any ideas where im going wrong

This forum is for general discussion about PhotoVCarve.
Post Reply
tomisarose
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2015 5:09 pm
Model of CNC Machine: diy built machine

any ideas where im going wrong

Post by tomisarose »

hi im trying to get my new small cnc router to work with pvc i have tried the trial project (cute puppy's in basket) and my router seems to get the 1st part right ( the bottom right corner) but then the rest is a bit rubbish.

i have taken a photo showing where it was going wrong (i used a 60 degree vbit , 0.3mm depth of cut and 100% spacing )

anyone any ideas why this is going wrong ?

thanks tom

Image

weber765
Vectric Craftsman
Posts: 130
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2011 11:40 am
Model of CNC Machine: home built and modified Vytek rebel
Location: Troutman, NC

Re: any ideas where im going wrong

Post by weber765 »

Hi Tom

I would seal the one you already did several times and then put some paint or stain on it and sand it .The difference before coloring and after is quite a bit and you may be surprised that it comes out better than you thought.

I would also try surfacing the entire area that you will pvc carve so it is dead flat before carving the pvc. I usually skin off .015 to .030 with a 1/2 diameter cutter. You might also increase line spacing to 125 /130 percent which will improve the contrast. If you do the same photo over you should a difference in the finished project.


Hope this helps
Glenn

User avatar
martin54
Vectric Archimage
Posts: 7339
Joined: Fri Nov 09, 2012 2:12 pm
Model of CNC Machine: Gerber 48, Triac PC, Isel fixed gantry
Location: Kirkcaldy, Scotland

Re: any ideas where im going wrong

Post by martin54 »

First off if it is a new machine have you trammed & surfaced the table to ensure the spindle is square to the table in all directions, photocarving doesn't cut very deep so errors may show up that you have missed while setting the machine up. As as been said you really need to surface the material your cutting prior to starting your job. Type of wood used & direction of cut will make a difference as well as the tool selection depth of cut & line spacing. Acurately setting your z zero is pretty important as well.
What does the preview look like? If the preview looks good then the problems aren't with your software settings, as has been said also the carvings often don't look very good until they have been finished in some way such as a stain.
Keep at it these things aren't as easy to do in wood and get good results as they are in other materials such as corian. Read through some of the posts as some of them give quite a bit of detail about settings people have used successfully.

Best of luck, for what it's worth I still haven't managed to do one I am 100% happy with in wood :lol: :lol:

User avatar
dhellew2
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 1322
Joined: Thu May 22, 2008 10:14 pm
Model of CNC Machine: Legacy Artisan 72 and AVID CNC Rotary
Location: Royal City Washington

Re: any ideas where im going wrong

Post by dhellew2 »

Depending on the size of your table... large ones especially large ones, it is nearly impossible to make the table perfectly flat. Tramming is necessary but will only get it close. For many projects this is ok and better when leaving .02" gap above model to compensate for small uneven areas of the bed and/or material.

The only way to get your table then the part as perfectly flat as is possible is to plane the spoil-board and the part with your CNC. Few materials are perfectly uniform in thickness.

Dale
You will get old if you live long enough!
Young = time, no money
Old = money, no time
Dale

LittleGreyMan
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 1012
Joined: Fri May 15, 2015 1:10 pm
Model of CNC Machine: 3 axis small size machine
Location: France

Re: any ideas where im going wrong

Post by LittleGreyMan »

As Martin wrote, not that easy in wood.

Better use hard wood than soft wood (which seems to be your case).

You can experiment with MDF. Cheap, easy to find and gives good results for this kind of work.

HTH
Best regards

Didier

W7 - Aspire 8.517

tomisarose
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2015 5:09 pm
Model of CNC Machine: diy built machine

Re: any ideas where im going wrong

Post by tomisarose »

the table is flat and square as is the spindle ect will try surfacing the wood first (never thought to do as its planed ) and haven't tried it in a hardwood yet as im going to use exotic hardwoods and there expencive so figured just doing tests in cheap softwood till i get close to been right

weber765
Vectric Craftsman
Posts: 130
Joined: Thu Oct 06, 2011 11:40 am
Model of CNC Machine: home built and modified Vytek rebel
Location: Troutman, NC

Re: any ideas where im going wrong

Post by weber765 »

I use cheap pine from Lowes all the time and get good results. I have never used a good hardwood yet.

tomisarose
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2015 5:09 pm
Model of CNC Machine: diy built machine

Re: any ideas where im going wrong

Post by tomisarose »

My plan is to use some really unusual hardwoods such as purpleheart, zebrano , lasewood, olive and loads more

Which is going to make staining them great fun.

tomisarose
Posts: 4
Joined: Sat Sep 05, 2015 5:09 pm
Model of CNC Machine: diy built machine

Re: any ideas where im going wrong

Post by tomisarose »

tried doing a couple on some hardwoods with some success but finding the small details difficult to be easily visible but due to the types of woods im using staining is going to be difficult as its going to be tough to stain some rare exotic hardwoods as the stains are going to be near enough impossible to find so any ideas ?

Post Reply