I am trying to create toolpaths to carve a convex face on a Shaker drawer front.
The outside edges to be 1" and the center 3/4" when carved.
The rabbet in the back is cut such that once a panel is installed in the frame, there is an
even 1/4" reveal face to panel viewing from the front
Any ideas on how to approach such a project?
Curved face and rabbet Mission Drawer Front
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Re: Curved face and rabbet Mission Drawer Front
Dear wwoodworks
One way would be to model the top in SketchUp and export as polyface mesh (plugin details below). When I tried just now I opened this DXF in Partworks 3D made it two sided and toolpathed it there. Someone may show you how to take this 3d.dxf into Aspire or vCarve Pro direct.
At first I considered a series of fluting toolpaths with a bullnose cutter. It works great on the face but more difficult in the rebate on the back side.
Sincerely and in good faith
Martin
Images
SketchUp Plugin
https://www.guitar-list.com/download-so ... dxf-or-stl
One way would be to model the top in SketchUp and export as polyface mesh (plugin details below). When I tried just now I opened this DXF in Partworks 3D made it two sided and toolpathed it there. Someone may show you how to take this 3d.dxf into Aspire or vCarve Pro direct.
At first I considered a series of fluting toolpaths with a bullnose cutter. It works great on the face but more difficult in the rebate on the back side.
Sincerely and in good faith
Martin
Images
SketchUp Plugin
https://www.guitar-list.com/download-so ... dxf-or-stl
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Re: Curved face and rabbet Mission Drawer Front
You can import Sketchup files (2D and 3D) directly into VCarve and Aspire so you shouldn't need a 3rd party plugin.
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Re: Curved face and rabbet Mission Drawer Front
This is one of those things that is best created with plain old shop equipment.
The last time I did one of these IIRC, the drawer front is cut extra thick. The joinery is all done while it is still flat (that would be things like dovetails). Then the bandsaw roughs the curves in. Any rabbets can be cut using a router table and a rabbeting bit. If a slot is needed, some idea, just use a grooving bit with a large bearing.
Watching something like that slowly cut on a cnc router and then knowing you STILL have to sand the heck out of it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Now, if you do not have a bandsaw...that is a horse of a different color.
Edit: Whenever I use the cnc I always remember the great old saying "Just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD".
The last time I did one of these IIRC, the drawer front is cut extra thick. The joinery is all done while it is still flat (that would be things like dovetails). Then the bandsaw roughs the curves in. Any rabbets can be cut using a router table and a rabbeting bit. If a slot is needed, some idea, just use a grooving bit with a large bearing.
Watching something like that slowly cut on a cnc router and then knowing you STILL have to sand the heck out of it doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Now, if you do not have a bandsaw...that is a horse of a different color.
Edit: Whenever I use the cnc I always remember the great old saying "Just because you CAN doesn't mean you SHOULD".
"If you see a good fight, get in it." Dr. Vernon Johns