Please review: Profile cut issue

1

Hello,

Can you please recommend a machine strategy to avoid having a final piece looking as if I glued 2 pieces together? (Please see image below)

Software I am using is VCarve Desktop.

The process I followed using a #201 bit in my Shapeoko Pro:
a. I performed 3 profile passes from the top, each with a depth of 0.32"
b. I flipped the stock (using dowel pins)
c. I performed 3 profile passes from the back, each with a depth of 0.32"
Note: The reason I performed ‘incremental’ profile passes is to avoid the machine losing steps due to the generated torque (the stock is 1.80" thick, which seems to be excessive to handle by the Shapeoko).

Is there something I should do to avoid the issue described above?

Is there an Z- Axis extension / device I can buy in order to enable using longer router bits? Maybe this would help me to perform the profile tool only from one side and avoid the issue?

Thank you in advance!

Pablo

image

2

You are cutting far deeper than the 0.75" cutting flute length — I would suggest sourcing a long reach endmill w/ a flute length better suited to this and leaving a roughing clearance and taking a finishing pass.

3

Will, thank you for the reply. Can you please suggest which endmill I should buy?

Considering that the stock has a thicknes of over 1.90", what do you suggest to avoid crashing the endmill with the stock?

4

Here’s what the community had for long reach endmills on the Shapeoko wiki:

===Long endmills===

Which Z-axis does your machine have? How are you securing your stock? Is a two-sided approach an option?

5

Will,

  1. I am aligning stock with steel dowel pins
  2. I am attaching stock with hold down clamps
  3. I have been performing a 2 sided approach (as you can see on the picture I attached).
  4. I have the Shapeoko Pro XXL
  5. The Z axis is the Z-Plus Z-axis

Please advise,

Thanks,

Pablo

1 Like
6

I’d suggest:

  • leaving a roughing clearance on one side greater than the mis-alignment you are seeing
  • once you’ve roughly cut things to size on the flip side (again, leaving the same roughing clearance, make a fully depth finishing pass which starts at twice the roughing clearance from the finished size and spirals in
7

Will,

What about doing the profile cut from one side only?

I imagine I would need a longer bit. Would this require to raise the router? How much is adequate to raise while avoiding a malfunction and/or safety hazard?

8

Yes, a cut from one side w/ a suitably long tool would be the most expedient way to approach this.

So long as the entire clamping surface of the mount is on the router it should work to lift it up.

9

William,
It seems that the only way to raise the router is by taking off the ‘dust cullection-shoe’ assembly off; as such device is too thick.
Is there another dust collection device -but slimmer? so I can still have dust colleciton?

Thanks,
Pablo

10

Folks have worked up a variety of other dust collection options (and I spent a lot of time trying myself), but the Sweepy hits the sweet spot of simplicity, reliability and low-cost — can’t really suggest anything else, and unfortunately, the Sweepy Pro only works on the HDM and forth-coming 5 Pro.

11

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