Howdy… how do I set up a dovetail bit in Easel. I go to my bit selection…just not sure how to set up the bit for use. Sorry …just not enough experience yet.
A dovetail bit is a very specific usecase; it’s hard for me to see how you’re going to use it for CNC. With a normal router use, you remove the bulk of the material with a flat-bottom bit and then run the dovetail bit only to remove the undercut. For CNC, you’d want to do the same thing, i.e. run the entire operation with a matching flat-bottom bit, switch to your dovetail, and run the operation again. In terms of how you add it, Easel doesn’t have native support. Instead, add it as a flat-bottom bit with a diameter equal to the narrowest diameter of the dovetail bit. However, you’re going to have to deal with the initial plung because the dovetail bit is probably not going to be able to plunge straight down.
If I were doing it, I’d probably have the cut operation either (a) start outside the material and enter from the side, or (b) have an initial pocket that’s larger than the dovetail bit so that it can lower in that pocket before cutting your target.
On top of everything Matthew said, I’d be tempted to set up the cut using only lines, not solid shapes.
If you draw simple lines using the pen (line) tool, then easel will generate single passes through the material. You should be able run the exact same workpiece design twice, once with a flat bottom bit, and once with the dovetail. Since it’s not trying to clear out a pocket, it won’t matter if the bits are different widths.
Just make sure to use the previous X/Y so they line up.
Depending on what your end needs look like, you “could” use the straight bit to enlarge the ends of the pilot slot to the diameter of the dovetail’s widest diameter and that would allow the dovetail bit to just go down/up and just mill the under cut along the path.