Help with 3D carve

Machines (Original/PRO)
1

Hello all,

A little history. I have been carving with my 1F woodworker since June of 22.

I also use Vectric Vcarve pro v 11.554

I have the Z20 slider and a Makita router. I have been getting into more and more 3D carvings.

Both 2.5 and 3D two sided. I am having problems with 2.5 D relief carvings.

My current project (Poker Playing Dogs) is 16x11x.865 inches.

I’ll try and attach my crv file.

My current dilemma is in regards to Speeds and Feeds and quality of carve.

This file is quite detailed and I am trying to bring out all the detail that I can.

I have found that if I raise the base height I get more fine detail.

What all this detail means, is reflected in my tool paths, and carve time.

I have tried the “rest machining” two different times and do not like the results.

1600×900 335 KB

This is from the 1/16 TBN clearance path.

1600×900 364 KB

This is with a 1/32 TBN finish pass.

I really think the 1/16 clearance did much better (but loses some detail)

The biggest reason I keep trying the “rest machining” is it does seem to reduce the carve time quite a bit.

So next I decided to skip the “rest machining” and break up the finish pass by adding 4 rectangle vectors and carving to them.

Currently I have a ⅛ upcut end mill for roughing and it takes just over 3 hrs.

However the four separate finishing passes take a total of 37hrs.

My tool paths are as follows:

Roughing: ⅛ EM pass depth is .125 with a 25% step over running at 145/72 feed/plunge IPM, with the router running about 15,000 RPM. Leaving .02 for finishing allowance.

Finish passes are all the same: 1/32 TBN with 10% stepover 75/35 feed/plunge IPM. Router running at the same RPM.

1600×900 297 KB

This is the result of the 1/16 clearance pass with the lower right corner showing the 1/32 finish cleanup.

my crv file: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HB2EaJWP8js9YpbwePFkxp2Qw6jyQ4Kp/view?usp=drive_link

Given my current machine/router and software, how would you toolpath this to give you the greatest detail, best finish, and fastest times?

1 Like
2

What type of wood are you carving?

3

I am carving curly maple.

Mike

4

Hey Mike,
So I use carveco, so the settings might be a little different but…if you can get a thicker piece of wood with tight grain lines then go an inch deep for the relief. That’ll help pull some detail. As far as machining I would run a rough with 1/4” end mill at .175 doc 130ipm 75 plunge 33% step over. For finish I would go 250ipm at 15% step over with 1/32” ball nose at 45* raster, plunge at 50. Should be in the 10-15hr ballpark . Hope that helps, I’m curious what settings others would use as well…

1 Like
5

Bill,
what router are you using?
What RPM would you turn for the roughing and finishing.
Thanks
Mike

6

So I use a 110v spindle, but 17500 rpm on the rough and 21500rpm on the carve

7

Well after 40 hrs I have a very nice carving with little need for cleanup.

Many have said this wasn’t a good model to begin with, but I think it turned out great.
Others have said that you can’t get good quality and short carving times (how very true)

Roughing pass 1/8" end mill .125 pass depth, 25% stepover, 145 Feed and 72 plunge running at 18000RPM z level.

I set 4 vectors for finishing (to break up the time).
1/32 TBN running at 15000 RPM with a 15% stepover 250 feed and 50 plunge on a 45 degree raster.
Total carving time was about 40 hrs but the results were great.
here are two photos to compare. Zoom in and you can really see the difference.
first one is with a 1/16 TBN as I mentioned in my original post.

1-16 TBN.jpg

this one is with the 1/32 TBN

1-32 TBN.jpg

biggest take away for me was to reduce my router RPM.
learning all the time.
Thank you all again for the help on this one.
Mike