I’m trying to make an address sign for my sister. The sign is approximately 15" tall, and 17" wide, and will be cut from 1.5" thick cedar. The pocketed area is currently shown at 1/2" deep.
Since it doesn’t seem to be possible to output separate toolpaths of Carbide Create’s “Advanced VCarve” as individual GCode files, I’m trying to recreate the output with Fusion 360. Can someone please summarize the basic workflow to create a VCarve sign with flat pocketed areas? And yes, I have searched and watched many, many videos on YouTube, but I must be searching for the wrong thing because the videos don’t seem to show flat bottom pockets…
I have the Amana 45771-K 30 degree 1/4" bit, and the Amana 46225-K & 46202-K 1/8" & 1/4" bits as well.
I figured out how to do the engraving operation to follow the contours, but haven’t figured out how to remove the rest of the material. I’ve also tried 2D Adaptive Clearing by starting with the 1/4" flat endmill, then Rest machining with the 1/8" flat endmill, but it still leaves material behind and leaves behind the areas inside the letters.
Not sure what I’m missing. I’m sure I’d be better off by switching to another program, but trying to avoid incurring additional monthly subscriptions - at least until I actually start making money with this machine.
Hi Eric - from the picture it looks like the area around the letters and numbers is flat? If it has some sort of curvature that is modeled in the design workspace, then you can use the 3D pocket or 3D Adaptive pocket to assist with clearing the material according to the profile. You definitely want to clear as much material using the flat end mill as possible. A ball end mill might be better than a v cutter depending on the contours. Hope this helps.
-Tom
Thanks Tom - yes, the bottom recess is intended to be flat. This is essentially all I’m trying to do - starting at the 10 minute mark:
I was trying to use a v-bit to reach into the tight spaces in the smaller letters, then hog out the rest with a 1/4" flat endmill, and/or a 1/8" flat endmill. I ended up subscribing to Carveco Maker. It looks like it will easily create multiple toolpaths, I was just having trouble figuring out the CAM workflow with Fusion. I’d still like to figure it out.
Hi Eric - got it. I’d do an adaptive clear for the pocket around the letters. Then do a profile around the letters with a larger end mill (1/4"), then another profile with a 1/8", and then a v-carve with something like a 60 degree bit or so. You can skip one of the profiles if you want to save time. If you do a second pocket with a smaller bit, you must use rest machining so Fusion knows the material has been removed. There is a check box for rest milling on one of the tabs - I think it’s the first tab with feeds and speeds.
Let me know how Carveco works out for you.
-Tom
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I never was able to get Fusion sorted out, but Carveco Maker was pretty simple. Somehow my 30 degree v bit was set with a feed rate around 112 ipm and the tip broke off but it otherwise came out okay.
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That turned out very well. Approximately how long did the cutting take?
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Thank you - it’s roughly 17” wide by 15” tall, with 1/2” deep pockets, 3 different operations, and it took roughly 2 hours. I used a 1/4” spiral downcut for roughing and a 30 degree vbit.
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Wow Eric - that looks really great. Straight off the machine with no post processing/sanding? Smoothest cuts I’ve seen in a long time. I hope to have my first real project done this weekend.
-Tom
The other thing you can do in Fusion is first using an engrave toolpath with the V-bit. Then clean up the flat areas with a 2D pocketing toolpath: making sure to specify an appropriate “radial stock to leave” so that it doesn’t cut into the angled walls of the V cut. I don’t know for sure that rest machining will work for this (it seems like it should), but this way is essentially a ‘manual rest machining’.
Example: https://youtu.be/IdCyF7s4M8s?t=150
Thanks! No sanding. All I did was brush it with a shoe shine brush (horse hair brush), and scraped some of the frizzies away with my fingernail at the bottom of the cuts at the base of the letters that were left over from the broken tip on my 30 degree bit. I was pretty impressed with how it came out, considering it’s my first real attempt at cutting anything other than my wasteboard and fence accessories.
Kevin - thank you for sharing that video. I felt like I was missing out on something by migrating away from the all-powerful Fusion 360, but I guess this CNC stuff may require a little bit of software flexibility, depending on the project.
