Possible to edit pocket toolpath to work top to bottom?

[jdchambers]

Hello,

I'm milling logs on my CNC table and some of them are too tall to fit under the gantry. I would love to be able to make a pocketing toolpath that would work from top to bottom, so that the log fits under the gantry as it mills ahead of it. Is this possible?

I know how to select the order of pockets if there are multiple pockets, and I know how to choose the start point of profile cuts with the node editing tool, but everything I've tried still has it pocketing from the bottom to the top within the pocket. I've even thought about changing the settings of my CNC so 0,0 would be on the opposite corner, which I think might be a solution, but I'm hoping I can just change the toolpath in the VCarve...

Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[Adrian]

Have you tried changing the raster angle?

[adze_cnc]

How about creating a manual "pocketing" toolpath:

• draw two lines whose length is the width of material you want to remove. Set apart your step-over distance and starting where you want your log milling to start
• using node edit make sure the starting point for one is on the opposite end of the other (minimizes air-moves from line to line)
• use a linear array to array those two lines to the end of the length of your log
• create a profile toolpath "on the line" , the "Start at" set to keep current start points, and the order shortest path
• you'll want to have X datum location set to the safe height end of the log (probably not 0,0)

I haven't tried this but what should happen (seeing that your X datum is probably starting on the "right hand" side of the machine) the short path order should effectively be "right to left" (which is not a normal option) and should mill from safe side to unsafe side.

Clear as mud?

[jdchambers]

Making your own toolpath with lines, I like that! Gonna give that a shot. Hadn’t thought of that. Thanks for the tip.

[adze_cnc]

Looks like "shortest path" is not always the shortest path. The resulting toolpath sometimes feels that moving to the other edge of the board is shorter than moving to the start point of the next line. It's worse if you let the software optimize start points.

But, I did try with vector selection order and don't change start points and that works just fine. See attached sample file.

Steven

[jdchambers]

Have you tried changing the raster angle?

Ya changing the Raster angle let me pocket from left to right, but changing the angle didn’t let me go from top to bottom.

[gregk]

Have you tried 180 degrees?

Greg K

[scottp55]

One of my files for surfacing burls and firewood I just modded.
Hope it works once Job Settings are set for your machine.
There's usually a raster angle that works.
scott

[adze_cnc]

...let me pocket from left to right, but changing the angle didn’t let me go from top to bottom.

Question: what axis (x or y) does you gantry travel? The file I supplied above presumes that the gantry travels along the x-axis but your desire to have something cut "top-to-bottom" makes me think your gantry travels along the y-axis.

Another way of asking is: what axis is the longest axis for your machine? My machine is: x-axis = 100 inches; y-axis = 60.

"Top-to-bottom" and "left-to-right" really don't quite convey enough information about the machine.