Design and Make Carving help

Tips, tricks and questions about the free Design and Make 3D Machinist from https://store.designandmake.com/ - Design & Make projects

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slsmallcraft
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Design and Make Carving help

Post by slsmallcraft »

I'd like to work with some of the 3D Design and Make files. I use VCarve Pro and understand the basics of the roughing and finishing passes. What is a good combination of material (hardwood/softwood/composite) and tools? A big question I know, but I'm having trouble getting decent looking carves and am hoping for a starting point in terms of router bits and material.
Thanks! in advance....
Dan

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dhellew2
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Re: Design and Make Carving help

Post by dhellew2 »

Non porous woods such as cherry, redwood, and red gum have less frizzies
3-flute spiral bits cut cleaner than straight bits
Solid carbide bits are best but more expensive
Dale
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Bob Reda
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Re: Design and Make Carving help

Post by Bob Reda »

good models have more than just the bits, although that is one element of it. feed speeds, depth of cuts and remaining material also factor in along with the type of woods, grain of woods which way you are carving, etc. Too much to try and explain right now. Take it one step at a time, you are asking a lot of things that are not particularly a factor of cnc but rather working with wood which is a totally different topic.
Bob

slsmallcraft
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Re: Design and Make Carving help

Post by slsmallcraft »

Thanks guys- good information. I was hesitant to post (as per Bob's answer) as I realize it's a much bigger question for a quick forum answer. I'll keep playing with it....it's not so much the material and tooling costs but the great amount of time it takes to see the results. I will source some cherry and walnut and play with speeds/feeds/bits/grain.

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WNC_Ed
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Re: Design and Make Carving help

Post by WNC_Ed »

Ideally when you are starting up a fairly steep learning curve you would want to reduce as many variables as possible. The easiest variable to limit is in the material selection, so when you see a result good or bad you can sort out why something worked or didn’t.
MDF is fairly inexpensive, mostly consistent, and machines well.
Walnut and cherry are great but expensive by comparison.
Maker of sawdust

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scottp55
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Re: Design and Make Carving help

Post by scottp55 »

I was thinking that I mainly learn by my mistakes.
Perhaps you could post pics of what you were dissatisfied with, along with screenshot of the toolpath,AND the "Tool edit" box.
DON'T post the entire file if it contains copyrighted material, but with just pics and screenshots...we can probably make comments more accurately.
Maybe save you some pain in the learning phase?
Could be as simple as stepover/bit size/or cutting strategy.
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