Explain the default Feeds and Speeds in VCarve

[RobH063]

I have a Hobby CNC machine (X-Carve 1000mm). I bought it to just have some fun. You know, make a few signs, cut out some wood things like circles and stars and little projects that I can give away at Christmas time. So I know the X-Carve has limitations. It's not a production machine. It's not as tough as some of the lower end ready to go machines, but it was affordable. I've made some stiffening modifications to it. New wider X axis, stiffened the Y axis, have a Dewalt dwp611 router rather than the stock spindle the company used to sell, Things like that. The problem is, the default Feeds and Speeds for end mills, Ballnose cutters, Vbits etc. that come with VCarve are way too aggressive for my machine. Sure I can adjust them and I have but why have them in the tool database in the first place? There are many different machines out there. Some are very strong production machines and others are hobby machines, while others are somewhere in the middle. Surely those inputs that come with the program are tweaked by many users to fit the machine they have. I don't understand their purpose. Does anyone have the answer to this?

[ger21]

Sure I can adjust them and I have but why have them in the tool database in the first place?

Default values in any CAD/CAM program are meaningless for most people.

The reason they are in there, is that if they all defaulted to zero, vectric would get thousands of questions asking why the spindle isn't spinning, and the machine isn't moving.

[RobH063]

ok

[martin54]

Before I settled on Vectric software I looked at a number of CAM programs which all contained a tool databases with default settings for each tool. I would guess it is just something they all do
Having the tool database set up as it is allows people to use the trial software & experiment with different tooling before they even buy a CNC machine just by using the toolpath preview

As ger21 says the default settings don't really mean that much & you are told that the settings need to be adjusted to suit the individual machine they are being used with. If you have done any of the free monthly projects there is a warning about selecting yhe correct speeds & feeds for your own machine when you open them

[RobH063]

Thanks for the explanation. I haven't made any of the beginner projects. I've only watched several of the videos. I just know that all of the default feeds and speeds are wy too aggressive for my little hobby machine.