Ok, complete noob question, but I’m not sure on this… hence I’m asking.
So, I have a part I’m designing that will have 4 through holes & a cutout for the entire part from a slightly larger piece of stock.
When creating tool paths, do I need to make each operation it’s own g-code, IE: drilling (pocket) the holes first, then running the cutout (contour) g-code ??
No tool changes during the operation, just 2 separate operations. Can I just generate my g-code with both operations in the same g-code, making sure to put the drilling (pocket) operation first on the list with the cutout second?
I have found it’s easier to have one g-code for each bit, however I have a few thoughts.
Do not forget to zero Z every time you change your bit. I don’t want to count the times I forgot and hard to start a piece over.
Make certain as you are going to zero Z after each bit, you have the same zero spot available. I’ve also cut away the zero location so a little hard to zero if it’s not there!
Regardless of using the same bit for other tool paths, I try to keep the profile cut (cut out) by itself and as the last step.
I’ve never found the collet bit setters to produce very reliable results. Not because of the collet stops, but because of my ability to get the bit pushed to the stop each time while tightening. The bit always seems to drop while I’m trying to tighten, producing inconsistent results. Just my experience.
