- I am trying to set up my McFly cutter to flatten my cherry board and would like it to go in straight directions instead of a rectangular pattern. Not sure how to do that?
- Should I be cutting with or against the grain?
Thanks
With the grain
You can use the new Facing toolpath, or you can draw the toolpath yourself & use a contour with no offset to follow it. I like to start off the material so it’s all straight cuts.
7 Likes
Thanks, I will try that
1 Like
So I do not have carbide create pro and I have set up my McFly toolpath in the Contour icon. When I start the program my cutter stays on the same cutting path and does not index to the next patch and the simulation shows. I am wondering why. This is the file I am working with.
Deans McFly.c2d (1.2 MB)
Thanks Kerry Phelps
You set up open vectors so it will cut each vector individually. Also your total depth of cut is .2" and each pass is cutting .015" so it’s taking multiple passes on each vector.
You should extend the vectors past the edge of the material by the diameter plus a bit of the mcfly and join the vectors to make one long vector. It should look similar to what @Tod1d shows above. Extending past the material makes the cut easier on the mcfly. Instead of dropping down into the material it comes in from the edge.
What should I set the total depth of cut to?
and would it be better to connect the vectors?
Yes your vectors should look like the image that @Tod1d posted above. One continuous vector.
The total should be the amount you need to take off to flatten the material. You could run it once and see how it looks and if needed run it again. Just make sure you reset your Z zero before running it again
Also run the toolpath with no offset.
Thank you for your assistance
Try this file…Just change your depth of cut as required
Deans McFly Modified.c2d (1.2 MB)
FWIW, I usually generate my surfacing paths to a depth of 0.0001" and just adjust my Z on the machine by my desired depth of cut until the surface is smooth.
If you really need to remove 0.200", by all means program the depth.
But with a 0 depth path, you can reuse it. I save them as surfacing_12x8.nc and just leave them in my CNC folder on the machine.
1 Like
For further details on flattening stock, and a step-by-step for making such a toolpath see:
Is the Facing tool path part of Create Pro? I only have the free version and haven’t heard anything about the Facing tool path. I searched the Carbide Create Pro page and couldn’t find any info about it as a new feature. I’m wondering what other new features there are, that aren’t listed, that would make it worth paying for?
Yes, Facing is a Pro toolpath:
There is also Engraving:
and Stock to Leave/Direction control:
and for Contour and Pocket toolpaths there is Ramping:
in addition to 3D modeling and 3D toolpaths.
EDIT: also, Tiling is a Pro feature…
1 Like
Thanks Will! Facing would be nice, although I’ve figured out how to surface boards with the standard Carbide Create, it could be nice to have the tool path already setup. Also, the ramping feature would be nice. I currently just extend my tool paths past the stock, but ramping would be nice. Plus, I’ve always wanted to try 3D cutting and feel like I’m finally brave enough to try it! 
1 Like