Creating toolpaths from open vector lines

[WillAdams (William Adams (Carbide 3D))]

Given a file:

Which one wants to have closed geometry for making toolpaths, one possible way to do this would be to:

Use the “Create Rectangle” tool to draw in zero height/width rectangles:

while holding down the control (command key on a Mac):

to get rectangles which when the zero dimension is increased to the desired dimension:

are the correct dimension.

Draw in all such geometry:

Then select it all

and do Boolean Union:

OK

If desired, Group Vectors

Then, a toolpath which may only be used with closed vectors such as V carving may be assigned:

[WillAdams (William Adams (Carbide 3D))]

as requested on support…

Given a file:

of which is said:

When I try to pick items for separate toolpath, the whole file goes red. I want to v-carve the lettering and numbers.

This is caused by everything being grouped:

So things may be treated separately if one ungroups them:

which allows one to select the lettering and numbers:

and assign a V carving toolpath:

The holes along each track I want to pocket, these are for pegs to fit into.

Circles may be selected by Edit | Select Circles:

and a pocket toolpath assigned:

The vertical lines are not closed to create a toolpath with

Open geometry may be used for Contour toolpaths:

Or, as noted above, one may re-draw them as zero width rectangles by holding down the control (command on a Mac) key:

[WillAdams (William Adams (Carbide 3D))]

Note that for V carving toolpaths, as discussed at:

https://my.carbide3d.com/gswso/12/

It is usually not necessary to depth limit them if they are composed of narrow geometries — although it is expedient to set the Max Depth to Stock Thickness:

Reducing that dimension will not alter how how the first toolpath cuts:

and modifying the other will result in a distorted appearance:

If it is actually necessary to depth limit a V carving toolpath, then an Advanced V carving toolpath should be used instead:

If the depth for the Pocket toolpaths needs to be changed, this is easily done by editing the toolpath:

If the circles are the wrong size, then select each one in turn:

and change the dimension:

for each.

Note when selecting, the geometry which will be selected will highlight:

(text)

(circle)

Usually it is possible to position the cursor so as to select any geometry which is underneath:

with a click:

Where that is not an option, note that drag-select has two modes:

• drag up is promiscuous and selects everything which is even partially within the drag rectangle

• drag down is selective and only selects that geometry which is fully within the drag rectangle:

(or one can zoom in for a given element)

As discussed in:

https://my.carbide3d.com/gswcc/05/

Eventually one arrives at: