Do multiple Rough-ins have to be redundant?

[Dale Vanderlaan]

Thanks for the replies. I ended up making the bevels on the table saw and they only require some sanding. They came out a lot smoother than expected. I then put the panels through a few toolpaths on the CNC and this is how they came out. They are 9.5"x42.5" in size and will be the bottom halves of a bi-fold door for the back stairway of our house to help control heat flowing up the stairs in the winter. Got tired of pushing our ways through the old blanket hung on a couple of nails. Not bad for a first project. Now to the sanding.
Dale

[highpockets]

Looks really good! Thanks for sharing.

[scubanimal]

Very nice, especially for a first project. Please do post a final pic of your project installed. Its amazing to see what folks come up with.

[Leo]

Looks cool. Nice job on that.

CNC Routers combined with CAM such as Vectric is a very versatile prospect.

There are soooo many different ways to approach a given situation.

There is the question of table saw vs 3D cutting vs 2D cutting.

With proper use of boundary vectors and 3D finish cutting and roughing on a sable saw - it can be made to be pretty efficient.
BUT - the question is HOW - to we "SEE" the creative answer to the situation.

Its all in learning how to be creative with Vectric and understanding how to get what you want. TRUE - there is some lack of intelligence as to how vectric finish cut looks at rough material, but that is where the human mind comes into the picture. Vectric is versatile enough to allow the human intervention and creativity to do what we need to do.

Sure - that 10,000 hours of experience DOES play an important role, but if it was so easy, anyone could do it.

The bevels on the panels look great - and not to minimize that at all. Just to "see" a little further into the "possibilities" of a creative mind and how the CNC router can embelish a but further. The bevel cut could be a roughing out cut and with vector borders and a cool curved two rail sweep of fluted profile the bevel could become a custom ogee curve or more.

Sorry - not meant to belittle at all - just trying to expand a little.

REALLY - your panels are awesome

[TReischl]

Can I tell the software that I have already created the edges of my door panels on the table saw with a dado blade and just use the CNC to run a thin cut over these cuts to clean them up? In other words, tell the software that I am not starting a toolpath with a flat piece of wood.
Thanks for any help but I'm afraid I already know the answer - no.

Dale

Well, if you already know the answer. . . . why ask the question? Seriously....

If you have already used the table saw to "rough out" the shapes there is really no need to do any roughing out cuts on the machine. Go straight to the finish pass. Generally I will look at a job, if it is mostly shallow cutting with only a few deep areas I will just put boundaries around them and rough them out. It makes me crazy to watch the machine cut more air than wood, which happens a lot when I just spec the whole darn piece for roughing out. So I quit doing it.

If all you need to do is "clean them up" then that is all you should tell the software to do!

I am known to head for the drill press when I an cutting a really deep pocket. Use the biggest forstner bit that will work and hog the material out. Then I tell the software to do a profiling pass in increments. Then, to clean up the bottom I tell the software that the tool can cut full depth in one pass and let 'er rip. Wayyyyy, wayyyy faster than watching a half inch end mill eat its way through all that wood.