Was wondering if someone can provide some guidance on how to properly setup and run a program that uses multiple bits (that could be different shank lengths) within the same project.
I make Anniversary signs where my first toolpath is normally with a 1/4 bit to remove waste and of course lower the wood level down to my second layer of lettering.
I can never get my finished first layer of lettering to be even with the start of my second level that I have already removed? I’m normally using a different bit then the one that I used for my waster removal toolpath run. I have started changing the X, Y & Z values on the Carbide Motion screen to equal the values that I had for my initial Toolpath run, but that didn’t make matters any better.
Was wondering if anyone has any suggestions on how to properly set toolpaths using different bit sizes to be flush with each other
Do you have a picture to illustrate that problem?
There are a few ways to use multiple tools accurately, which depend on whether you have a BitSetter or not. I’ll assume you don’t (or you would have mentioned it):
if your project is such that not all of the stock top surface is milled away after the first cut, just zero in a spot that will stay untouched with the first tool, run the first toolpath (that you will have saved in a dedicated G-code file), then load the second tool, and reset your Z0 only (by touching off with that second tool, in the exactly the same spot as the first zeroing, which should be easy if you don’t reset X0 and Y0). Then run the (dedicated) G-code file corresponding to the second tool, and it should be ok.
if you can’t do that because the top of the stock gets fully removed during the first cut, then you can choose to setup your project to zero on the bottom of the stock (i.e. the wasteboard), and follow the same steps as above, except zeroing somewhere on the wasteboard both times.
If you have a BitSetter, then all toolpaths go in a single file, and Carbide Motion takes care of adjusting the Z0 automatically after you load the second tool.
If this does not work, there there might be a subtle mechanical issue that throws the depth off during the first (or second) toolpath.
Or by having a BitSetter. If it’s not, let us know the specifics of how you are setting zero and so forth and we’ll do our best to help you puzzle things out.