Bit size for Vector Art 3D Models?

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ChrisInEstes
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Bit size for Vector Art 3D Models?

Post by ChrisInEstes »

I thought I read somewhere official that the Vector Art 3D models were all designed to cut with an 1/8" ball end mill at 100% scale. So, if you double the size of the model, you can then use a 1/4" ball end mill and not lose any detail... And if you scale it to 50% you'd have to use a 1/16" bit to maintain full detail.

Of course... Now I can't find where (I think) I read that.

Did I read that? Is that correct for all of those models?

Thanks!
Chris
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Adrian
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Re: Bit size for Vector Art 3D Models?

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ChrisInEstes
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Re: Bit size for Vector Art 3D Models?

Post by ChrisInEstes »

Thanks, Adrian... It's good to know I wasn't making things up.

Chris
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COWBOY1296
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Re: Bit size for Vector Art 3D Models?

Post by COWBOY1296 »

No doubt Adrian will know far better than i do but here is my procedure.

First calculate your finishing tool path with the larger ball nose.

Leave your preview visible and recalculate with the smaller bit.

Click preview and watch your screen closely, because it will change.

If it changes a lot then use the smaller bit.
If there is not that much change then use the larger.

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ChrisInEstes
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Re: Bit size for Vector Art 3D Models?

Post by ChrisInEstes »

Good idea, Cowboy... I did as you suggested, and lo and behold, an 1/8" bit added quite a lot of detail that wasn't in the preview with the 1/4" bit. I went ahead and routed it with the 1/4" bit because I had it in my head the 1/4" bit was fine... But my head made that mistake. :roll:

So, tomorrow, I'll route it again with the 1/8" bit. It's a 4 hour route rather than the 2 hour route with the 1/4" bit, but I want that detail. I'd do it today, but I have an install in a bit, and I don't want to leave it running unattended.

So now the question is: Why, even though the model should have routed at full detail with the 1/4" bit, (because it was more than double the original size) did I not get the full detail?

Oh... Surprise! The panels that are "solid wood" are a 3-layer lamination. The 2 outside layers are thicker Alder, but there's an inside cross-grained layer. So, the deep parts of the model got into that inner layer a bit. I think it'll look OK once stained and cleared, though... We'll see... That's why I'm testing on an actual door with my customer. Once we get the issues past us, this could be a good volume of work for me.

Chris
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Re: Bit size for Vector Art 3D Models?

Post by COWBOY1296 »

i never learned or i have forgotten that a component from vector art was sized for a particular bit. i know every time i do something the component is sized on way or the other and i use the above method which has not failed me yet. actually i think that i learned that method from vector art 3d.

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ChrisInEstes
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Re: Bit size for Vector Art 3D Models?

Post by ChrisInEstes »

After Rcnewcomb posted the link to a thread here, I was able to locate the info on the Vector Art 3D site.

Link--> https://www.vectorart3d.com/Machining.htm

It does state that the models are made to cut with an 1/8" bit at 100% scale. Maybe that's old info and the newer models don't necessarily conform to that. So, I thought that my model scaled up to 240% would not have any loss of detail with a 1/4" bit... But it lost quite a lot, actually. Either way, it would have been easy enough for me to check it. In the future I'll just have to remember to test the bits in the preview. I don't have a good excuse for not doing that, except that I didn't think about it.

I'm recutting with an 1/8" bit right now. I'll post a pic when it's done.

Chris
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Rcnewcomb
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Re: Bit size for Vector Art 3D Models?

Post by Rcnewcomb »

You would need to scale 400% for a 1/4" ballnose to have the same resolution as a 1/8" ballnose at 100%.
- Randall Newcomb
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ChrisInEstes
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Re: Bit size for Vector Art 3D Models?

Post by ChrisInEstes »

Rcnewcomb wrote:You would need to scale 400% for a 1/4" ballnose to have the same resolution as a 1/8" ballnose at 100%.
Yeah? Are you sure? Maybe that's my problem... I was thinking scaling to 200% (400% of the original area) would allow me to double the bit size and maintain the same resolution. I'm gonna hafta spend some thinking on that.

Chris
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