Veneer Cutting

[BHStech]

Hi All,

I'd like to try and use the CarveWright to make intricate score cuts on a piece of veneer. I know I could just use a straight edge and x-acto, but I was curious if this could be done via the 60 degree bit at a very shallow cut depth.

I assume I'd have to put the veneer into a custom build sled, since it is too thin to carve on it's own.

Thanks for your input!

[bergerud]

That is something on my list to try. I would use the 1/16" cutting bit.

[mtylerfl]

I agree with Dan about using the 1/16" Cutting Bit. You may want to wait for AL to chime in on this. He has a simple trick to make the 1/16" Cutting Bit go slower by "fooling" the machine. I think that would enable cleaner cutting on the thin veneer. I think your biggest challenge will be to get the thin veneer to stay completely flat on your sled/jig surface! Double-stick tape will be involved, both for AL's trick and keeping the veneer flat.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Yes, I think it is possible but the trick is to hold down the thin wood... and any pieces that come out of a cut will fly around... and stick to the rubber rollers.... For my tags I use 1/4 inch strips of double sided tape to hold the tags in place. I also have a scrap piece on each end to make the thickness the same.

The trick I use for the tags is simply to tell the machine I am using a 1/4 inch round nose cutting bit but actually load a 1/16th end mill. I like the used Circuit Board bits on eBay that are very sharp and very cheap. I use a holder for the Roto ZIP bit to hold it.

If I were to do it, I would spray removable photo glue on a sheet of quality cardboard like a Priority Mail box and double stick it to a carrier board WITH RAILS.

I would make the rails slightly higher than the thin wood.
When the machine does the touch of the wood, with my rail sled, it touched the top of the rail. I then set the depth to cut through the plastic.
By using slightly higher rails any wood flakes that pop out will not get crushes by the rollers and raising the head OR crushing the veneer surface.

I just drew a rectangle on my artwork showing the rails and put the actual art in between the rails.

I made a peek a boo sled to re-cut plastic a second time to get the alignment correct.

The Priority box paper will act a sacrificial cutting surface on the sled.

I just made vector lines and assigned the 1/4 inch bit and set the DEPTH and your GOOD... By telling the machine you are using the 1/4 inch bit it locks the cutting feed rate in 1st gear. LHR gets credit for telling me about it.

The bit on the left is the roto zip holder.

I DID try this with 1/8th inch wood trying to make a snowflake but no luck....

A Laser Engraver is the tool to cut Veneer....

AL

[FWMiller]

Double sided tape might be too much to hold the veneer down and then release it safely. And the upcut action of the bit is going to want to lift the veneer and without rigid support on top it could tear out. I would think of trying to make a vacuum hold down sled and maybe try to use a down cut bit. With an extremely shallow cut the waste material should still clear out easily.

[bergerud]

What about covering the back of the veneer with green painter's tape and then using double sided tape or glue between the painter's tape and the sled. It would be easy to later peel the painter's tape off of the veneer. (Or peel the veneer off of the painter's tape.)

[mtylerfl]

Ideally, a vacuum hold-down "box" would do the trick. AL's been wanting to make one for years for his "thin material cutting jobs". I know that's what a lot of other CNC owners use for their veneer cutting...but, they also use a CNC-mounted knife for cutting, along with software to create special toolpaths with tiny vector loops at the corners for sharp inside and outside corners (the spindle is turned OFF when using a swivel knife cutter!).

[aokweld101]

I made a mistake on ordering bits from china they are .08mm dia. cutting bits would they work for cutting veneer, I don't know of anything that I can use them on... that mm always misses me up.