cant get a moulding toolpath to work right...ever

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stlcnc
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cant get a moulding toolpath to work right...ever

Post by stlcnc »

I have tried 2 rail sweeps...and they look great in the 3d model. but when i go to make a toolpath it is either destroyed or has some kind messed up cut. I am currently trying to make a simple floor mold that just has a small low rounding of the edges. Toolpath always creates a gouge down one side. It is the first run in the animation. Just runs a gouge down the full length, then rest turns out ok...ish. I have made my profile 20 different widths and sizes, and still continue to get this gouge cut.
I am very frustrated with this software. I can never get it to work right. I get tool path errors all the time and there is no where to look up the errors to see what it even means, and how to correct it.
I have added the file I am trying to make. Please.........someone tell me how to make this work!
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highpockets
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Re: cant get a moulding toolpath to work right...ever

Post by highpockets »

Is this more like it?
Image 096.png
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John
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mezalick
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Re: cant get a moulding toolpath to work right...ever

Post by mezalick »

The one thing that I see is that it appears that you are using the Molding toolpath option with two rails.
The Molding toolpath only need one rail and a profile to cut...

It's really not that difficult,,you may be over thinking this
I'll be giving a presentation at Jim McGrew's Camp in April on the topic..
You may want to attend.

http://forum.vectric.com/viewtopic.php? ... hilit=camp

Michael
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Adrian
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Re: cant get a moulding toolpath to work right...ever

Post by Adrian »

stlcnc wrote: I am very frustrated with this software. I can never get it to work right. I get tool path errors all the time and there is no where to look up the errors to see what it even means, and how to correct it. My partner who has been using graphic software for many years, has a hard time using Aspire. He found Artcam, and can knock graphics in a snap. We fiddle with this thing for hours and still come up with nothing.
I have added the file I am trying to make. Please.........someone tell me how to make this work!
Have you been through the manual (Help Contents) and followed through the tutorials? It's not really the sort of software you can just dive into and start using without coming up against obstacles caused by a lack of understanding of the fundamentals.

Creating "graphics" and toolpaths are two entirely different things. You could create your shape easily as a two rail sweep graphic (model) but the toolpaths for that would be a lot less efficient than the moulding ones.

What sort of errors have you been seeing that aren't explained?

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dealguy11
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Re: cant get a moulding toolpath to work right...ever

Post by dealguy11 »

Big breath...

1. The moulding toolpath needs to be set up with 1 rail and 1 profile, as mentioned above. It appears that you have created a 3d component with the shape, which is what shows in the 3d view. This component is not useful for creating a moulding toolpath - it doesn't use components.
2. The profile is way wider than the board. It needs to be sized to the board
3. I would put a little foot on each end of the 2 profiles as shown. This will force the bit down the side of the piece. See the vector setup and the resulting toolpath preview below. Remember to choose the profile vector last.
Moulding toolpath setup.JPG
Toolpath Preview.JPG
4. If it were me, I'd do this with 2 moulding toolpaths. Unless you're trying to flatten the board, there's no point in cutting the flat on the top of the board.
Steve Godding
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stlcnc
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Re: cant get a moulding toolpath to work right...ever

Post by stlcnc »

the profile that is showing has been modified 20 times trying to get the gouge cut to go away. It was initially drawn at the same width, but has transformed into something out there, in order to try stop what was happening. This is what is left when i gave up. I watched videos....that are outdated....for so long im drooling. Follow along step by step, and my computer does not produce the same as the video. same with other software. Always a different result.
The molding is a custom floor transition for high tile to carpet transition.

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Adrian
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Re: cant get a moulding toolpath to work right...ever

Post by Adrian »

Which videos are you watching? All the videos that are linked to from the Video Tutorial Browser help menu links in Aspire are all for the current version and are certainly not outdated.

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Re: cant get a moulding toolpath to work right...ever

Post by LittleGreyMan »

Adrian wrote:Which videos are you watching? All the videos that are linked to from the Video Tutorial Browser help menu links in Aspire are all for the current version and are certainly not outdated.
+1

Vectric produces excellent videos that are kept up to date and also an excellent manual, far better than most I've seen.
Best regards

Didier

W7 - Aspire 8.517

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Re: cant get a moulding toolpath to work right...ever

Post by joeporter »

One thing that I have noticed is that the toolpaths think that your model or shape to cut is 118" thick. There must be some confusion somewhere...joe
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dealguy11
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Re: cant get a moulding toolpath to work right...ever

Post by dealguy11 »

The reason you are getting a gouge is because the moulding toolpaths you have created are using the 2 straight vectors on the left and right sides of the board as the vectors for the toolpath. Since a moulding toolpath applies the last vector you select as the profile vector, this means it thinks you want to cut a vertical line 118" deep on one of the side vectors. As explained above (and in the videos), you need to select a rail vector and a profile vector at the same time. The last vector you select will be the profile vector. In version 9 you can select more than 2 vectors. All of the vectors except the last one will be treated as rail vectors and the last one in the selection will be the profile vectors, which will be applied to each of the rail vectors. In version 8.5 you could only select 2 vectors, 1 rail and 1 profile. Not sure where you got off track, but this is a function I use day in and day out and it is pretty straightforward.

EDIT - just to be clearer, when you select your vectors, first click on the rail vector. Then, while holding down the Shift key, click on the profile vector so that both are selected, and the profile vector was selected last.
Steve Godding
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