vcarving and flat area clearance tool

[milo30]

Been years since I messed with vcarve pro and about to get back into it again so I am practicing with the software. I know about using the flat area clearance tool along with the vcarve bit but trying to figure out how to cut down time and have as clean of a pocket as possible. With lettering and design, a 1/4" endmill would be fast but would leave some areas where it was unable to reach so only the vbit would clear those areas. If I told it to use 1/8" then that bit would be able to clear almost if not everything but it takes a VERY long time of running with that sized bit. Is there a way to pocket the area with the larger bit and then come back and run a vcarve toolpath using the smaller clearance tool that I can't figure out?

I'm still trying to get back into the groove of all this and haven't remembered everything that I used to know yet.

[Dan m]

Did you try using a pocket tool path to clear everything out and then use a profile tool path with a v bit? I personally haven't used a v-carve tool path yet since so far it hasn't been what I'm looking for with my design's.

Dan

[milo30]

Yes. Unfortunately, when you then go to vcarve and use the smaller flat clearance tool it doesn't know that the area has already been cut away so it will still want to cut that space. I guess I could draw an area for it to pocket and then vcarve the rest but by the time it would take to draw that out (for me anyway), I could have just let the machine run with the smaller bit. I didn't think that there was a way to do it easily but thought that I'd ask. It would be nice if they were able to add that option to use 2 different sized flat area clearance tools.

[highpockets]

On thing you might try is two Pocket Toolpaths with Larger Area Clearance Toolpaths.

First Pocket would us a 1/4" EM Larger Area Clearance Toolpath and a 1/8" EM. Run both toolpaths
Second Pocket would us a 1/8" EM Large Area Clearance Toolpath and a 1/16" EM. The First Pocket has already run the 1/8" EM so the Large Area Clearance Toolpath isn't used just run the 1/16" EM.
With this method there is no machining of areas that have already been machined.

[adze_cnc]

To add to John's double-pocket suggestion:

Then create your v-carve/engrave toolpath with your v-bit and a 1/16" bit for the flat clearance tool.

Just run both of the paths from the first pocket (1/4" and 1/8"); run the 1/16" path from the second pocket; run the v-bit from the v-carve. i.e. create 5 paths in total and only run 3.

Steven

[milo30]

Thank you, that makes sense and is exactly what I am looking for. I will give that a shot and see if the times come down to a reasonable amount.

[Jim_in_PA]

I also use the method that highpockets measured. Something I learned awhile back is that sometimes you need to "discard" some toolpaths for the final cut to get where you want to be. Keep in mind that if you need to modify the pair, the software will restore the second large-area-clear and you'll need to manually remove it again before running the job.