I had this issue intermittently, but is now happening on all my cuts. When the router hits a spot where it’s moves over and down to create the curve of a letter, it’s creating awful tear out and awful gouging in the side of the wood. I’ve checked wheels and belts. Tried a few different brand new downcut bits. Can’t figure it out!
Leave a roughing clearance and take a full-depth finishing pass — might need to reverse path direction on these curves, see:
Do you have any idea why it would just be on those curves? The rest of the piece cuts smooth. Here’s the other thing, there will be less tear out a lot of the time if I use the very bottom portion of the wood and table. Seem to be worse if I move my piece up on the shapeoko
Looks like a side effect of the grain direction.
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That’s what I was kind of hoping too. But these were two different pieces of wood. And it’s been consistent for the past several files. All on different separate pieces of wood (that must have diff grain patterns). Could it be a belt on one side too tight? Or possible the router not being perfectly square?
Hi Josh
I can think of a few things that may cause this.
From the pictures you attached it looks like the item you are milling is somewhat thin in the width of the item and a little long in overall length. I also see a slight wave in the actual curve as if the bit is not cutting in a smooth motion and is actually moving in and away from the work piece. I had this same effect when machining curves in some 1.5 inch thick maple. To correct this I reopened the file and edited the path for the nodes in the curves (smoothing) and also deleted some of the nodes. Zoom in on the areas with the problems and you may see the actual line is not smooth but wavy. these waves can get into you work.
This helped smooth things out and reduced the wave on the machined sides.
I don’t know if you are using tabs but if you are not try a few in the areas that are giving you problems this may stop and vibration when machining the item.
I would also look at your machine setup again. I checked every bolt and screw, reset belt tension on all belts, re-calibrated the machine as if you were building for the first time. I also checked every electrical connection and each pin and socket.
Hope this helps
Anthony
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