Delicate V-Bit?

One of the (several) CNC craftsmen I follow on Youtube said something in passing…that he didn’t use his probe to set Z with his sharpest tapered vbits because “the tip is just too delicate for a metal probe.”

Although I’ve only used a 60 deg vbit as of yet, I am planning some tiny text carvings that will use a 22.5 or sharper angle. I would have thought carbide bit vs aluminum probe would not be an issue…anyone here ever damaged a bit while probing (when the controller is running the probe, I know people manually run bits into probes all the time)??

It is still not mdf or wood… I use the paper method to zero fine tipped bits

1 Like

I’m using the paper method for sharper bits. I’m having issues with the probe anyway but I’ve found so far that the v bits don’t seem to register as well. About 30 percent of the time it will “see” it when i do the initial test then when it is moving it self down to do the calibration it doesn’t register and keeps driving into the probe until I stop it. Makes me nervous so I just do the paper method.
In terms of which is stronger, it’s most likely the bit. Aluminum is pretty soft metal. But I’d rather not damage a $60-$100 bit testing that out.

1 Like

I have used the 6.7 degree or 14/15 degree TBN bits for probing with no issues. But YMMV.