2 part cut and bit change?

That video is great. I do it a little differently so ill offer an alternative method that doesn’t involve exporting the g-code.

I set my home manually. I think it offers less room for error in the event that the gantry gets bumped or moved during the bit change. Here is what I do:

1st, I make my file. Very similar to the method in the video above. Draw it all on one piece and then cut and paste the pieces into separate workspaces. They will paste in the same spot as they were when you copy them so don’t move anything after pasting. IMPORTANT to keep a copy of the original! Next, I select my bits and set all my cut settings. At this point, I’m ready to carve.

Figure out the order of your cuts and put your first bit in the router. Clamp the workpiece down and move the router to the home position.

I always start from the lower-left corner of the workpiece. I examine the drawing to determine exactly where the cut will be in relation to home (x=0,y=0 in my case) and make sure I set my x-y home so that the entire carve will fit on my piece of wood. I use the manual controls to move the router where I want it. Once I have my x-y home, I turn the router and slowly lower it to the top of the workplace (make sure your increments are small while lowering the router!). Once I am hovering right above the workpiece I lower the bit just a few thousandths more until it touches and makes a light mark, then bring it back up a few thousandths. This is my home and I can always find it. Ready, set, carve.

Once the first carve is done, just raise the router a couple of inches up, swap bits, swap files, bring it back down right to the surface, and carve.

Having that little mark at xyz home has been a lifesaver multiple times because sometimes the gantry will move while changing bits.

Here is an example file of mine so you can see how I set up my multi-stage carves.

Good Luck!

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