When you practice to decieve

[edsingletary]

I have seen many posts about the text depth and that it was deep enough to suit them. So today I decided to get it a little deeper on my own. After the bit did all its checks and about ready to carve the text, I decided to trick the machine. I opened the cover just before start and cut the power, then I loosened the bit and lowered it just a very small fraction, hardly noticeable. Then I closed the cover and the machine did its carving. Terrible idea trying to outsmart the computer, the text was deep ok, to deep. The width was too wide and the letters ran together. So if you are wanting them deeper, don't take this into your own hands. A mess I made. But I learned a lesson, let the computer do what I paid for it to do. Different fonts and the size of the fonts make the difference. Just thought I would share this so everyone will know I'm a dumb-A--.

[Dale]

I've used your procedure a few times with good results, guess it depends on what font you use.

[Mike58]

I don't agree with you. You tried something to see what the results would be. Didn't turn out like you wanted. That doesn't make you dumb. It is part of the learning curve.
You should stop and consider many of the "experts" who post here have tried many things experimenting just as you did. There's no guarentee that everything attempted will produce good results. But - it does produce results. You now know that will not work as you had hoped. You learnt from it, and you shared it. So you have helped many others because by letting us know it didn't go right.

EVERYONE'S experience is valueable and helpful. I have shared similar things on laser forum with others. I consider my mistakes as a learning experience and share them too. Maybe will help someone else avoid it. Frankly if nobody is will to share mistakes and things that didn't work, we would all repeat the same things over and over.
I am waiting on my bits now. So reading up while I wait to EDUCATE myself before I start.

thanks for sharing your experience.

[bergerud]

Your test just was the first try. What would happen if you changed depth and the width. For example, tell the machine it is the v90 bit while you put in the v60 and then do the depth change.

The most fun I have with this machine is finding ways to trick it into doing things it was not designed to do!

[Digitalwoodshop]

A few years ago I needed to make signs for a development that formerly used a 2 inch plastic router guide letters to make signs. The first big order to catch up on needed signs needed to look like the old signs. I came up with a way to make them with the CW by using a Single Stroke font called Modern Text. I placed the 2 inch tall text on the board and used Outline Mode with a 3/8 inch end mill bottom cutting bit. Set the depth to .2 and they came out GREAT...

So the lesson here is that you can make deeper letters using a single stroke front and outline mode. The TRICK is that as you make the letters TALLER you will need to use a bigger diameter bit. If you made 4 inch tall letters with a 3/8 in bit outline mode you would end up with un cut wood in the center of the letters. A 3/4 inch bit OR placing some vector lines to clean up the center with a 3/8 inch bit. I used multi pass mode and just assigned the bit to the outline mode.

Later I got approval for Centerline Text and even added Bears and stuff for many happy customers... Last year I turned the Sign stuff over to a new guy with a hand held router that made really great signs and spent more time on tags.

AL