What Don't I get?

[Cicero (Steve)]

I appreciate anyone willing to help teach me how to use a CNC.

So I was thinking that I could make a name tag…so just a 3" x 1" rectangle with some text inside…

I’m attaching a picture of my tool paths and simulation.

So the first thing I did was make the rectangle with text inside (technically, I started with svg with the text converted to curves/outlines and imported it into CC so it’s not technically “text”). I assumed that I could engrave the text with a vbit and then cut out the rectangle with maybe a 1/8" endmill. Easier said than done.

So I quickly realized that by putting the text inside a rectangle (second one down from the top), that this makes the text look raised in the material. So for the third one down from the top, I removed the rectangle and the text looked engraved, but then I couldn’t figure out how to cut out the rectangle that is no longer there. For the bottom one, all I did was make the rectangle bigger around the text, but now it doesn’t completely remove all the material between the text and the edge of the rectangle. And for the top one, I tried a contour around the text instead of a rectangle, but if I tried to cut out a rectangle (that doesn’t exist) around it, I would have the same problem in that all the material wouldn’t be removed.

So my first question is…how do you do text (raised or indented) and then cut out a shape around it?

I used the recommended feeds and speeds for brass (again, for my test it is 3/8" thick) and because I did not want the text engraved to a depth of 3/8", I downloaded the CC beta that has the “Advanced Vcarve” so I could make the depth 1/8". But for this 3" wide text, the estimated times were anywhere from 5 hours to 24 hours. It couldn’t possibly take that long to engrave 3" of text with the Nomad…right? Please tell me it doesn’t.

The only reason I’m trying to use the Vbit is because this 3" text was too small to be engraved with the 1/16" endmill alone.

Thanks for any insight you can give.

[fenrus (Arjan van de Ven)]

one magic thing is to make sure that as you define toolpaths, you only select (color orange) the parts you want to apply it to.
so if you want to vcarve text, only select the text but not the box around it… and then you get what you expect

[WillAdams (William Adams (Carbide 3D))]

This is what the new Advanced V Carving feature in Carbide Create is for:

https://carbide3d.com/carbidecreate/beta/

[WillAdams (William Adams (Carbide 3D))]

Previews as:

(once you change the DOC from 0.63 to 0.063)

Attached (check the feeds and speeds): Carbide Create Studio.c2d (407.2 KB)

[Cicero (Steve)]

Hi Will,

I finally had time to download your CC file. And I’m still lost.

First, what did you mean by “(once you change the DOC from 0.63 to 0.063)”? Your file had the DOC as 0.063…was I supposed to change that?

Second, the settings on your #301V are different than the #301V settings in my CC. Specifically, your feed was 35 (mine is 25), cut depth was 0.08" (mine was 0.05") and RPM was 18,000 (mine is 10,000). Did you manually change these specifically for brass? When I changed your #301V settings to mine, the time almost doubled from 16 minutes to 26 minutes. It got worse when I changed the tool to either the #502V or the new Amana I have (they were 9 and 10 hours).

CC does not have a brass option, so I assume the standard settings for aluminum is the closest. For aluminum, there are no V-bit options (but it does have an “engravers” option with the #501 and #502 tools). Why are the V-bits only an option for wood in CC?

So going back to Winston Moy’s settings for brass using a 1/16" endmill, he had Cut Depth (0.008"), Feed (12"), Plunge (5") and Stepover (0.0375"). Can these settings be used to figure out settings for a V-bit?

You used the #301V (90 degree) with a Cut Depth (0.08"), Feed (35"), Plunge (12") and Stepover (0.008"). The CC settings for my #301V were Cut Depth (0.05"), Feed (25"), Plunge (10") and Stepover (2%). But I assume these are settings for wood.

Should there be such a drastic difference in the settings for a 1/16" endmill verses a v-bit (ie. Cut depth of 0.008" verses 0.08", Feed of 12" verses 35", etc)?

So can you help me determine starting settings (Cut Depth, Feed, Plunge and Stepover) for brass using a 90 degree v-bit (#301V), a 60 degree v-bit (#302V) and a 30 degree v-bit?

Thanks!

[WillAdams (William Adams (Carbide 3D))]

I had a typo in my file, 0.63 where it should have been 0.063 — that’s why you only see the correct number.

For the balance of it, I would suggest testing out feeds and speeds experimentally, or check in w/ @wmoy — I only did brass once and had to switch to Vectric Vcarve Desktop since at that time Carbide Create lacked its new Advanced V carving feature.