To Jig or Not to Jig....

[Sarge]

Okay Folks,
Another live and learn incident. Trashed some beautiful Peruvian Walnut!!! IF you build a MPC and decide to make the machine cut it out, be fore warned. I did so, with one of my law enforcement plaques and a Last Supper. Upon uploading it, it gave me a warning. (See the attached pic) I went with auto jig, thinking the machine knew what it was doing. I haven't seen this warning before. :eek:

The first one cut absolutely beautiful until 30% complete. It then did an abstract carve like a murderer with a pocket knife!! I didn't "dive" or snap the bit. Just cut a massive scar across the middle. Luckily, I was right there to shut it off. Later, when cutting the Last Supper with "cut out", it shaved some of the outside details off.

Maybe it doesn't do this with a basic design, but I've fried a few projects by selecting the cut-out on them. I'd recommend using your scrollsaw or bandsaw to cut out intricate designs. They're faster, safer and more accurate.

[pamjmayo]

Hi Sarge, I still can't find your updates to my pictures? Where are you? i sound like my kids in the grocery store. HA!

[HillBilly]

Howdy Sarge,

I`d be incline to agree with you as to the use of the other forms of equipment. I`ve seen the same "warning" a few times what with the little carving I`ve done so far. I like you beleive that there are better means to deal with a few issues than to rely on this one piece of machinery to do it all. Use the "carver" for what it does best and then use the rest of your arsenal as it was so intended to be used.

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"Error of opinion may be tolerated where reason (http://meetretailworkers.com/constitution_and_by.htm) is left free to combat it"-Thomas Jefferson

[Skyhawk]

This message will come up if you don't have at least 1/2 inch of space on the sides of a project that carves cpmpletely across the width of the board...If you were to carve completely across the pressure rollers wouldn't have anything to ride on.

Auto Jig will require an extra 1/2 inch on the sides to prevent this (will actually prompt for a larger board if it needs), and shouldn't cause what you've experienced...I think you may have another issue.

[Jeff_Birt]

Sarge, I use 'Auto-Jig' and 'Cut-out' all the time, but the machine is only so smart and I bet you managed to find something that confused it! It will also freak out if you try to use cut-out with a piece mounted to a sled. The other thing you can do is rout down to 0.020" - 0.030" above the bottom of the board (measure each board to get exact depth). The piece is very easy to finish cutting out then.

[Dan-Woodman]

Sarge
When you select " cutout " are you then selecting flip cut.
You can tell it to cut inside the line or outside the line.
This maybe why you think it's cutting into your project.


I do agree with others,if ya got other tools to use'm
This is a wonderfull machine , but it does best what it is,a carving machine.

[Gman_Ind]

the cutout feature is marketed for this machine and it seems like it will do a good job on flat large pieces. or large pieces with ample flats. I have it cutout wall plates and only problem I had was it cutting through a thin sled and refusing to cut a larger one. I have since learned (thanks Jeff) to have it rout to within .030" of the thickness when using a sled.

[Digitalwoodshop]

How did you do that? This works for my sign but how do you make tabs with a sled? Just cut the whole thing .030 from the sled?

AL

[Jeff_Birt]

Al, can't use 'Cut out' with a sled, hence no nice automatic tabs. Just route it leave 0.020" - 0.030".