.

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Martin Reid
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Back to basics

Post by Martin Reid »

Dear ...

Are you still with us? If I go back to your original post it looks to me like you are cutting out a part then wanting to work on the edges of that part - Although this is possible if you take certain steps to retain accuracy - the perceived wisdom is to do all the work on the part and then cut out the part last. This way the accuracy of all the different zero's is taken care of because you know exactly where the part is.

I have created an example below

Assume I have a 'blank' 600x600x12 with 0,0 Z&Y.

I can create my part in this blank (400x400 rectangle with 25 rounded corners)
010 Create Rectangle
010 Create Rectangle
Now in order to create a rebate (you say lip) around the edge I can offset a vector inwards the width of this rebate.
020 Offset In
020 Offset In
The next offset (outwards a small amount) is optional but helps to stop the material 'feathering' on the edge of the rebate when the part is cut out. (You may want to try some using this method and some not and see what you prefer)
030 Offset Out
030 Offset Out
You can now also place other features you want on the part.

Create a pocket toolpath for your rebate (and other features) - You need to have created the 'offsets' to form a pocket that is greater than the diameter of the cutter you wish to use. (Remember there are many ways to skin a cat - some users will comment here that they would do an outside profile the depth of the rebate)
040 Create Rebate & Pocket
040 Create Rebate & Pocket
Now finally create your profile (cut out) toolpath with or without tabs as necessary
050 Create CutOut Toolpath
050 Create CutOut Toolpath
Now you are ready to output the toolpaths to a file for cutting. Make sure you have selected [output all visible toolpaths to one file] and also be aware that the order of the toolpaths are listed is the order they will run in this part file.
070 Toolpath List
070 Toolpath List
shows the toolpaths listed ‘rebate’ before ‘cutout’

Similar techniques are illustrated in the Vectric - Avalon Getting Started Video - https://support.vectric.com/tutorials/V ... video_id=2

Anyway I hope you are still with us
Sincerely and in good faith
Martin

lward1988
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2019 12:24 pm
Model of CNC Machine: laguna swift 4x8

Re: Hello All, NEW to Vectric, Question inside

Post by lward1988 »

Yes, I simply didn't see these replies until now...Thank you so much for taking the time to help! I'll reply back today after some more test cutting...Thanks again!

lward1988
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2019 12:24 pm
Model of CNC Machine: laguna swift 4x8

Re: Hello All, NEW to Vectric, Question inside

Post by lward1988 »

I have set my Origin to the bottom left corner and made a test cut, all went well aside from the depth of the cut, which I associate to the vacuum pump not being on and pulling the material down with the spoil board. I tried making a tooling adjustment from 1/4" to 1/8" and got an error about that as well. Grr...So, I switched it back, re "Z zero'd" that and was ready to go and now I can't get my controller "rich auto" to pull the program...fix one problem, encounter another.

lward1988
Posts: 15
Joined: Wed Jul 17, 2019 12:24 pm
Model of CNC Machine: laguna swift 4x8

Re: Hello All, NEW to Vectric, Question inside-UPDATE!

Post by lward1988 »

ok, bringing this back, as I thought I understood it but I guess I don't....When making a vector, say 12"x12" square, once I got to the tooling paths, tell it to cut "inside the line, that should give me a true 12x12 hole correct??? After that, if I want to make a "recess" or "rebate" as some have called it, with a .25 radius, i've found that the software ads this .25 on both side base on the tooling size...Previous software Ive used, I could simply cut a 12x12 inside the line with no radius using .25 bit and then to put the "recess" in, I would simply go "outside the line" and tell the software to make .25" radius and its perfect! Well, today, I tried this on a consignment for the Zoo and it seems it added the .5 for the radius, plus .5'' for the outside...Does this make sense? I'm having a hell of a time figuring how to make a square hole with a 1/4" (bit size) recess around that hole!!! GRRRRR....I'm extremely mechanical but can't work a computer to save my life!

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mtylerfl
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Re: Hello All, NEW to Vectric, Question inside

Post by mtylerfl »

I’m having a very hard time understanding what you are trying to do.

If you draw a 12” x 12” square and cut inside the line with a .25” diameter bit, then the resulting “square hole” will be 12” x 12” with the radius of the bit in each corner (i.e., .125”)
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Adrian
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Re: Hello All, NEW to Vectric, Question inside

Post by Adrian »

You've done something wrong but without seeing the file I can't really work out what you've done. It's the same as the other software you've used. Cut outside the line for the rebate and it works. No idea where all those other offsets have come from. The only thing I can think of is that rather than using the same vector that you did to cut the hole you've used the offset tool to create another one and that offset has increased the radius.

The radius bit is confusing me. It's physically impossible to cut a square inside hole with a round bit.

We really need to see the file you're working on to understand this I feel.

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TReischl
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Re: Hello All, NEW to Vectric, Question inside

Post by TReischl »

It is a really BAD idea to work "inside and outside the line". A horrible idea.

The first square vector is the hole in the door. Then if you need a rebate around the edge you offset that square to the outside by the amount of rebate desired. Make sure to check keep original when offsetting so you do not lose the inside vector.

Both cuts are then inside the vectors. Simple as that.

I said it was a horrible idea to cut both inside and outside a line for a reason. Tools are not always perfect. If the bit is very slightly undersized it will leave a nasty burr/ridge/bump where it could not cut but just ripped material away.

If the rebate width is wider than the tool then you will need to establish a third vector so that you can move the tool out enough.

Doing it this way allows you to use any size cutter you want. Doing it the "inside/outside" way traps you into using a cutter of a specific size to produce the rebate.
"If you see a good fight, get in it." Dr. Vernon Johns

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