Help cutting a circular groove

[JimStaley]

I'd like to cut a circular groove by setting the inner diameter. When I use the "select bit" tool, the cut seems to be centered on the circle that I draw. When I use the "cut path" tool and "flip cut", the tool goes where I want it to, but the cut goes all the way through...even in a 4" thick board, an obvious impossibility. I seem to need a "flip cut" option on the "select bit " tool, but it doesn't pop up for me.

By the way, maybe someone with a machine can tell me what happens when you use the cut path tool on a board that's too thick to cut all of the way through?

[David M.]

I'm getting the same thing, it looks like a software glitch, you can set the depth manually, but it still shows as a cut all the way through. I don't have my machine to test what it actually does verses what the software is doing, but I'm guessing it will follow the manual depth setting reguardless what the screen is showing.

[nwn]

"Cut Path" means cut all the way through the board. I think you just need to make the circle smaller by half the bit size, and then use the "select bit" function.

The functioning of the various tools is spelled out in the "Tools Quick Reference" in the Carvewright Handbook under help.

Neal

[JimStaley]

It can't cut through a 4" thick board, so how far does it cut, and why does it show that it cut all of the way through?

[nwn]

I've developed software, and when I know what is supposed to happen, it's very easy to assume that everyone else will, too. On the FAQ web page it shows that the maximum depth of cut is 1 inch, even though the machine can support material up to 5 inches thick. I read that somewhere else, too, but I can't find it right now. It's not hard to imagine that someone just missed checking for thickness when showing visually what the function designed to cut through material up to 1 inch thick does.

Cutting, rather than routing, leaves a small connection periodically around a piece so it doesn't come loose and fly around the machine. So if you use "cut" on a thicker piece I imagine there will be small areas where the depth of cut is 0.95 inch, or whatever. If you go through the material any other way, you risk damaging things. Sorry I missed that part of the question.

Neal

[JimStaley]

Thanks for your input.