Profile vs Engraving

[jamin35008]

I’m attempting to cut out a street map that will go on the inside of a clock face. I don’t have my laser set up yet so I have been playing around with various techniques to carve very small lines at least .2 to .4 deep. (When I try using a Vcarve some of the roads are so shallow I’m afraid that when I sand I’m going to lose parts so I’m not using vbits.)

I’ve been trying a profile and engraving cut. Could anyone explain why when using a very small endmill like 1/32 or 1/64 and a profile cut I can’t get all the roads to cut? Is the profile sort of like a Vcarve in that if the program can’t fit the bit in the selected area it will not cut? I’m selecting In/to the left because I wasn’t everything inside the lines to cut.

If I try to use the same vectors and bit with a engraving cut it will cut everything just fine but takes a very long time. How does the engraving differ from the profile in that one works and the other doesn’t? Does the engraving cut along the line no matter the size of the vector?

Thanks!

[Adrian]

Without seeing the file it's hard to say 100%. If you use the Solid toolpath options (on the top toolbar) you will be able to see where the bit is reaching and where it's not.

If you're profiling inside a closed vector and parts of the shape are narrower than the bit then it will skip those parts as it would break out of the defined vectors. If you have the profile set to be On the vector or outside then that's not an issue.

The engraving toolpath is basically cutting On the vector.

[jamin35008]

Thanks Adrian. I’m sorry I couldn’t include the file unfortunately I’m at work.

So I’m guessing if I selected profile and on the line it would look similar to the engraving tool path? I’m choosing the engraving because I have the option of using “Fill” “Outline” so if anything is left in the middle of the roads it will carve it out.

I wish there was a way to do this with the profile since its faster but I don’t know of one. Engraving is going to take about 5 hours with a 1/64 bit going .04” deep.

[martin54]

You can still use vbits just don't use the vcarve toolpath

[jamin35008]

You can still use vbits just don't use the vcarve toolpath

I have tried that and may go back to doing that.

The reason I was using the engrave toolpath with a small endmill was the detail and because it allows clean up in between the two vectors (road sides) using fill option with outline I believe however, engrave doesn't allow ramping. Not really needed for true engraving. I would like to use the profile toolpaths because it allows ramping but cant figure out how to clean up any material that is left over in the middle of a road (between two vectors) like shown below.

With profile I have to use "on the line" which is causing this to happen in some spots:
The black line is the vector, the red is the endmill carved area and the white is material left over that I need milled out but cant figure out how using profile.

[mtylerfl]

Please upload your file here, so we can see what’s going on. If your file is too large, upload it to your DropBox account and post the download link here.

This will help us to help you.

[jamin35008]

Please upload your file here, so we can see what’s going on. If your file is too large, upload it to your DropBox account and post the download link here.

This will help us to help you.

I'm trying to add the .crv file but it doesn't seem to be taking it. I tried the gcode too and got the same thing.

[mtylerfl]

The file must be larger than 2MB. You’ll need to use DropBox (it’s free to set up an account if you don’t have one already).

Don’t bother with the gCode, of course. It’s the actual crv file that we need.