Can someone explain to me how to use the second bit option in Easel?

Easel
1

Hi all,

I am really struggling with using the Easel’s second bit option. Here are my problems:

My first bit is a 3/4" clearing bit for hogging out a lot of material. My detail bit is a 1/8" bit straight flute bit.

Given the thickness of the material I am working with (almost 3" thick), the only way I can change bit is to jog the cnc to the far right corner to have more space to work with. However, when I do that, I lose my x/y zero location.

When I try using the Use Last XY Zero option, it seems to base it off of the location at the time I hit the button, as opposed to the location that I originally chose for the roughing carve.

Am I missing something with this?

Also, when I ran the detail bit, it seemed to carve about 1/8" deeper than the roughing bit, even though I used the z-probe for both bits. Any idea why that happened?

thanks in advance for your help!

2

You should be able to move your router away a set distance, say 10", and then move it back the same amount…I do this all the time.

Regarding your depth issue, you may be removing stresses in the wood and allowing it to flex. It is possible that while you are zeroing in the same place, your wood is no longer the same.

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3

Do I have to re-home the machine between the two jobs?

Also, are you able to completely shut down the machine in between carves and it still remember home location?

4

If I move it 10" along X and 10" along Y, then I just move it back those same 10" movements.

I seldom completely power my machine off.

If you are working off of a corner or something, Charleys Triquetra would likely be helpful.

5

You could also set up a bump stop and G28.

I have a bump on my bottom left corner of my surface, I have set my G28 to the corner of anything have at the bump stop.
This way you can have the same X0Y0 everytime.

When i turn on the machine I
a) Home
b)G28
c) Zero my Z
d) G92 X0Y0

Can power off, do whatever. My X and Y never changes.

Do a forum search on Bump Stop and G28. Phil has a good video on setting it up
In Easel you would set your G28.1 through the machine inspector

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6

If you turn off the machine or accidentally, manually, move the router, yes, you’ll need to home.

Easel sends a G10 L20 P1 X0 Y0 when you set your XY zero. That will persist across power cycles, so your work X0Y0 will be the same until you change it. No need for G28s or G92s

7

Take a look at some of my videos. They should help you with Easel. Here’s one on two stage carving

If there do not answer your question, let me know. I’ll work with you on your project

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8

I’m having the exact same issue (minus the depth issue). I’ve messed up SEVERAL nice pieces of material trying to get this right. I’m just gonna set up some kind of stop for the whole machine and keep the same xy zero for everything. Sigh