unable to change which bit to use?

[betacrash]

I just simply want to carve out a 5.5" x 10.5" square at 1/4" depth into a board. Why am I unable to just choose a 3/8" bit to do it? Or am I? thanks in advance. -shawn

[DocWheeler]

Shawn,

You can either carve out the region with the carving bit - raster.
Or, you can route it out with a series of routing lines - vector.

hth

[pkunk]

I dunno! I just set up a square at 1/4" depth, carve region with the 1/8" cutting bit. The 3/8" would go much faster if you have a 3/8 plunge bit.

[HighTechOkie]

Carve Region tool uses the Pattern Bit selected in Board Settings (default is 1/16" ballnose a.k.a. carving bit).

The only way to use a 3/8" straight plunge bit, would be to draw a series of lines parrallel to each other spaced just under 3/8" appart. Keep in mind the corners will have 3/16" radius.

[HighTechOkie]

For the sake of learning I tried a couple different ways of creating a 10.5" x 5.5" x 0.25" deep.

1st method:
Create a series of 10.125" lines routed 1/4" deep using the 3/8" straight bit.
A 5.5" line was drawn on each end to square up the paths.

Carve Time: 40:25

2nd method:
Create a series of 4.75" lines routed 1.4" deep using the 3/8" straight bit.
A 10.125" line was drawn on each end to square of the paths.

Carve Time: 36:44

3rd method:
10.5" x 5.5" x 0.25" deep carve region using 1/16" ballnose (default)

Carve Time: 44:10

4th method:
10.5" x 5.5" x 0.25" deep carve region using 1/8" straight

Carve Time: 21:49

5th method:
10.5" x 5.5" x 0.25" deep carve region using 1/4" ballnose

Carve Time: 41:51

Conclusions:
While doing the layout using a 3/8" straight bit will cut faster than the 1/16" carving, the extra time for layout almost offsets the carving time LOL. It looks like using an 1/8" straight bit as the Pattern Bit(chosen in Board Settings) and doing a carve region results in the fastest method to accomplish this.

In comparing method 1 and 2, the machine can vector route faster in X direction.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Check out my post at the end of AL's Gloat in the Gallery. I wanted to do a similar thing and made a sample board with the 1/2 inch bull nose. I made a rectangle .005 x 1 inch and then made a rectangle .010 x 1 inch and so on to .5 inch x 1 inch. This gave me a overlap sample board if I needed a 3/4 inch slot in wood using the Vector Bull Nose bit vice Raster 1/16 carving bit.

Good Luck,

AL