Mandala Cross cut

Software Carbide Create
1

I have a mandala cross I want to cut with a 20-degree vee bit.

  1. What size does the cross need to be to cut through the 0.125 material? I am speaking in regard to the small holes required to be visible in the material. I am thinking there is some mathematical equation to solve this dilemma, but I am no math whiz, by any stretch of the imagination. :thinking:
  2. Do I need each cross to be their own file, or can they all be cut individually from the same file being placed over the material size in the software?
  3. Are layers required to do what I am asking?

My head hurts just thinking about this project.

It has been some time since using my pro XXL and want to get back into it again. Any assistance would be greatly appreciated.

File in question - Cross.c2d (1.2 MB)

2

Given the file:

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We draw up the tool in profile:

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image2880Ă—1728 349 KB

and when we scale it to a height of 0.125:

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image2880Ă—1728 349 KB

we see that the width would need to be less than 0.0441"

Note that in the current version of Carbide Create V-carving may be depth limited:

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3

Or do the math. Either works :slight_smile:

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If I understand correctly, you want the vectors to project to the bottom of the rather than the top so the 3 layers stack this way, and the design is represented by the opening, or the light getting through each layer. ??

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In theory, you should be able to do this by using a contour toolpath with no offset on each layer, and cutting the full depth, thickness of your stock. Or, just a little bit deeper.

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You’ll need to make sure, with this level of detail, that the stock is perfectly flat & parallel to the XY plane of machine motion. I do this with a temporary spoilboard mounted on top of the table, and surfacing it flat before clamping or taping the stock down.

1 Like
4

Cutting using “contour” depth, as Todd mentioned, would be cut to the bottom of the material.

My terminology may have been inaccurate in my initial question.
What would be the minimum scale size be, for the smallest holes to be visibly cut through the 0.125 material?

I was initially wanting to try a 4-inch height cross, but I think that would be way too small.

normally I use a trial-and-error approach, but do not have the material as of yet and would prefer not to have the waste.

Thanks for the input.

5

Contour toolpaths may also have the depth set.

6

At your current height, 5.339, the smallest width vector is only 0.0015"

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If you’re keeping the vectors on top of the stock, you have to be over 0.044" wide for it to cut through. So to get a 0.001" slot in the bottom of material, You’d have to scale it up about 30x, or about 160" tall.

Following the strategy I suggested above, It should work at any scale.
However, the gaps between the cutouts in the #1 shape are as small as 0.016", so the top surface will also get cut through.

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So to keep the top flat, you’d want to go about 3x, or about 16" tall

3 Likes
7

I now know what the material size needs to be as well.
Once this is complete, I’ll post it

Thanks!
:clap:

1 Like