Make a raster toolpath

[Tod1d (Tod (with 1 'd'))]

From FB request. Make a raster toolpath for a 24 x 44" slab, with 0.750 stepovers

Set your workpiece to 44" x 24". Thickness doesn’t matter unless you are shooting for a specific thickness. Otherwise you’re just surfacing until it’s flat.

Set the grid spacing to 1" & draw a polyline vector across the bottom edge

Change the grid spacing to 0.75. Copy/Paste the existing line & position it 0.75 above the other line.

I like to use smooth transitions. This avoids the jerking when making sharp stepovers.
Create a 0.375 radius circle, and Node Edit it to cut the vector at the top & bottom nodes.

Move the left half of the circle to the left end of the 2 lines

Move the right half of the circle to the right end and attach it to the top line

Select all 4 vectors & join them.

With the new vector selected, use the Linear Array tool to copy it upward

Draw in the last straight line across the top, and join to the existing curves

Extend the lower right node

Select the curve and create a contour toolpath with no offset.

I just use a Max Depth of 0.00001, which gets output as 0.000. I adjust my Z zero & rerun it until the surface is flat. You can use the depth per pass and max depth if you know you have a lot of material to remove.

[RichM (Rich Morris)]

To create the geometry I just draw a horizontal line and use the Linear Array function to create the additional lines in a single column at the desired spacing. Then I’ll create a circle with a diameter the same as the spacing between the lines, cut the circle in half with a vertical line. Align the top and bottom nodes to the ends of two of the lines and again use the Linear Array function to create a column of ‘ends’ every other row. Copy the column group, paste at the other end of the lines, flip horizontally, offset by one row to create a single serpentine line, align the ends, select all three groups and join.

When I get lazy, which is often, I’ll copy the line, paste and resize to fit another project - I don’t worry too much about perfect semi-circle ends as long as the line ends extend off the edges of the stock, so arced gaps aren’t left behind and the line separation is what I need it to be.

@Tod1d I believe you put me onto this approach for stock leveling. (thanks again!)

[Tod1d (Tod (with 1 'd'))]

Indeed, many ways to skin the cat. I’ve also just drawn the whole thing with polyline, then used the radius tools to break the corners.
Sometimes trimming circles doesn’t like to work when you’re trimming to a line through the center that breaks the curve right at the nodes. So I went right to Node Edit, cut vector.