How are you guys cutting stars for flags? I’ve been using the 90 degree bit from Inventables and i have to be doing something wrong. Sometimes they look good at shallower depths but anything deeper than .12 and they look terrible.
I went through and made sure everything is square, belts and wheels tight.
Should I be doing an initial cut with a regular bit then doing a detail pass with a 90 degree bit?
I was in ,y shop for 10 hours today and the only thing I completed was a pile of scraps for the firepit.
Here is what i put together tonight and going to try in the morning. https://easel.inventables.com/projects/Wa9Cnh2Aftacp9EVQVRw9Q
I appreciate any help and advice.
Most people use a 90 degree bit but i seem to get sharper stars with a 60 degree bit. One think i saw on yours is i never go deeper then .1 and yours were almost .2.
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This must be for a huge flag. 19x24 union. I see you are using two stage carving. You will have a flat bottom on the stars with them that size. Most likely your project board is not flat or your wasteboard is not flat. I use a 90 v bit for my unions. I would keep the depth to .1”
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I watched your video today and copied yours step for step. Made using the software so much easier.
I’m wanting to make some 3X5 flags and sized the union based off 2/5th’s of the width of the flag.
The depths saved on my file were from me just playing around seeing the differences in how they look.
I’ll try this file tomorrow with the 90 degree v bit at .1 depth
I’ve been watching more of your videos and i think where i’m messing up is securing my wood. i don’t think i’m getting it secured down tight enough.
Second week with the machine, lots to learn.
CA glue and tape works for almost every situation.
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I have a 1" 90 degree bit, I cant find the easel file but I believe depth of cut was .55 to get it to full depth. This one was made with 70 year old yellow pine. this was a 5’ flag.
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With a flag that large consider surfacing the top to ensure it is completely flat.
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This is how I do flags. Prefect stars every time with a surfacing and I also set z zero directly atop the union to get z zero set perfectly… I have done stand alone unions for a friend that I was unable to surface, so I used the spindle and playing cards to shim. Until the top was perfectly parallel to the spindle movement.
One of those unions (yes, every single star was this perfect)
And the flag tutorial video
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The playing card shims are great. I use 3x5 cards to level mine. Works every time.
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I just purchased my first machine. Xcrave Pro 4 x 2. I use 90 V bit depth is .250. I am seeing that many different depths on forum. Going to experiment
When doing my flags I set the depth of the stars to 0.00, while I do the rough pass with an 1/8 straight bit. Then before I start the detail pass with the 60 degree I set the depth of the stars to 0.23. Then start my detail pass.
