How to make wheels

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

(From a tech support ticket at projects@carbide3d.com)

Wheels can involve more than just cutting out circles w/ a hole for an axle.

Import that as a reference image:

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

Draw in the geometry for the wheel:

(if need be, adjust the positioning of the background pixel image)

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

Assign toolpaths:

First, cut the central rim for the wheel:

Then select the insets for the lug nuts and assign a pocket toolpath which starts at the bottom of the previous pocket:

Then select the circle for the hole for the axel and again, start at the bottom of the previous pocket:

Lastly, cut out the tire — it will be necessary to offset to the outside by the endmill diameter plus 10%:

Then cut as a pocket down to tab height:

(note that you may need a special long-reach endmill if your tires are esp. thick)

and of course assign Tabs in the Design pane:

Lastly, finish cutting out the tire w/ a Contour toolpath which starts at the bottom of the previous pocket and allows tabs:

Which all previews as:

[gdon_2003 (Guy Donham)]

@WillAdams Looks like you popped a wheelie.

[CrookedWoodTex (Tex (Don't Mess With My Texas!))]

What? No rounding of the edges?

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

Wasn’t drawn in, and there’s no tool support for it in Carbide Create.

For folks who wish to do this, see:

Using unsupported tooling in Carbide Create: Roundover / Cove / Radius bits

These are usually used in routers for decorative effects in wood: but they are potentially useful for joinery: They are also useful for rounding off parts to allow rotary motion as for a hinged lid. Unfortunately, Carbide Create does not support this endmill geometry — but using the new support for previewing a V endmill when used in a No Offset Contour toolpath, it should be possible to preview them w/ confidence by stacking a series of V endmill cuts.