Shapeoko 3 Setup Question

can anyone provide some instructions about how to correctly increase the stepover rate? i understand this is necessary if running easel from what i have read…have a shapeoko 3 coming next week and want to run easel on it… just looking to make setup as simple as possible… will this most likely be the only adjusting i will need to do in order for everything to run smoothly? i plan on using easel and exporting g code into carbide motion.

This is a little confusing. Stepover usually relates to the stepover of a mill bit i.e. a tool path. When clearing a path you might clear with a 6.35 or 1/4 mill bit, but you might set the stepover as 5mm to reduce the load on mill. This will cut your stock at a 5mm overlap.

I don’t know what easel can or can’t do but if it’s generating the tool path for you it’s set in easel.

Assuming the above is what you consider to be stepover then there is nothing to change in Carbide Motion.

Thanks for the help and quick response! i will try to simplify my question… I am trying to run easel on a shapeoko 3, will the g code that i export from easel simply need to be sent via carbide motion to the machine or could there be issues or settings that i may need to address. i have read on some forums about z axis cuts being too deep or stepover being off and needing to be adjusted in order for things to work correctly. Just wondering if anyone has experience trying to do this (easel on a shapeoko 3) thanks for the help! i am new to these programs and easel seems to suit my skill level at this point but the shapeoko 3 seemed more in line with the quality i was looking for.

The problem with Easel and the Z-axis should be limited to setup / configuration — if allowed, Easel will overwrite the SO3 defaults for the Z-axis to those for an SO2/X-Carve — see http://docs.carbide3d.com/software-faq/shapeoko-3-default-grbl-settings/ to set them back.

It should generate G-Code which Carbide Motion can send, or one can use it as a G-Code sender.

We’d like to think Carbide Create is even easier to use though — please let us know what you’re having difficulty doing and we’ll gladly work up a step-by-step tutorial.

Thank you for the quick response! that clarifies what i was asking so thanks again!
I am trying to import a vector image and not have to trace it. When i do this in easel it essentially “auto traces” for me at which point i can create tool paths… if i can do this in carbide create it would save me hours of “tracing” background images…

A vector image shouldn’t need to be traced.

If you mean a pixel image, then one can use a 3rd party tool to do the tracing, then import that: Shapeoko CNC Router, Rigid, Accurate, Reliable, and Affordable

Tracing is a useful option for some projects. Most vector drawing programs have an option for this (one option is to place the image on the desktop or in a window beneath the CAD tool, then make that window transparent), or one can use a specialized tool. One such: http://www.kvec.de/english/index.htm Discussion: Reddit - Dive into anything

Opensource tracing: http://potrace.sourceforge.net/ — web interface: http://www.vectorization.org/

Webservice for tracing: JPG to SVG (Online & Free) — Convertio

Mechanism for tracing / digitizing existing designs / templates: Logic Trace System for CNC & CAD

hmm… like i said i am new to this so i really appreciate the help. It in nice to see a helpful community around these machines. I am taking a vector image and placing it as the background image in carbide create… how would i import this (vector image) so that i can go right to creating toolpaths instead of tracing? my preference would be to use carbide create if this is possible.

Carbide Create will open/import SVGs and DXFs — if you need to convert to that format, suggest using Inkscape to open the file (it opens most formats) and then save as an SVG. You’ll want the file to have:

  • no overlapping or intersecting geometry (if possible — overlapping geometry is often discarded)
  • no pixel images
  • some files will work more reliably when winding direction is correct (outermost path is counterclockwise, next is clockwise and alternate as needed)
  • can interfere with import — ungroup down to just paths, joining them all into a composite path will help with the above
  • some programs don’t provide a size, specifying 100% for dimensions — please edit them to specify dimensions (SVG is just XML) or open in Inkscape and resave

I see! thank you for the help! ill let you know how it goes when my machine arrives! i have just been trying to get familiar with software and the process in anticipation…

so I used online-convert.com to convert my jpeg to a .svg file and loaded it into carbide create. this is exactly what I was curious about so thanks for all the help! I will be using carbide create instead of easel from here on out and wont have to worry about messing with any of the settings we discussed earlier.

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