Cutting Air

[creativescrollworks]

Using Piranha LX, vCarve Desktop 9.015

Have a setup to cut 2 of the SAME pieces with a 2 pass cut, side by side.

While the left side cut properly, when the router moved to the right side, the FIRST pass cut AIR and then lowers to cut the second pass, which is not enough.

When the router returns to the home X,Y,Z, the router is higher than it was set (using both a touch plate and manually setting Z.)

[FixitMike]

1. Does this happen every time you run the file?
2. I suspect that the router attempts to plunge too far at the end of the first piece and loses steps.

[martin54]

From what you have said it sounds like your losing steps as Mike has suggested, when the machine raises to move to the second position does it hit the top stop?
Have you tried measuring the first part it cuts to make sure it is cutting to the correct depth? If it is losing steps when it plunges then your pirst cut which looks correct may be to shallow

[creativescrollworks]

Cutting 1/4" wood, so the router is not hitting the top stop. I'm only cutting part way thru the wood.

[Adrian]

It's definitely losing steps if the finishing Z home is not the same as the starting Z home. You need to work your way through what you're doing with that information and find out what could be causing it. Most common ones are the retract being too high so the Z tops out, pushing the machine too hard (feed rate, pass depth) or binding on the axis.

[FixitMike]

If the router Z0 is higher at the end of the cut, it means that it lost steps when moving downward. It is not a problem with hitting an upward limit.

[flying_flip]

I found on my Pirahna that the Router was slipping upward in the bracket.
This will cause your second cut to be lighter...

Try adding a piece of sandpaper between the bracket and the router.

Phil