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cjones
09-27-2017, 11:10 AM
I am working on creating a 43" template to carve into cedar planks. I have a lot left over from a closet project and figured they would make great signs.

The question I have, how can I reduce the time carving on the CW. The opening is 3.8" Wide by 36" long. With a normal carve setting, it will take 2 hours to complete. I was thinking I might be able to carve a small region around the outer edges as well as the thumb ports and then do the rest with my router. I am not very good with a router as I have never used mine.

I am uploading the .MPC in case anyone want to take a try and see if they can find a better way to complete the long carve.

Thanks for any help as I am still trying to get something started with my new machine.

Chris Jones

myshop1044
09-27-2017, 11:51 AM
to reduce your time, cjones, the 6 holes on the side, I would use a drill function, .9 d, .25 deep, 1/8" bit. the side holes seem to be an oval, not sure about that one.
the rect tangle in the middle can be milled out using a 1/8" bit and then a 3/8" straingt cut bit or whatever you may have.
To do this, you have to reduce the size of the rect. by 1/8" length and width, C/C, apply an 1/8" bit .25 deep, I would repeat the reduction about 4 times to get the groove away from the edge of the original rect. size.
Then I would start reducing the rect. size by 3/8" until you have remove all of the wood in the middle.
simple as mud huh!
see attached.
Hope this helps
Perry B.

SteveNelson46
09-27-2017, 01:53 PM
I am working on creating a 43" template to carve into cedar planks. I have a lot left over from a closet project and figured they would make great signs.

The question I have, how can I reduce the time carving on the CW. The opening is 3.8" Wide by 36" long. With a normal carve setting, it will take 2 hours to complete. I was thinking I might be able to carve a small region around the outer edges as well as the thumb ports and then do the rest with my router. I am not very good with a router as I have never used mine.

I am uploading the .MPC in case anyone want to take a try and see if they can find a better way to complete the long carve.

Thanks for any help as I am still trying to get something started with my new machine.

Chris Jones

I changed the carve region to a spiral pocket cut and the finger holes to a drill function. I think you will find that this cuts much faster and will leave the side walls vertical. Uses only the 1/8" cutting bit.

myshop1044
09-27-2017, 02:31 PM
Steve, I feel like I'm in kindergarten , how do you set up a spiral pocket cut, do you have a utube video for this?

SteveNelson46
09-27-2017, 02:44 PM
I just used Corel Draw. It has a "Contour" function that automatically copies the closed figure to the center by an arbitrary distance. Sort of like automating the offset feature in the Designer. Then I disconnected the lines on one corner and joined them with the next corner down and exported as a DXF. Bergerud does it all the time. I don't know if he has a procedure that he uses or just does it manually like I did.

myshop1044
09-27-2017, 02:55 PM
ok the word is" Corel Draw", that would be a great feature for some 3.0 software upgrades. may 2d or 3d

SteveNelson46
09-27-2017, 06:03 PM
ok the word is" Corel Draw", that would be a great feature for some 3.0 software upgrades. may 2d or 3d

I'm not sure what you mean. Corel Draw is a 3rd party draw program that is analogous to Adobe Illustrator.

SteveNelson46
09-27-2017, 06:45 PM
You could also set the grid spacing in the Designer to a distance slightly smaller than the diameter of the bit you intend to use and draw it using the connected lines tool. By using a continuous line the bit doesn't have to lift, reposition, and drop for each successively smaller rectangle. That should save time and also help reduce tracking errors. Vector cuts are almost always faster than raster cuts and produce vertical side walls because the cutting bit is straight and not tapered like the carving bit.

DickB
09-27-2017, 07:55 PM
Use a bigger cutting bit.

myshop1044
09-27-2017, 08:10 PM
yes CW is rather week on the drawing tools, I will give it a try with a 3/8" grid tomorrow and see what happens, thanks again , nice talking to you.

cjones
09-28-2017, 08:58 AM
Thanks everyone for all of the assistance. I just uploaded the MPC to my card and now it will only take 33 minutes. Much better than 2 hours. I am not real sure what a spiral pocket is but it looks much better now.

Now I can start making some signs once I get this template carved this weekend.

Thanks again,

Chris Jones

mtylerfl
09-28-2017, 03:48 PM
Steve, I feel like I'm in kindergarten , how do you set up a spiral pocket cut, do you have a utube video for this?

Made these tutorials back in 2011...

Pocket Cutting Tips – Part 1 and 2 – ISSUE 35-36 2011 (http://support.carvewright.com/810-2/)

cjones
09-30-2017, 10:18 AM
OK, Went out to cut the template this morning and an getting a length error. On the modified layout that Steve did, it stated the length was only 36.???" long. It asked if I wanted to scale to length or something and I said yes, It started the carve but was way short of the ends. I stopped that one and tried my original project file and this time it said my board is only 27.???" long. I know the board is 43" long and I measured it to correct and I was. It is a piece of MDF. Do you think I need to have extra supports since the board is 43" long on both ends. It has asked me to check the measure roller a couple of times. I think it meant the brass roller, sorry, I am not good at remembering exactly what it says.

Thanks,

Chris Jones

SteveNelson46
09-30-2017, 10:22 AM
If the machine asked you to scale then the width of the actual board is smaller than the board in the designer. You designed the board in the Designer (virtual board) to be 43" by 6" so you will need the actual board to be slightly larger than 49" by 6" (7" rule). Since there will be an extra 3.5" on each end, the board will stay under the rollers during the carve so you can answer NO to stay under the rollers and YES to center the project on the board.

Dian was correct in advising you to use additional support for the in-feed and out-feed tables. Make sure the supports are level with the traction belts and stay that way at all times during the carve.

Most experienced users will tell you to NEVER SCALE!

cjones
09-30-2017, 11:07 AM
The board is 6" wide but I added the extra 7 inches into the virtual board. If I removed the 3.5" on each end of the virtual board, then do you think it would measure properly. If you noticed on each end, there is a 3.5" area marked to cover the 7" rule.

I will have to go and get some supports. I think Harbor Freight has them on sale yet this month.

Thanks,

Chris Jones

SteveNelson46
09-30-2017, 11:41 AM
The board is 6" wide but I added the extra 7 inches into the virtual board. If I removed the 3.5" on each end of the virtual board, then do you think it would measure properly. If you noticed on each end, there is a 3.5" area marked to cover the 7" rule.

I will have to go and get some supports. I think Harbor Freight has them on sale yet this month.

Thanks,

Chris Jones

That will probably work as long as the machine measures the actual board to be slightly larger in width and length than the virtual board in the Designer and you answer NO to stay under the rollers.

mtylerfl
09-30-2017, 11:49 AM
It asked if I wanted to scale to length or something and I said yes...

Hi Chris,

Here is an article I wrote back in 2009. Might be helpful for you to read when you have a chance...

Scaling and How to Avoid It! – ISSUE 18 March 2009 (http://www.carvewright.com/assets/tips/CarveWrightTips_and_Tricks_Mar09.pdf)

cjones
09-30-2017, 02:39 PM
Thanks for the links Michael. If they are part of the Tips & Tricks, I already have them and just need to go back and read them again.

Thanks again.

mtylerfl
09-30-2017, 04:43 PM
Hi Chris,

Yes, those are part of the Tips & Tricks series alright. Sometimes I even forget what I wrote about until a question comes up that reminds me!

cjones
10-07-2017, 01:21 PM
OK, just finished cutting the template. Even though Designer said it would only take 34 minutes, it took just over 1 hour and 28 minutes, Go Figure.

I will be carving cedar planks in this template. The planks are the ones you can by from Lowes and Home Depot that are for closets. I cut the template for a piece up to 36" long. My question is, do I need to cut a 3.5" piece to put at the end of shorter boards or will designer know when it see's a difference in the wood, ie cedar plank to template. See attached for what I am referring to.

Any help or recommendations will be greatly appreciated.

Chris Jones

bergerud
10-07-2017, 02:08 PM
The machine will not know the difference between the board and the sled. The machine will only measure the length of the sled. It looks like you have the extra 3 1/2" on the end of the sled and so do not need extra blocks.

There are many choices for how you tell the machine where to carve. One way would be to make the board in Designer the same size as your cedar plank and use jog to corner at the machine.