Keyhole Gadget and Form Tools

[tjimholte]

Hello all,

I just started playing around with the Keyhole Gadget and when I run a simulation on the tool path it just shows an end mill slot. Is there a way to make it look more like a key hole? Am I not using the Gadget correctly?

So I also tried to use the Form Tool in the tool data base to try to make a tool that would cut like a keyhole cutter but can't figure out a single open vector shape of a typical keyhole cutter that the software will accept.

Does anyone have any experience with this?

Thanks, TJ

[gkas]

Vcarve does not show tool undercut. It will only show the slot in the simulation, but it works. The gadget does draw a sample on the 2D View screen. Test a cut on a scrap board until you're comfortable. I set my XY Datum position to center, so I know exactly where the cut starts. I just set the bit XY position to where I want the big part of the hole to start, and Z to the surface of the board. I have two saved files I generally use; left to right and bottom to top. That pretty much covers all my needs. Clamp it well. Lots of side force when the bit cuts.

[tjimholte]

Thanks, I did search the posts for this and found exactly what you just said but those posts were old (8 to 12 years) so I was hoping it might be better now...

I got it now. Thanks again for your help.

[tjimholte]

And also thanks for the tip on clamping. Some of the old posts recommend first cutting the small slot and then running the keyhole bit with slowing the speed way way down to help with this too.

[gkas]

It's not that bad. I usually put a stop block on the end of the board in the direction of cut. I use a block clamped to the board or an edge board.

I have a couple of the Axiom clamp kits, plus a few shop-made blocks.