Help to Improve VCarve Results

[JodieCuckooDavis]

I'm using a 60 degree vgroove bit with a 1/2 in cutting diameter in 1/4" Baltic Birch Plywood for my company name on the back of my clocks. I'd like the letters to be neater. Maybe if I don't go so deep? Any thoughts as to how can I improve my results?

Jodie

[ger21]

If you can put a sealer on the wood before carving it, it will cut cleaner. The sealer helps to keep the wood from splintering.

Make sure the bit is very sharp.

Maybe try a 30° bit?

Maybe lower the feedrate?

[LittleGreyMan]

I agree with Gerry.

But I do not think you will be able to repetitively have a clean cut in plywood, because each batch will have its characteristics. You will be very dependant of the cover quality (I mean the first layer, not sure you call it like that in English) and the gluing. I had engraved birch plywood many times, but it was only to label the parts and the engraving quality was not relevant. Sometimes it came out perfectly, sometimes it was really ugly, using the same bit, feed and speed.

To get a clean engraving, I'd cut and engrave a batch of labels in hard wood, brass, or any other consistent material and glue it in a pocket machined with a small allowance.

BTW, nice and funny clocks!

[adze_cnc]

Maybe try a 30° bit?

I'd go the opposite: 110 or 120 deg. i.e. keep it shallow so you get the letters but not the chip-out.

Other options if you:

1. custom branding iron
2. custom punch
3. don't use Baltic birch as your plywood (nasty stuff---gets fuzzy and chips far too easily)

[JodieCuckooDavis]

This is what I thought: that it will be difficult to get right and to duplicate.

This is the back of the case for one of my designs. The hole is were you hang the cuckoo clock. This was one of my options for labeling all of my clocks and I figured would be a time saver versus other alternatives since the pieces are already on the machine. (These aren't onsies, this is production.)

I would LOVE to carve a back plate from a more friendly wood, but the back has to be flush to the wall.

Branding is an option but an investment of nearly $1000 and a whole 'nother operation with another tool. Not sure about that though it'd look fantastic. Haven't looked into punching.

So I'm thinking a printed tag. If I go that route I suppose I'd put it on the clock after staining, then varnish over. (Am using General Finishes water based.)

Regarding the BB... I chose that for it's stability. The boxes are rabbeted. And sure are solid when glued together. Yes, I've been getting a little bit of chipping and a good bit of fuzziness, especially in the rabbets. So I lowered my feed rate and increased my spindle rpm's today and got a piece that's way better.

Thank you. Sometimes deciding NOT to go a certain route is headway!

Jodie

[Samson]

This is what I thought: that it will be difficult to get right and to duplicate.

This is the back of the case for one of my designs. The hole is were you hang the cuckoo clock. This was one of my options for labeling all of my clocks and I figured would be a time saver versus other alternatives since the pieces are already on the machine. (These aren't onsies, this is production.)

I would LOVE to carve a back plate from a more friendly wood, but the back has to be flush to the wall.

Branding is an option but an investment of nearly $1000 and a whole 'nother operation with another tool. Not sure about that though it'd look fantastic. Haven't looked into punching.

So I'm thinking a printed tag. If I go that route I suppose I'd put it on the clock after staining, then varnish over. (Am using General Finishes water based.)

Regarding the BB... I chose that for it's stability. The boxes are rabbeted. And sure are solid when glued together. Yes, I've been getting a little bit of chipping and a good bit of fuzziness, especially in the rabbets. So I lowered my feed rate and increased my spindle rpm's today and got a piece that's way better.

Thank you. Sometimes deciding NOT to go a certain route is headway!

Jodie

It would be easy to mill a pocket the depth of a piece of brass, and engrave the brass. Do a fill and it would look better than a sticker, and sit flush, or slightly recessed.

Custom electric branding irons can be had for between $100 and $150. They work well, and anything you do, short of carving, is another step and potentially another tool.

[JodieCuckooDavis]

Samson, true, but for a small branding iron. I want mine to be close to 3 inches. Which means a tool that can handle that size. We're taking over $500 for the tool and a few hundred for the brand.

The brass would be pretty! Can you point me in the direction of what brass I'd need to get?

Just did another test with my improved settings.
Changed feed from 50 to 30 IPM
spindle from 12000 18000 RPM.
MUCH better. But I still have some fuzzies on the right side.
I'm using a Whiteside .25" down cut spiral. I have my depth at .26"Should I tweak them both a little more?

Jodie

[Tailmaker]

Samson, true, but for a small branding iron. I want mine to be close to 3 inches. Which means a tool that can handle that size. We're taking over $500 for the tool and a few hundred for the brand....

I suppose you would use the branding iron not THAT often. Means you could cut your own branding plate from a brass sheet on your own machine. Then heat it with a torch or even on the gas stove and press it manually on the wood surface. For real luxury you could bolt or braze on a handle rod or just handle it with pliers. Should cost near to nothing and while a little more difficult to cut you could do that even in mild steel.

Here an example of a branding plate that was about 3" wide made from mild steel. I know I should not have engraved the vise jaws...

[BDM]

I would LOVE to carve a back plate from a more friendly wood, but the back has to be flush to the wall.

Jodie

That's why I would second LGM's suggestion: To get a clean engraving, I'd cut and engrave a batch of labels in hard wood, brass, or any other consistent material and glue it in a pocket machined with a small allowance.
Doing that would keep the back flush to the wall, i.e. the "label" would be inlaid into your plywood.

One other option, mainly because I have one, is to use a small laser (like a JTech) attached to your router carriage and burn your logo into it. If you're building clocks you could probably find a lot of other artistic uses for it.

[LittleGreyMan]

I'm using a Whiteside .25" down cut spiral. I have my depth at .26"Should I tweak them both a little more?

Jodie,

For full cuts, if your machine is sturdy enough, you can consider using a compression bit: up cut end and down cut in the upper part, with a lateral entry in the plywood using the lead option.

If not (light machine or other types of cut), use a down cut bit for the upper part (2-3 mm) of the cut then an up cut bit which will more easily get rid of chips and will cleanly cut the bottom. Requires changing tool if you have no ATC, but worth the pain.

You will have to adapt your cutting conditions for your tools and machine but using this combination can produce cuts with nearly no fuzzies in birch plywood.

Take care of vibrations too. How do you hold your material on your machine? Vacuum holding is probably the best way for cutting this kind of materials.

HTH

[JodieCuckooDavis]

Hello Helpful Folks,

I did end up having a branding iron made by Brand New. It is electric, and the image area is 1 1/2" x 3". Cost me $327 with shipping.

Works great! Takes about 20 mins to heat up and is scary hot.

It does add to production time of the clocks as it is a separate operation, but I think the results are worth it. (Even if the clock spends its life with its back to the wall. Hey, first impressions, right?)



FYI: This is the first Made in America cuckoo clock I'm about to introduce. I was designing them, having them made in the Black Forest, and importing them, but they were so slow -- as in years to get a new design -- I have become my own supplier. The case for this was of course made on a CNC and the decorative parts are laser cut.


Thanks for your help!

~Jodie

[Leo]

WOW, Jodie, those clocks are fantastic. The branding iron is a classy finishing touch, nice solution to the problem.