V carve tool selection and settings

When using v carve in carbide create what is the best v groove tool? Diameter? Degree? Also what text works best for signs?

Last question, do you set your depth or go off default settings?

Having a tough time learning v carve! Thanks in advance!!

We have a bit about this here:

https://docs.carbide3d.com/assembly/carbidecreate/video-tutorials/#v-carving

There’s a bit about angle and how it relates to font/feature size at: https://wiki.shapeoko.com/index.php/Endmills#V-bits

This thread discusses it as well

and has an image which shows width considerations

Like anything else, start with the feeds and speeds in Carbide Create as a conservative guideline and use a technique such as: Calibrating Feeds and Speeds When Using Carbide Microtools to work up optimal settings for your endmill, machine, and material.

The elephant in the room is that Carbide Create doesn’t account for an inability to carve wider than the endmill diameter, so a too large square will become a four pointed star — you can work around that by insetting the geometry twice, and carving as a V carve using the inner and outer geometry, and cutting the in-between as a pocket at the depth which the V carve will reach. See: https://wiki.shapeoko.com/index.php/Carbide_Create_Basics#Clearing_area_around_drawing

I have had best results when v carving fonts and images with a 45deg bit, I use it for almost everything.

Because the diameter of the tip of the v bit is so small, the cutting speed is very low, so I run mine at max rpm (24k rpm) and about 80ipm usually yields quite good results for me.

Good general rule of thumb is that bigger angled v bits (i.e 90deg) are better for jobs with less detail, and for finer or more detailed work a lower angled bit (i.e 30deg) will give better results

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