I just bought Vcarve desktop and am trying to run a simple cutout.inhad the feed set at 60 inches/min and when I tried to run the cut it was barely moving even after going to 200% in carbide motion. So I tried to adjust the feed to 200 inches/min in Vcarve and running it again same issue. Vcarve says the estimated time is 7ish minutes and it’s probably taking that long just to run the first pass.
So no idea what I’m doing wrong.
Can you show a screen shot of that tool path settings? And the bit settings for the bit you’re using too.
I just noticed on Carbide Motion it is showing MM at the bottom on the run page, even though I selected the Shapeoko Inch post processor in Vcarve and I double checked again to make sure that is what I selected. Also while it is cutting it goes really slow on the jagged sections but flies through the straight parts.
For some reason the default post-processors for the Shapeoko turn off the generation of G2/G3 arcs, resulting in curves being rendered as a series of many short connected line segments, increasing the overhead for movement — usually the senders are fast enough that it isn’t an issue — but enabling arc generation should result in smoother and faster cutting.
Thanks for the help, now another noob question, how do I enable arc generation. Thanks
The tool path generally looked OK and the only thing that stood out was you’re using 4 flutes for an 1/8" end mill and I’ve not seen one of those. It’s unusual but not causing your problem. Have you tried using the MM post processor instead? I’ve had large issues with their Imperial post processor and use the MM post processor exclusively now. You can still do your designs in inches and the post processor will convert it when you save it. Try that and see if it helps.
Also, don’t run your gcode off a Thumb drive either as it could be a bottleneck too.
I’ve updated a copy so I can use the Z1/Z2 feature and get faster plunge to the Z1 height.
Hi Gary - Can you share your modified post processor ?
Hi Adam - I too just bought Vcarve Desktop and have yet to cut anything so your questions were very timely!
. I just checked a simple gcode circle toolpath from Carbide Create and the same circle from Vcarve using the Shapeoko mm post.
The Vcarve gcode certainly already has arcs enabled (see below). However the gcode from Carbide Create does not ! So I am a little confused by @WillAdams comment
from Vcarve (this is the entire code showing the arc commands)
T1
G17
G21
G90
G0Z20.320
G0X0.000Y0.000
S12000M3
G0X50.800Y79.375Z5.080
G1Z0.000F762.0
G2X79.375Y50.800I0.000J-28.575F2540.0
G2X50.800Y22.225I-28.575J0.000
G2X22.225Y50.800I0.000J28.575
G2X50.800Y79.375I28.575J0.000
G0Z5.080
M5
G0Z20.320
G0X0.000Y0.000
M2
from Carbide Create
%
(TOOL/MILL,0.1,0.05,0.000,0)
(FILENAME: )
()
G21
G90
G0X0.000Y0.000Z2.007
(TOOL/MILL,3.1750,0,1.0000,0.0)
M6 T102
M3 S9375
G0X40.696Y40.696
G0Z2.007
G1Z-0.883F146.7
G1X40.942Y40.456F586.7
X41.450Y39.994
X41.962Y39.572
X42.244Y39.356
X42.536Y39.143
ETC ETC for another 1400 lines or so
I will try the MM one and see if that helps. The 4 flute Endmill is one I found on amazon and it seems to be decent the few times I’ve used it. I have only been using a thumb drive just to transfer the files between my desktop in the house and the laptop in the garage. But I save them to the laptop and run carbide motion using the saved files off the laptop.
For Vcarve Pro V10 put this file in directory named C:\ProgramData\Vectric\VCarve Pro\V10.0\My_PostP
This enabled the Z1 and Z2 settings for your toolpath.
Blockquote
RAPID_PLUNGE_TO_STARTZ = YES
Blockquote
It also will turn on/off the spindle if you’re using an IoT relay. It pauses 3 seconds after turning on the spindle to let it stabilize. It raises the spindle to Z-5 and stops at X0,Y0 when it tool path is complete.
Shapeoko_mm_v2.zip (1.1 KB)
Okay, that (G2/G3 arc generation) has changed since I last looked into it for Vectric — unfortunately, Carbide Create has (thus far) always made straight line moves.
This is odd, have you tried cutting something that you created in Carbide Create using the same F&S? I have not had issues with the F&S in VCarve, I’m using the Shapeoko inch processor in VCarve 10.
Edit: I see that your plunge rate is 12in, if you have a lot of up and down, this will slow down the F&S every time the bit goes up and down, the Shapeoko slows down to 12in then accelerates but if it goes up or down withing seconds, it will not go to 200in.
I will try cutting the same thing using carbide create when I get home. But while watching it even when it is down (the plunge seems to be going fast compared to the actual cuttting) it is literally crawling along the cut, like an inch a minute. But when it gets to the straight edges of the state of Minnesota outline it speeds way up (traverses the bottom left straight line and the way bottom line) in like 2 seconds.
The whole cut for the 2 outlines said in Vcarve to be 7 minutes, but it took like 1.5 hours.
My VCarve estimates and actuals are not perfect but within about plus or minus 10%. Obviously, it should go at more than an in a minute. Lets see what you get with CC as it would narrow the possibilities.
Are you cutting with the log window open?
Nope, just the carbide motion program on the run screen. Also no other windows or programs open.
I will add a couple more details in case they may have some bearing on this problem. I am using a windows desktop saving and transferring to a thumb drive, then moving from a thumb drive to a MacBook Pro that is running the ShapeOko, I am going to try sending the files through mail and bypass the thumb drive to see if this does anything. Also it is currently 8 degrees Fahrenheit in the garage (finishing and heating is in the to do list) first time cutting this cold at so not sure if this may have any effect on it, I doubt it besides altering belt tension a bit, but I’ve learned you can’t rule anything out no matter how trivial.
I will be waiting until tomorrow morning some time before trying again, sick of being cold already (and it’s still roughly 35 degrees warmer than our coldest days) I created a new Cutout from scratch in vcarve with the same feeds and speeds also using the MM post processor and also made one in carbide create with the same parameters as the vcarve ones to test and see if there is any difference. I will hopefully be updating this tomorrow with my results. Thanks for the help so far everyone.
I have a similar workflow where I produce the design on my MacBook then put it on thumb drive. I insert the thumb drive on the old Macbook that runs my Shapeoko. I copy the files from the thumb drive to the Macbook hard drive then load the file to Carbide Motion from the HD. The thumb drive is just the transfer mechanism and back up until I setup a Raspberry Pi NAS.
I figure it shouldn’t be the transferring of the files between desktop to MacBook but I know some weird things can popup from unexpected places. And it can’t hurt to try and rule it out. I haven’t had any issues with my carves using carbide create or Fusion 360 but for some reason Vcarve is giving me troubles, hopefully I get it figured out tomorrow.
Can you share your gcode?
