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Thread: Broken Cutting Bits

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Central NJ, In the Pinelands
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    120

    Default Broken Cutting Bits

    Question,

    What is the best technique to prevent breaking bits when doing a cutout. I already do the cutouts in stages, (.25), I have over 3.5 inches (on each side) added to my work piece to avoid the roller issue, and I am using the 1/8th cutting bit.

    I thought there was a way to trick the machine so it feeds slower, but when I select the 1/16 bit, it gives the "Board is too thick" error.

    Is it possible in future updates of the software, that we can manually select the feed rate for the cutting operation, to prevent bit breaking?


    Woody

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Vancouver Island
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    8,193

    Default

    How thick of cutouts do you usually do?

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Central NJ, In the Pinelands
    Posts
    120

    Default

    The last board I cut was .75, usually thats the thickness for my projects. If the board is a straight cut I won't let the machine do the cuts and I will use other saws to cut it. I use it mainly for curved cutouts.

  4. #4

    Default

    Often broken bits mean something is wrong with the machine, such as a tracking error, that causes the machine to move too fast for a short time, or to stray off the path of a multi-pass cut.

    Use a 3/16" cutting bit when you can.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Feb 2007
    Location
    SouthWest Ohio
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    2,346

    Default

    I think that you would need to tell it you are using a bigger bit in order to have it go slower.
    Ken,
    V-1, 2, & 3

    When the People fear their Government, there is Tyranny.
    When the Government fears the People, there is Liberty.
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  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jan 2007
    Location
    NE PA USA
    Posts
    9,984

    Default

    The Trick to slowing the machine down is to select the 3/8 or 1/4 bit but use the 1/8th inch bit. This does NOT use a cut path and does NOT leave tabs.. This is a Vector Cut method as in makng a line or path and assigning a bit to it as in the 3/8. It locks the feed rate into what I call 1st gear. I still use 1.187 don't know about the newer stuff.

    I use it for plastic tags and ALSO use strips of double sided tape strips to hold the cut tags to not move and jam snapping the bit.

    This would be a good project for a Vacuum Sled... I have one in the works what has replacement hardboard inserts. I would have a custom insert with drilled holes to let the vacuum from below hold the cut wood piece. The slow down trick would work as you would not need tabs.

    I have a Vineer Vacuuum Pump and a Vacuum electrical switch that would be wired into the cover circuit so if vacuum was lost the machine would stop.

    AL
    Favorite Saying.... "It's ALL About the Brass Roller"..... And "Use MASKING TAPE" for board skipping in the X or breaking bits.

    Follow ME on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/pages/Accoun...50019051727074

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  7. #7
    Join Date
    Jan 2012
    Location
    Greenfield, Massachusetts, United States
    Posts
    66

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by smurfjeep View Post
    Question,

    What is the best technique to prevent breaking bits when doing a cutout. I already do the cutouts in stages, (.25), I have over 3.5 inches (on each side) added to my work piece to avoid the roller issue, and I am using the 1/8th cutting bit.

    I thought there was a way to trick the machine so it feeds slower, but when I select the 1/16 bit, it gives the "Board is too thick" error.

    Is it possible in future updates of the software, that we can manually select the feed rate for the cutting operation, to prevent bit breaking?


    Woody
    Hi Woody, I used to have this problem breaking 4 1/8 bits in a 6 week period. Clearly unacceptable something had to be done. I started using sleds and problem diminished. Since beefing up my sleds, the problem is now non-existent. I haven't broken a bit in more than a year! I make a sled specific to every project. At $40 pop, the cost of a new bit lets me splurge on MDF for the base. I make the 4" blocks on the ends to be as tall as the thickness of the wood I am using or taller. I always include rails so that the rollers have the same pressure on the sled. If the project wood is of less height than the rails and end blocks, I just use jog to touch to find the surface and it works great. Is your jeep blue?

  8. #8

    Default Recent bits are breaking very easily

    I recently purchased a second machine to keep up with my orders. I've been carving for 5 years and have never broken a 1/8 cutting bit. I use 3/4" high quality plywood for my sleds, which I screw in the pinewood from the back making sure to be far away from the cut areas. Now in the last 2 months I've broken 6 on the same design I've made over 400 times without issue. With the new machine I added the dust collection adaptor to both machines and a beefy 2hp vacuum. (btw I highly recommend it). With all of these things in place I'm breaking brand new bits with in a very short period. Today it lasted 15mins and I was standing in front of the machine when it happened this time. Nothing seemed out of odd before it snapped. Carvewright says I must be doing something wrong, however I switch out the broken bit for one my very old and very dull bits and it finishes the cut out. Granted it has burn marks but it finishes it.

    I'm going to try telling it I'm using the thicker bit. Any other ideas? I was guessing that they changed manufactures and that is why the bits are breaking so easily.

  9. #9

    Default

    I had a problem with this. I discovered that the clear cover was not contacting the switch when closed as tightly as it should. The vibration would cause the spindle to slow or stop while the machine continued to run the pattern. I tried to adjust the switch and found that one of the screws was stripped out that holds the cover switch. Sooo, I made a small piece of plastic and super glued it to the tit on the cover to push the safety switch a little harder. Solved my problem. Yes, if the cover is lifted slightly the spindle will slow or stop and the machine will continue to run the pattern.

  10. Default

    Just a thought, do you use masking tape on the back of the sled? Just a strip along the side where the brass roller is. If during the cutout the board slips just a little the bit will snap right away. I would also look at roller pressure on the board to make sure it is in the recommended range. I can see where one machine might have different pressure than the other and allow some slippage.

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