Any way to make the machine travel the X axis faster?

[TurtleCove]

I want to carve some wall trim, like a chair rail. The profile made by one of the routing bits, like the Ogee Classical, would be fine.

Is there any way to put a 2" wide board in the machine, that's 6 feet long, or even 8 feet long, and have it travel the whole length of the board along the X axis? Rather than having a carving bit create the profile by going back and forth along the the Y axis...which takes forever on a long board.

[fwharris]

You can select "route" from the machines key pad and then select "edge". It will do it just like a hand router, which would be just a fast or even faster that having the CW do it..

[Amonaug]

You can use the line tool to create a path down the length of the board then just assign the bit to it.

[TurtleCove]

But I don't want to route the edge. I want it to route down the middle of the board....and I don't have a hand router.

[TurtleCove]

You can use the line tool to create a path down the length of the board then just assign the bit to it.

But won't it create the "route" by using a carving bit, and going back and forth on the Y axis? Or are you saying that when assigning a routing bit to a line, the machine will follow the line to create the profile?

[TurtleCove]

I guess what I asked would make no sense. it would make no sense to assign a bit to a line path, and then for it to use a carving bit to duplicate that profille.

[Amonaug]

Take a look at the attached .mpc, it's a simple line down the middle of the board for the entire length. A ogee bit is assigned to it (depth can be adjusted), the machine will route in one straight line starting at the left and going to the right in 1 pass (or multiple passes if you set the max depth pass).

[TurtleCove]

Got it.
Thanks gang!


-dirk
www.thinboards.com.
Lowest price on thin boards on the web....guaranteed!

[Digitalwoodshop]

I see where you are going with this... Also add .com to the post above.

If I were to do a project like you are doing, making linear molding with the carve machine, I would build a sled the length of your desired wood. The sled should be light so a 1/4 inch base board would be good. The Sides should be the same height and glued and screwed to make it sturdy. Be sure your screws are not in the brass roller part of the sled. I would place a 4 inch block on the end or the right side of designer that way you have 4 inches of wood under the rollers and a place for the board detector to see at the edge of the board.

Here are some pictures.

Picture 1 is a sled for Wine Racks, that is why the curved top. The theory is the same, sides and a end piece.

Picture 2 shows where I was using it to cut Christmas Ornaments and with 1.131 had the thickness off... Cut too deep the first time. But it shows the versatility of a sled, using short pieces to make stuff.

Picture 3 is more along the line of what you are thinking, in this case it was rails for a fishing rod holder. Could have cut in the X Axis too with this, just tape down the board.


Picture 4 shows the artwork with a block drawn on the right to account for the 4 inch block or in this sled a 5 inch block. Then lines to show the rails and the center is the working area.

You could draw a linear line along the X Axis like the .mpc above and select a bit and depth and make some nice stuff. I would set up a down draft table for ease of operation.

Your sled could be setup for 1 board or more.

Good Luck,

AL

[TurtleCove]

Thanks Al. That helps alot.
Yes, picture 3 is similar to what I should do.
How wide do the rails of the jig need to be, on the sides?

I'm using a narrow board right now, and carving close to the edge, thus getting "cut-throughs on the top edge will not be completed in order to avoid interfering with the aux roller"

-dirk
www.thinboards.com
Lowest price on the web for thin boards....guaranteed.