Easel not able to create 3d toolpaths

hello there, i have a STL file to carve chees pieces, I been trying for 3 days, and every time after few minutes easel just crash. today i have some “progress” i got an error message. here is the link. Easel - miniMEGA_3DCHESS BLOCK_revB
is anyone else having this type of issues , does anyone have a clue on how to fix this.
thanks in advance,

Youd need to share the project for the link to work for other users…

Seth, thanks for the feedback. (Big fan of your YouTube videos) here is the new link, Easel - miniMEGA_3DCHESS BLOCK_revB and I’m editing the original post as well. thanks!!

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Perfect shared file!!!

I was able to create toolpaths, first time, no changes to the file… BUT it’s a 24 hours finishing toolpath and a 8 hour Roughing…

Changing the cut Style to Model Boundary Relief does reduce the carve time a bit since it is no longer carving the perimeter, bringing it down to 19 hours & 5 hours… Also I would remove the dowels from the model and instead carve them using the 2.5D workspace that way there is more precision to their size to ensure they fit the dowels snug before the 3d portion is carved.

Also I suggest using center as 0,0 rather than the front left corner as 0,0 when doing a dowelled rotation like this…
Also I’d start with only 1 or 2 pieces at first, that will drastically reduce the complexity of the design.
Furthermore the single connection point at the top and another at the bottom leaves very little support once the part is flipped over. Unless you manufacture a support to place under the workpiece to fill in the previously machined area… which might be pretty easy to make with a 3d printer… but without a support below it will likely snap that top support stud from each chess piece…

Side note, when you do carve 3d, i suggest using a plunge rate that is either as fast as the feed rate or as fast as the machine will allow, whichever is the less… If this is an X-Carve the max plunge of that model is 19.68IM… increasing to this will cut your finishing toolpath time down by over 50%.

The way that I’ve seen others make chess pieces successfully on a 3 axis machine is by CNCing one piece at a time, and carving all 4 faces. . . Like this

OR this

Seth,
I appreciate your input and the videos, very helpful, I’m going to incorporate your suggestions and do a "dry fit’ using pine before I use a good block of wood. thanks for the help!!

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I don’t see an error message in your link, but I had the same problem at first.
I changed over to using Firefox, and no longer get errors…but generating tool paths for big carves can take a LONG time…I start the big ones using “Generate G Codes” & then go to bed. In the morning I drop them each into separate workspaces.

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