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I am machining on an XCARVE PRO - a box made of HDPE. I arrange the box body/top 7.5" square. I cut an “outside shape path” total depth of part, with 6 thin small tabs to secure the piece. The issue I am having is that when the part is released I have these straight machine lines all along the edges. I have used both a single and double flute upcut bit from AMANA tool 1/4". Please see pictures!
Unfortunately these marks are kind of deep and I cannot sand them off or polish them out - it is also HDPE which makes it quite difficult to finish. Is there something I am doing wrong? Is the machine not calibrated properly? Am I not using a proper bit?
Any insight at all would be incredibly appreciated! Please help me! Thanks!
That looks like the witness mark from performing straight plunges without a lead in and lead out, this is a flaw within easels plunge toolpaths.
You’ll have better, more acceptable results, using a software that allows for lead-ins and lead-outs. Fusion360, carveco, and vectric all have options for lead ins/outs for profile/contour cuts like that…
Seth thank you! I don’t even know where to start! Carveco appears affordable. Once I set up the box in that software, is this something I have to program? Also, can I carve with the xcarve from carveco?
Carveco generates a gcode file and youd need a gcode sender to send it to the XCP.
I prefer openbuilds control as the sender, but with the latest firmware update to the XCP they changed tge baud rate and it wont work with openbuilds control if you have the latest updated firmware on the XCP. However you can still use Easel as the sender, just use the “Easel” machine type in carveco and then use the gcode import function in Easel.
Also if you like, heres a 90 day free link to carveco maker, then at least you will get to test it out b4 paying.
As for setting up the lead-ins/outs that is all in the toolpath setup. Popup window, there is a checkbox for lead ins. Once you tick this box more options for length and angle, etc will expand out…
If there is anything else that can help with this - a better bit or a different set of parameters in Easel, I would greatly appreciate any feedback. I am under the gun on this box and I fear I won’t be able to get thru the other software quick enough.
In Easel under the cut settings at the bottom, using a ramp instead of a straight plunge can reduce the effect, BUT because the ramp for each stepdown doesn’t start the ramping motion from the surface AND also doesn’t ramp back up and out, there will still be straight vertical witness marks unfortunately.
