VCarve Pro w/Sea Dek Material - PLEASE HELP

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USATuff
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VCarve Pro w/Sea Dek Material - PLEASE HELP

Post by USATuff »

Greeting All!

First, thank you in advance for any help that you can share. This is Laura & Gary from USATuff. We own a small family business and we have recently purchased a 3 Axis CNC (ShopSabre) Machine and we are running the VCarve Pro Software. We are launching a new line of EVA Foam / Sea Dek products and we have run into some challenges in learning the best way to use the software program as it pertains to our application.

I am posting here in hopes that we can either connect locally (in Las Vegas) or by phone, with someone who has experience with the VCarve Pro program in use with Sea Dek / EVA Foam material. You can email us at Laura@usatuff.com or call Gary at 702-630-4937.

From one small business to another we thank you!

Laura & Gary

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martin54
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Re: VCarve Pro w/Sea Dek Material - PLEASE HELP

Post by martin54 »

So what issues are you having when it comes to your particular application ?

There is a learning curve attached to using the software with a CNC machine, if you are new to both this type of software & CNC machining then that curve can be quite steep/

Have you tried working your way through the tutorials ?
Rather than just watching them download the tutorial files & work along with it, dual monitor set up will help with this if you have access to one.
Difficult to know which tutorials would be best for you without knowing what problems you are having but to be honest it is often best to start at the very beginning & just work your way through them.

http://support.vectric.com/tutorials/V9 ... =1&order=1

http://support.vectric.com/tips-and-tricks/select.php

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wmgeorge
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Re: VCarve Pro w/Sea Dek Material - PLEASE HELP

Post by wmgeorge »

USATuff wrote:Greeting All!

First, thank you in advance for any help that you can share. This is Laura & Gary from USATuff. We own a small family business and we have recently purchased a 3 Axis CNC (ShopSabre) Machine and we are running the VCarve Pro Software. We are launching a new line of EVA Foam / Sea Dek products and we have run into some challenges in learning the best way to use the software program as it pertains to our application.

I am posting here in hopes that we can either connect locally (in Las Vegas) or by phone, with someone who has experience with the VCarve Pro program in use with Sea Dek / EVA Foam material. You can email us at Laura@usatuff.com or call Gary at 702-630-4937.

From one small business to another we thank you!

Laura & Gary
Hi Folks this is a User Forum not a private we help you, call you or drop in your location and help you out. So unless you check back here your more than likely going to be disappointed. You might also contact the people you purchased your machine from for some one on one help.

Barry Anderson
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Re: VCarve Pro w/Sea Dek Material - PLEASE HELP

Post by Barry Anderson »

I seem to recall that there have been many times that folks have used this forum to connect with fellow users that live close by, in order to give/receive needed assistance.

USATuff
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Re: VCarve Pro w/Sea Dek Material - PLEASE HELP

Post by USATuff »

Hello,
Thank you so much, each of you, for taking the time to reply.

Yes, we have started the tutorial process but it is 'a lot' to absorb and much of it does not pertain to what we are trying to accomplish which is why I thought to throw all caution to the wind and just putting it out there as a possibility that someone out there may have already travelled this road and might be open to sharing their journey.

It makes sense that without knowing the problems, it is harder to give advice back. I am going to work with my husband on what we have been working on thus far and make a list of questions and post those on the forum. At least this way we can work through some of the initial challenges.

I am putting it into the Universe, as they say, that there is someone in the Las Vegas area that reads this post. (big smile) I did already reach out to Shop Sabre as well as Vectric, as wmgeorge suggested and both parties recommended I hit up the forum as a possibility so here I be.

Thank you Martin54 for the links, I think my husband has started on those but I will make sure he is working through them all.

Thank you again, Laura

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wmgeorge
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Re: VCarve Pro w/Sea Dek Material - PLEASE HELP

Post by wmgeorge »

So is this your first CNC machine and first time designing with VCarve Pro?

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Re: VCarve Pro w/Sea Dek Material - PLEASE HELP

Post by Rcnewcomb »

Regarding the Sea Dek EVA foam, I assume it is "squishy", are you cutting it with a:
  • drag knife
    router bit
    laser
    something else?
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wmgeorge
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Re: VCarve Pro w/Sea Dek Material - PLEASE HELP

Post by wmgeorge »

It almost looks like it would be some sort of drag knife job, like a big vinyl cutter. Looks to be to soft for any kind of router bit. At one time I made a drag cutter knife for my PlasmaCam and then on my first router.

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martin54
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Re: VCarve Pro w/Sea Dek Material - PLEASE HELP

Post by martin54 »

Yes, we have started the tutorial process but it is 'a lot' to absorb and much of it does not pertain to what we are trying to accomplish

Yes that is very true, there are a lot of tutorials that will have no bearing on what you want to do with the machine just now so if I were you I would just ignore those tutorials for now, no point learning about 3D machining just now :lol: :lol:
From the look of the material you want to cut I would think that profile cutting would be your main area to concentrate on plus maybe the inlay toolpath, as far as design goes then you are probably going to need to learn to draw so anything to do with drawing vectors, editing them (node editing) will be helpful, there are a few short videos in the tips & tricks covering this :lol: :lol:
A list of questions would be very helpful :lol: :lol: :lol:
I would offer to pop in but the travelling might be a bit to much for me :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

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Re: VCarve Pro w/Sea Dek Material - PLEASE HELP

Post by Adrian »

Definitely going to need a drag knife to cut that. I had mats of Sea Dek on the front of my old boat and it cut easily with a sharp stanley blade against a steel rule. Any rotary tool is going to tear it to shreds and I think a laser will be too hot leading to overmelting of the edges.

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wmgeorge
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Re: VCarve Pro w/Sea Dek Material - PLEASE HELP

Post by wmgeorge »

Adrian wrote:Definitely going to need a drag knife to cut that. I had mats of Sea Dek on the front of my old boat and it cut easily with a sharp stanley blade against a steel rule. Any rotary tool is going to tear it to shreds and I think a laser will be too hot leading to overmelting of the edges.
I am assuming the poster has that all figured out before they spent the money to purchase that machine. It would help to know if they have any previous experience in CAD designing or CNC so the answers would be more directed.

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Adrian
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Re: VCarve Pro w/Sea Dek Material - PLEASE HELP

Post by Adrian »

wmgeorge wrote: I am assuming the poster has that all figured out before they spent the $30k or so purchasing that large of machine. It would help to know if they have any previous experience in CAD designing or CNC so the answers would be more directed.
After 12 years of helping out here I assume nothing about what people might or might not have done. I've been surprised way too many times. ;) :lol:

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Re: VCarve Pro w/Sea Dek Material - PLEASE HELP

Post by Leo »

That may lend itself to waterjet cutting. I know a lot of airlines use waterjet to cut the carpeting in the airliners.

I would not think a rotary cutter like and end mill would be a good choice.
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wmgeorge
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Re: VCarve Pro w/Sea Dek Material - PLEASE HELP

Post by wmgeorge »

Water jets are a $100k option. The drag knife that goes into a 1/4 inch (6mm) collet costs $149 on Amazon and looks like the one I made. BUT it can only cut sign vinyl thickness. It will be interesting to see how the OP has their machine setup?

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martin54
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Re: VCarve Pro w/Sea Dek Material - PLEASE HELP

Post by martin54 »

wmgeorge wrote:Water jets are a $100k option. The drag knife that goes into a 1/4 inch (6mm) collet costs $149 on Amazon and looks like the one I made. BUT it can only cut sign vinyl thickness. It will be interesting to see how the OP has their machine setup?
The Donek drag knife comes in 2 varieties, one for thinner materials & one for thicker materials, the D2 & D4 knives will cut up to 1/4" material according to the website

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