My joyful night

[hetzerguitars]

I felt like I should share my good fortune. I finally got it. Tonight I was finally able to make something useful for my craft (luthier). My main use for this machine was to make templates for making guitars. And I am now able to do it.

So I figured maybe someone else might benefit. I have to trick the machine. But here is how I do it.

* Draw my shape in Photoshop (200dpi). Black on White. Highlight the
object. Do an outline (stroke of 75px) in purple. select the purple and
delete it. That will proportionally delete the correct amount for the bit size
I am using.
* Save as PNG Interlaced
* Import into CW.
* Place images Remember that All X coordiates -.132
* Outline the shape.
* Delete original
* Select outline, and carve region.
* Use a 3/8" straight cutting bit in the machine. But when the machine says
1/16" carving. Tell it it's in there. Even though it's not.
* Cut...

They are dead on using my calipers. I may take vacation the rest of the week ! oh, wait there is one draw back. 3/8" radius on all corners. But I need that anyway.

- Jim

[Spanglerg@hotmail.com]

Congratulation, Is it not a geat feeling when that lightbulb goes on?

Greg

[Jeff_Birt]

* Select outline, and carve region.
* Use a 3/8" straight cutting bit in the machine. But when the machine says
1/16" carving. Tell it it's in there. Even though it's not.
* Cut..

If you are making templates why are you using a carve region? I'm assuming you are making a template to follow with a hand router (which may be why I'm confused.)

I'm glad you got it to work. I might be a bit concerned about having the machine trying to use the feeds/speeds for the 1/16" bit when you are really using a 3/8" bit. The plunge rate especially should be very different. (Again, I may be misunderstanding what you are doing.)

Any pictures?

[ChrisAlb]

Yea, I have to agree. And also, whether you use the 1/16" carving bit or "lie" to the machine and put the 3/8 joiner bit in there. It makes no difference in the amount of wood removed per pass. The machine still only moves the same amount per pass in the X direction.

I found that out a long time ago when I wanted to use the machine to plain down the entire surface of a board. Using a carved region made larger than the board, I could find no way to "tell" the machine to use the 3/8" bit (which to my way of thinking would remove more wood per pass). It plained the board down just fine but it didn't move 3/8 per pass in the X direction so it took just as long to complete as it does using the 1/16" carving bit.

[deemon328]

I'm really excited for you!

Are you getting dead on vector cuts? To what level of precision?

Do you feel that the 3/8" bit is the reason you're getting better accuracy?

Do you have any photos of a finished carve that you'd like to share?

Thanks in advance for answering. I'm really interested in getting better results in vector.