Router loses depth of cut

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nailer
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 12:25 pm

Router loses depth of cut

Post by nailer »

Good morning all
I have a question about the depth of cut when carving a project. While carving a project the router will start out cutting at the right depth but the longer it runs the shallower the cut until it's not even touching the wood. I checked the router bit to see if it was slipping in the collect but it was not. I checked the table top and it's level. I was wondering if it was the computer or if it was somthing in the editing of the file. I have gone as far as to delete all the files for the project and started over. Has anyone had this problem? I have created alot of fire wood with this problem.

Nailer

tmerrill
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Re: Router loses depth of cut

Post by tmerrill »

Nailer,

If the preview in VCP looks good then the software is doing its job and the problem is being created after that. To be sure, if you could post the .crv file it would help. Just be sure it does not contain any copyright protected images.

My guess it is related to your machine setup or control software. Can you provide us with the type of machine you have, what post processor you are using to save the toolpaths, and what control software you are using (for example, Mach 3).

Without this information we are pretty much in the dark. If you look in the Hardware Related section at the bottom of the page you will find many situations similar to yours that was resolved with a different post processor or changing a setting in your control software.

Tim

kilrabit
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Re: Router loses depth of cut

Post by kilrabit »

If you are running stepper motors, you might be losing steps in your Z axis. You might try moving your Z axis by hand and see if there is any binding or hard spots in the movement up and down.


Another thing you might check is the motor tuning for that motor in the Z axis. You can adjust your acceleration to get a little stiffer stop and change of direction, be sure to write down your current settings to get a starting point and reference from there.

cabnet636
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Re: Router loses depth of cut

Post by cabnet636 »

if your z loss or gain is gradual as in an angle of rise or loss over a specific range then i need to ask what type of machine you are using and what drivers are in the controll box

jim
James McGrew
http://www.mcgrewwoodwork.com
CAMaster ATC 508 24/7 http://dropc.am/p/EJaKyl

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ManitobaKeith
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Re: Router loses depth of cut

Post by ManitobaKeith »

Morning Nailer,
I had a similar problem except it got deeper - now, that really creates firewood & a good thing I have a wood stove :D In my case, it was as kilrabit said, the stepper was loosing counts, so that is probably a good place to start. I would have thought that if it isn't cutting too deep, you could just start over to get the proper cut depth. It might be that you are trying to go too deep in one cut and IF your stepper doesn't have the power, it could loose some steps. Another possibility is you are bottoming out and loosing steps that way.That is, if you are using steppers. In my case it was a change in equipment and some thicker than normal wood that when the Z-Axis went to a safe Z it went past the limit and lost count.
Keith
It is not only what we do,but also what we do not do,for which we are accountable-Jean Moliere

cabnet636
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Re: Router loses depth of cut

Post by cabnet636 »

we had a particular brand of drive that caused this and it required a change of an optoisolator, quick and easy but i would need to know the brand and model number of the drive

jim
James McGrew
http://www.mcgrewwoodwork.com
CAMaster ATC 508 24/7 http://dropc.am/p/EJaKyl

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