3/16" Carving & Cutting Bits - Telling the Difference Ain't Easy

[lynnfrwd]

The 3/16" Carving Bit is not a tapered bit like the 1/16" Carving bit.

The ONLY difference between the two 3/16" bits is the very tip of the bit. One is slightly rounded and the other is somewhat flat. There are three flutes on each bit.

There is no difference between the two in the shaft up near the hard pressed adapter. (The photo depicting the 3/16" cutting bit on the store and under PRODUCTS will be changed as it is not correct.)

I will try to get a good photo to post of the two ends side by side.

[lynnfrwd]

The one on the left (or bottom) is the 3/16" carving bit with a "slightly" rounded tip. The other is the 3/16" cutting bit with the "somewhat" flat tip.

[liquidguitars]

I been working on a pattern that is designed to use the 3/16 mill bit, the 3/16 mill does a nice job all around and saves me about 49% per part.

[bayea]

can the 3/16 bit be used instead of the 1/16? why would one use the 3/16 bit?

[lynnfrwd]

The biggest benefit of the 3/16" carving over the 1/16" carving is it cuts your carve time practically in half because it takes away more wood with each pass.

The drawback of the 3/16" carving over the 1/16" carving is it does not produce the same fine detail.

Select which bit to use based on these two considerations. If you can do without the fine detail, use the 3/16" carving bit.

[LittleRedWoodshop]

can the 3/16 bit be used instead of the 1/16? why would one use the 3/16 bit?

In the Designer - if you right click on the board and select the 3/16th Carving Bit (ball nose) it will re-render your design and show you the difference in the carve (or detail).

[bayea]

why cant i select a bit on a purchased pattern? ie: from a 1/16 bit to a 3/16

[AskBud]

why cant i select a bit on a purchased pattern? ie: from a 1/16 bit to a 3/16

I'm not sure what you are asking.
That being said, I believe that the carving bit must be changed via the "Board Settings" screen not the particular pattern. I further recall that the 3/16 carving bit selection will only apply to version 1.179 or later. It applies to all raster carving on that particular MPC (you may not have both the 1/16th and the 3/16 Carving bits in use on the same MPC (at this time)! You should also be advised that the larger carving bit will tend to wash/carve away small detail as it progresses through the sequence. It's advantage is for faster carving of very large, less detailed, work.
AskBud

[bayea]

For instance. the Autumn Leaves POM project dosen't have any fine detail and i was hoping the 3/16 bit would speed up the carving time.

[LittleRedWoodshop]

OK ... I loaded that specific POM (Project of the Month) ...

1. right click on the board - which opens a menu
2. select "Board Setting" from the menu
3. when the menu opens select "Pattern Bit"
4. from the drop down menu select the bit that you want to use - in this case "3/16th Ballnose"