Whiskers on my inlay plug

CNC Machines Shapeoko 5 Pro
1

Hey Folks,
Need some help troubleshooting an issue with an inlay project. I’m getting some serious whiskers on my end grain maple plug. I’ve tried two v-carve depths and the shallower one (.108”) seemed to be worse in terms of ability to remove the whiskers. Some of them detach easily while others in the narrow crevices are not removing cleanly.

Im using a 30 deg v-bit (425-VG30) and started with some setting I found around the forums. A little more research pointed me to a smaller depth of cut and step over with an increased feed rate. No dice. Settings for both attempts attached.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

IMG_3126
IMG_31262142×2856 2.45 MB

IMG_3136
IMG_31363024×4032 3.44 MB

IMG_3135
IMG_31351512×2016 1.14 MB

2

Have you tried re-running the V carve with a full-depth finishing/clearing pass? Usually that cleans up fuzzies quite nicely.

3

Thanks for the response William! To do this, would I just change my depth per pass in the tool settings to the full depth (plug depth + top gap)? Otherwise it would be cutting air for a while. Also, I’m guessing I could disable the pocket tool path?

Thanks again!
Mat

4

I just dupe the toolpath, disable the pocket part, then set the Depth per Pass to greater than the Max Depth.

5

Got it! I will give it a shot today!

6

If it suits your finishing process, soak it with a few good coats of sealer. This will help bind the grain together & minimize fraying.

1 Like
7

So I tried the finishing pass today, and unfortunately it didn’t remove the fuzzies despite what appeared to be some extra cutting.

Think I’m going to try the program on some face grain to see if there’s a difference. I also might try a less detailed carve with the 60 deg v-bit to test the range.

Thanks for the alternate idea Tod. Interesting idea, however It’s for a cutting board so trying to keep it food grade.