I normally use the Mcfly to surface my board for inlay work. I usually set DOC at .030 with a .015 cut per pass, in pocket cut. If I don’t get the result it need, I drop z axis .030 , reset and rerun the program.
Is it possible (I don’t think so) to have CM ask if I want to end the program or run another pass. I could set DOC to .060 or more and stop when the surface is flat.
You could just set DOC to 0.060” now and stop it and not have to run the program again as it is now?
The problem with setting the depth deeper than you might want is you might miss when the 3rd pass starts then you are committed to deeper than might have been required. You are supposed to monitor your machine but often I have my laptop next to the Shapeoko and start looking at something on the internet.
I like your idea of setting zero lower and running the program again. One thing that might help is using a pencil to put an S pattern in two directions on your work surface. When the pencil marks disappear you are done.
Here is my last spoilboard replacement flattening. As the pencil marks disappear I know it is flat. If some areas still have pencil lines I just move the Z zero down and run it again.
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Duplicate the McFly cutter into a user library, and make duplicate toolpaths using the alternating cutters at increasing depth. McFly from 0.0 to .015, McFly2 from 0.015 to .03, McFly from 0.03 to 0.045, and so on. Since the tool change alert will sit and wait for you, you can stop the run after each DOC increase.
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I like the idea of duplicating the McFly in tool database.
What is best way to exit program when at tool change request.
Thanks
What I’ve done in similar situations is to (in very quick succession) press ESC, click pause, click stop.
If anyone knows of a more appropriate way, please post it.
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