Curioius on alternate way to create a stopped dado

I’m pretty new to Carbide Create, but have done lots of drafting with other tools to create SVG files in the past.

In my current project I wanted to cut some stopped dados. I successfully did the obvious:
In Design:Create Vector:Create Polyline I drew a single vector which was the line where I wanted the stopped dado. Then, in Toolpaths I selected the line and selected a Coutour using the bit size I wanted to use for the simple stopped dado. I set ‘No Offset’ and the depth and DONE, no problem. Worked perfectly and Show Simulation showed exactly what I wanted. GREAT!

Then on another stopped dado I had the idea to do it differently so I could more easily see what was getting routed out. Instead i did:
In Design:Create Rectangle: and made a rectangle the width of the bit and the length of the stopped dado. Then, in Toolpaths I selected the rectangle and selected a Pocket using the same bit size as the width of the rectangle. I set the depth and OUCH, I get an EMPTY TOOLPATH. I think to myself, maybe it won’t allow it because it knows I can’t cut the square corners at the ends with a bit the same width as the rectangle. So I go back to Design and Fillet the ends. Same result. It just won’t cut a slot the width of the tool if I create it with a rectangle/pocket instead of a line/contour.

Am I missing something? Of course I can proceed on my project with what works, but in this case it would have been nice to visualize the width of the cut in Design.

The geometry for a pocket needs to be a bit larger than the tool so that the program can make it fit — 10% wider than the tool at the narrowest point is a workable guideline.

1 Like

This topic was automatically closed after 30 days. New replies are no longer allowed.