Surfacing a large slab

[7.62x54r]

I only have a 6" jointer and would like to flatten some 8" to 12" wide slabs. I know I can create a pocket toolpath larger than the slab to do this, but is there a more elegant way with VCarve Pro? Anything automated in the software? TIA

[zeeway]

No built in function for this that I know of... I use a pocketing toolpath with raster selected.

Angie

[Burchtree]

Your control software may have it. That would be the program that controls your cnc.
Dan

[Ms Wolffie]

Why not run it twice through the jointer, one side at a time?
That's what I normally do with slabs before taking them through the thicknesser.
Cheers
Wolffie

[Leo]

I use a 1-1/4 dia cutter with a pocketing routine.

[Adrian]

What part of the process would you like to be more elegant/automated?

[7.62x54r]

Thanks for the answers everyone.

Dan, I have a shopbot and the software does have a wizard for surfacing the table that might work. I thought VCarve might have something similar so I could stay in the program I'm more comfortable with.

Adrian, just setting up the file I guess. I typically do all my design work in CAD and create the cut files one computer and then carry the file to the control computer on a thumb drive. Kind of a hold over from when I contracted out the cutting before I got my own machine. I seldom draw in VCarve but should probably get used to it and something like this would be much quicker.

Thanks again.

[Adrian]

I have a ShopBot too. I wrote a surfacing routine based on ones that other people posted on the ShopBot forum. It makes life very easy as there's no need to keep generating different files if your wood is of differing widths/lengths.

Mine is very hard coded for the way I work and set to metric so it's probably not that good for sharing. The file that gave me the idea and formed the basis is on Paco's site at http://pacosarea.blogspot.co.uk/2007/02 ... utine.html

[7.62x54r]

Thanks! That's exactly the sort of thing I was looking for.

[sawmiller]

dont forget, if you have a odd shaped slab and want to plane to the edges, but not do a square
take a picture,
bring it into vcarve ,
size it to the real dimensions of the slab,
then you can plane the odd shape without planing air
by drawing the outline and having it pocket there

[Jim Krager]

What is the best bit to use to surface a board? I have a CNC Shark with the small Bosch router, 1/4" collet.

[Leo]

What is the best bit to use to surface a board? I have a CNC Shark with the small Bosch router, 1/4" collet.

I have a 1-1/4 Freud bit on a 1/4 shank.

Look at the Freud website.

[milo30]

I'm looking at these http://magnate.net/index.cfm?event=show ... &theID=136
They have the 1/4" shank just not sure how well they would run on a Bosch Colt. The price is low enough that I think I might get one and try it. Sure would speed things up.

[PaulRowntree]

Big bits are also a good test of the tramming of your machine.

[SIBUD]

Big bits are also a good test of the tramming of your machine.

Lurking with a ?
What is tramming?