With a V bit I’m only using the touch probe to setup the height, right?
I’m of course not using the X and Y axes.
After getting the height setting, I’ve been setting the X and Y axes manually to zero.
BUT, it is not very accurate right?
The V bit is touching the inside of the touch probe circle, but not the precisely in the center.
Should I assume when using a V bit, there will be some give and take?
what you can do is probe the X and Y (and Z) with another (normal) endmill,
then change it to the V, and only reprobe Z
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V bit can probe Z off the probe anywhere on the top of the probe. To probe only Z, the probe will be fully on the surface, not hooked over the corner and you can probe anywhere on the surface of the workpiece.
The circle doesn’t matter for Z - Keeping the touch point near the corner with the circle will help keep the probe from rocking, but isn’t necessary.
Are you trying to line up XY with a previous operation or just zero at the corner of a board? If the latter, a V-bit zeroed by eye will probably be more accurate that probing with an endmill.
Hi Ben and Neil,
Thank you for replying.
Nope, not trying to match a previous alignment, just want Shapeoko to know where the exact corner of my material is. I guess a few mm won’t make a huge difference.
But, I’m sure having a hard time controlling the cut line with a V bit.
I did a test with a 3" box, and the V bit cut out a 3.25" box! Not sure what happened.
You’ll get closer than that with a V-bit and decent vision.
Can you give more detail here? Files and pictures might help.
Neil,
Another confusing thing, why is the Amana #RS-1145 45deg V bit is actually a 60deg bit right?
OMG, please explain that. Even the box it came in says “60 deg” on the front cover.
Here is my test, with the RC-1145, 3in box, but the inside cut was about 3.25".
Contour cut square Vbit 45deg 1145.c2d (6.5 KB) contour cut square Vbit 1145 bit.nc (24.5 KB)
Where did you buy the endmill from?
It should match:
including the text on the shaft — could you post a photo?
OK, I’ll take a photo of the box.
Unless, they miss labeled the bit, it clearly says 45 deg on the bit, but yet the bubble says “60 deg”.
Did I setup the file wrong?
With a 45deg bit, cutting through your 0.478" stock, you’ll get a cut width of a little over 10mm. With a 60deg bit, your cut width will be about 14mm. By using a 45deg while telling CC to use a 60deg, you’re leaving about 4mm extra material. Not quite 0.25", but that might be your issue.
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I often use the center of material as my origin. I will use the vee bit to line on the center, set X & Y zero then use the change tool function and put in my end mill. I am doing the opposite of what you are doing. The reason I like to use the center of a project is I can recycle a project and not have to edit all the parameters of the setup. The image you are carving just has to fit with the confines of the original desig on the new material size. It is not a big deal to edit the parameters and make a new gcode but I am lazy sometimes.
An example of this is my initials that I carve on the bottom of boxes or other objects. Sort like a branding iron. I have a branding iron but you have to wait for it to heat up and then cool down and sometimes you dont get an even branding or you under/over do it.
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Neil,
Isn’t it odd, the box says “60 deg” but on the bit, says “RC1145 45deg”!!
How does the CC app know a 45 from a 60, from the model number under the tool description?
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Looks like they just labeled the images wrong. The 45 and 60 are swapped.
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I think you’re right, I can’t understand why they haven’t caught that mistake.
How do I enter a new tool into the system via CC app?
The old (316) method isn’t compatible with the new (400 and later) method, and unfortunately custom tools from 316 are not directly imported into newer versions.
In the newer version in order to enter a custom tool it is necessary to create a new user library — tools may then be added to that by using the graphical interface.
See:
and
and
Note that since the move to curated values in 434, certain entries which were required are now hidden in the data since they are not needed.
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