Tabs on a routed path: Interesting problem.

[SevenCubed]

Okay, folks, bear with me. I've got a project that I want to cut out of 1 1/8" thick wood. Measuring it by eye tells me it's 1 1/8" inches thick, but I don't know EXACTLY how thick the machine thinks the board is because the "Measure Board" function doesn't check depth. Why doesn't "Measure Board" check depth? I'm going to put a paragraph break here to emphasize that question.

My REAL problem is this: I've got a silhouette I wish to cut around my carving. Since the board's too deep to do a cut path, I've got to put down what WOULD be my cut path, and tell it to be routed with a bit the size/shape of my cutting bit. Everyone with me so far? GRIPE TWO: Unless it's Truly a cut path, you don't get cut path features, such as having it cut inside or outside your path, as well as tab options. See, in order to get a cut path, I've got to rout out the silhouette, flip the board over, and rout out the silhouette again. BUT, if I do that, the board's gonna get loose and rattle around my machine, because I can't put tabs in. Since I created by cut path by performing an "Outline Pattern", I don't have a lot of control to edit it. I can't add tabs in the image I'm outlining, because the whole point of an Outline is to make a cohesive loop. Ah, I'm going nuts over here. In case I'm writing too much blah-blah, I'll sum up:

1.) There's no way to measure the depth of a board with the CW that I've found.

2.) There's no way to get "Cut Path" functionality if it's not a cut path (I need to add tabs and need to set the cut to be inside or outside of the path, not along it's center) that I've found.

3.) BONUS: If the board's too thick to run a cut path, you can't TELL it to be a cut path anyway, and just set a depth. The user jus' Doesnt' get that functionality.

Am I just screwed here? I can include pictures to Illustrate the problem, but I've tried to be clear.

[SevenCubed]

Just in case I was in any way unclear, here's an illustration.

See that white outline? That's the path I want to cut. How do I break that path every so often so's to add tabs? I guess that's all I need.

-343

[DocWheeler]

7X7X7,

There does not seem to be many folk lurking this weekend, so I'll make a suggestion.

I made an mpc that is 1.25" thick to demonstrate what I'm saying.

First, measure the board thickness yourself. Create the outline and select the 1/8" cutting bit and inset it -0.063 with a depth of just a little short of half way through (about .620 in this case). Repeat the process on the back (upside-down) and it will leave a thin section in the middle that should give it enough support to keep your bit safe.

[HighTechOkie]

Another option would be to set the board thickness as 5/8", do your cut path with tabs. Create a second mpc for the back with a board thickness of 1/2" and add your cut path.

When you load the board and run the first MPC @ 5/8" depth, the machine will measure the thickness as 1 1/8", but since you set the project thickness to 5/8", the machine will assume a 1/2" sled, and thus do the cutout with tabs to a depth of 5/8". Flip the board, load the backside mpc with the depth of 1/2" and repeat. Knock the piece out and trim the tabs.


Rob

[johnbryantjr]

ok not the best way but you could scroll saw it out

[SevenCubed]

I'm one of the only goofballs around here who isn't a woodworker. I don't know hardly anything about making stuff in wood, and only got into this system because I'm a computer artist and Wanted a beginner CNC machine. =D

But MAN! Those are some Great suggestions. Okie: I had no idea that the machine would assume a sled if your board was thicker than it was expecting! Brilliant. Wheeler: I reckoned I could do that, but I'm leery of leaving things to chance. If I mis-measured the board thickness or the wood didn't like being too thin, disaster could erupt. Too thick, and the piece would be so difficult to remove from the wood as to obviate any cut path at all!

Update to you all: I think I've got a decent carve, and Hopefully it'll do what I need. I'll update pictures once I've got everything lovely and finished! Thanks HEAPS to you all. This community rules.

[geekviking]

How is your Designer in brown? Does it follow your theme colors in Windows? Pretty neat. :cool:

[SevenCubed]

You're not the first one to ask about that! Custom Windows colour scheme, that's all. I can't stand the default colours. <=)

[Digitalwoodshop]

Since Thickness is what you are after.... Make TWO Patterns..... One 3/4 or thicker on ONE board and then make a second pattern that cuts just the outline and glue the 2 boards together. You could even cut the bottom just outline board 90 degrees to the grain and glue it. That would help with the stability of the wood. If you ever watched Norm on the New Yankee Workshop he would say about this time... "Note that I am just putting a bead of Glue in the middle as we have a CROSS GRAIN SITUATION and to prevent wood damage from expansing and contraction."

So Cross Grain would or could be a good thing or a bad thing... The Project could crack in half in a year. So on second thought, having the grain in the same direction is better... Unless you made it from PVC board or Sign Foam.... Expect the wood to move over time with changes in humidity.

AL