No rotary jig needed to do this

[zan29]

Since I can afford that new jig I was looking into a way of doing similar things without it and I came up with this idea. I'm sure someone else found that trick before me but here it is anyway.
It was carved on a 1.25 board and only the regular 1/16" bit was used. It comes out as one piece so no gluing is necessary. I guess with the longer bit, a 2" board could be used and have a deeper and bigger pattern.
My patterns were centered but it shifted a bit for some reason.

[Icutone2]

Looks very interesting may try just that.



















Thanks for showing it

[ktjwilliams]

Nice idea but it seems that the pattern fades due to height difference.. Also seems much will be lost when u sand ... there are a couple folks out there who have made their own rotary jigs ... but keep trying and maybe u can perfect the process . Keep us posted.

[zan29]

The pattern didn't fade, I just used an old bit since it was just a test (on best) and like I said, it shifted on one side otherwise there wouldn't be a lot of sanding to do. Still working on it!


Nice idea but it seems that the pattern fades due to height difference.. Also seems much will be lost when u sand ... there are a couple folks out there who have made their own rotary jigs ... but keep trying and maybe u can perfect the process . Keep us posted.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Actual board width can play with your 2 sided carving.

Some thoughts..... if you want.

Remember when you use center on board in designer as in board width it is centered on your for example 8 inch wide board.

Now you install a 8.21 inch wide actual board. Designer uses the Brass roller edge as the reference.

So side 2 will be based on a 8.21 inch board and hence the miss match...

If it asked you to put on the corner that might have been it...

If you use the machine to actually measure the width and go back and enter that in designer that might help.

[Alan Malmstrom]

I've been marking my board and measuring to both sides and then jogging to edge for my double sided carves. It works pretty good and I don't have to worry about whether the board is squared up right.

[CW-HAL9000]

Actual board width can play with your 2 sided carving.

Some thoughts..... if you want.

Remember when you use center on board in designer as in board width it is centered on your for example 8 inch wide board.

Now you install a 8.21 inch wide actual board. Designer uses the Brass roller edge as the reference.

So side 2 will be based on a 8.21 inch board and hence the miss match...

If it asked you to put on the corner that might have been it...

If you use the machine to actually measure the width and go back and enter that in designer that might help.

What I always do is mark my center of the board myself before I put the board in the machine. Then I use jog to center and I show the machine where the center is. I do alot of two sided carves and this works every time.

[Alan Malmstrom]

What I always do is mark my center of the board myself before I put the board in the machine. Then I use jog to center and I show the machine where the center is. I do alot of two sided carves and this works every time.
That's a great idea. I think I'll start doing that. I think it's important to note that to do it this way you have to have the front and back side as separate files and set them up as if they are front side carves. Or can you jog to center when you have a double sided carve. I don't know because I always set up two boards.

[CW-HAL9000]

I never do the front and back sides as separate carves. Because I have marked the exact center of the board the center is the same spot whether do you turn it over or not. I should note that I mark Center both horizontally and vertically.

[fwharris]

I've used the "flip in Jig" procedure a few times and the only time I was off was when I substituted the 1/16" carving bit with the 3/16" for the board corner touch.

[zan29]

Using the machine to measure is a very good idea. Tx Al!


Actual board width can play with your 2 sided carving.

Some thoughts..... if you want.

Remember when you use center on board in designer as in board width it is centered on your for example 8 inch wide board.

Now you install a 8.21 inch wide actual board. Designer uses the Brass roller edge as the reference.

So side 2 will be based on a 8.21 inch board and hence the miss match...

If it asked you to put on the corner that might have been it...

If you use the machine to actually measure the width and go back and enter that in designer that might help.

[Alan Malmstrom]

Using the machine to measure is a very good idea. Tx Al!
The reason I mark the board and use Jog to Position is because the machine doesn't always find the center. Having a perfectly square board to begin with is not an easy thing to do (I'm talking small variances). And if it's not perfectly square it's not going to find the center. I've found that eyeballing it in position is usually more accurate than letting the machine do it. I'm not talking bad about the machine. I've built my own CNC and struggled with cad and cam and controller software and the Carvewright is far easier and better at carving especially deep carves.

[cestout]

You can make a handle up to 1 1/2" dia by puting the pattern on the top half of the board at .7" deep or pierced and mirroring it. Then glue the two together. Mismatch from to back will not be a problem and it will be stronger. BTW I hav a home made rotary jig but I retrieved the bearings. Anyone wants it, it is yours - pay the shipping.
Clint

[mtylerfl]

Actual board width can play with your 2 sided carving.

Some thoughts..... if you want.

Remember when you use center on board in designer as in board width it is centered on your for example 8 inch wide board.

Now you install a 8.21 inch wide actual board. Designer uses the Brass roller edge as the reference.

So side 2 will be based on a 8.21 inch board and hence the miss match...

If it asked you to put on the corner that might have been it...

If you use the machine to actually measure the width and go back and enter that in designer that might help.

My experience is different. I design a two sided layout on an 11" wide board,knowing full well I'm going to insert a board measuring 11.23" wide. Selecting Center on Board during initial project setup at the machine has always worked for the front/back alignment for every two sided project I've done.

[SteveNelson46]

My experience is different. I design a two sided layout on an 11" wide board,knowing full well I'm going to insert a board measuring 11.23" wide. Selecting Center on Board during initial project setup at the machine has always worked for the front/back alignment for every two sided project I've done.

Me too Michael. I almost always use "Center On Board" for my projects and unless there is a problem with hardware I have never had any issues with the front and back matching up on two sided carves. As long as the actual board is the same size or larger in length and width as the project board in the Designer software there shouldn't be any issues. The machine measures each side before carving to be sure the board is the same size. However, if all four corners on the actual board are not 90 degrees there could be problems.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Me too Michael. I almost always use "Center On Board" for my projects and unless there is a problem with hardware I have never had any issues with the front and back matching up on two sided carves. As long as the actual board is the same size or larger in length and width as the project board in the Designer software there shouldn't be any issues. The machine measures each side before carving to be sure the board is the same size. However, if all four corners on the actual board are not 90 degrees there could be problems.

Interesting..... Need to try a center on a 4 inch wide board in designer and place a 11.25 inch board in the machine and do a 2 sided carve and see what happens...

If what you say is the real way it works then it will work.... :) I have been wrong many times before..... especially still using 1.184....

[bergerud]

My Designer board sizes are always just big enough to fit the carving. The real board or jig is always much larger. Place on center always puts the carving in the center of the board or jig. Double sided or not.

If double sided carves do not line up (within 1/32") in the y direction for people, they should do some simple experiments to check whether the y offset needs to be tweaked. Drill a few central holes and measure how centered they are.

[mtylerfl]

Interesting..... Need to try a center on a 4 inch wide board in designer and place a 11.25 inch board in the machine and do a 2 sided carve and see what happens...

If what you say is the real way it works then it will work.... :) I have been wrong many times before..... especially still using 1.184....

Well, you are right waay more often than not! All of us have learned a ton from your photos, experience and helpful nature!

More info on my experience as far as two sided projects...I've been doing two sided carves since at least as far back as version 1.119 (maybe as far back as 1.112?? - - whatever the current version was back in early 2007) and have never had an issue with them when choosing Center on board...as long as the real board is as wide or wider than the virtual design board.

And, as Dan mentioned, the project does center regardless if it's single or double sided - again, as long as the real board is as wide or wider than the virtual design board.

Having said all that, I have NEVER allowed any Auto-Jigging if/when prompted. I wonder if that option is being used by the folks that are having centering issues. I don't know, because I've never experimented with or used that feature.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Thanks Guys for taking the time to explain it to me again... Learning something new with the machine every day... Today is the first day in weeks that my machine has not been running... I need to order more plastic, only got the first 55 of 60 done. Related to centering, I printed the wrong side as in the bottom of the sheet from when I cut the plastic the first time. My alignment was off slightly when I flipped the sheet printed side up and cut them again with the edge guide on now. I had to make the holes slightly bigger to compensate... Hence I messed up a few sheets...

I am open minded to the centering as I had the concept of how the machine did it and it turned out to be wrong... so I learned something again... Thanks for explaining it again for me... I love the machine as I can do SO much with it... All day today and tonight I am doing data entry at 9 PM as I got started on the next big project Fire Tags for a whole County in Alabama. Got the pictures and data for the first 2 Departments.

Never too old or thick headed to learn...

:) AL

Sadly listening to the News and Scanner I am only a few miles from where a Pennsylvania State Police Trooper was Shot last night at Shift change... Bloooming Grove, PA.