I’m creating my very first project.
How do I change the bit for different parts of my project?
Well, the link you provided shows how to use a large bit for roughing, and then a smaller detail bit for cleanup.
I’m thinking more in the lines of using a 2 flute downcut bit, to make some pockets, and then switch to a V-bit, to engrave some words, and then switch to a 3rd bit to drill some holes.
Is there no way to have Easel ask for a bit change?
I myself would make 3 separate programs and then edit them in a text editor like Notepad or Wordpad into one gcode program. You can add a M0 ( M zero) between sections to stop the machine., unplug the router, change bit, set z zero for the new bit, resume. and repeat as needed.
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Are you serious?
So if I’m making a cribbage board, with words carved into it, and a decorative edge, there’s no way to make the holes with a straight bit, the carved words with a V-Bit, and the decorative edge with some other bit…and have Easel pause for bit changes? Are you serious?
I guess I’m serious, because I’ve been doing this for about 20 years. Easel is a limited program and is good at what it does, but there are limitations to what it can do. Maybe somebody else will chime in with some other answer that you’ll like better.
3 or 4 stage carving - Easel / Feature Requests - Inventables Community Forum
DirkMartin,
Sadly, as of now, you can only use two bits, and worse, you cnt choose which bit does what. It is a known ‘flaw’ because nearly all of us at one point have requested that A) we be allowed to use multiple bits, and B) designate which bit carves what, and in which order. In speaking with Tec Support over the past year, I’ve been told that they have gotten MANY such requests, so hopefully it will come someday.
Meanwhile, MartinW.Mcclary’s suggestion may work, but I am too much of a newbee to know. What the folks at Tec Support told me to do - and it works - is to just duplicate your project as many times as you need, one for each bit. Then you can do each carve separately. You will want to delete anything from that particular carve/bit that you do not want to carve.
for a little clarification, you design your cribbage board. Then make multiple copies. For the first one, you would do the roughing cut (the 2 flute bit that you mentioned), so you would delete (or reduce cut depth to 0") anything that you do not want to cut on that first pass. Then on the second you would do the detail with the mentioned v-bit. Then on the third cut drill the holes, and the cutout (or if the holes are using a very small bit, do a fourth cut with a 1/4" bit to cut it out)
It adds a little bit of time, and no, it is not close to ideal, but it gets you there, and no, you do not need separate software. It is actually more simple than it sounds. Once you get good at it, it’s less frustrating, but in truth, every time that I do a multi-bit carve, I shake my head at the fact that the good folks at Inventables didn’t think of this back in the beginning - but again, it’s not bad.
I’m hoping that one day Santa will put that solution under my tree (into Easel actually)
good luck,
Joe
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BTW, as I learned the hard way, ALWAYS keep a main copy of your project that you do not carve from. This way if you accidently delete a feature that you did not want to, you still have an unedited version to fall back on. By this I mean, if you are using three bits for the carve. Make your design, KEEP that one unaltered, make three copies, and do as described above.
I am new and far from an expert, but this is what has worked for me.
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Ok, Gang. I get it. That should work.
BTW, this suggestion of making project copies…is there no “undo” function in Easel?
Been out of the shop for a few days. If you haven’t found the answer, it this; It depends upon what you are trying to ‘undo’, but unlike a lot of programs, there is no specific button, you have to go to “edit”, and you can find it there.
Dirk
Layout your project and label it master file. then duplicate it as many times as you need to. I have set it up to drill holes first, once your successful run is completed? mark the duplicate as completed(rename) for sanity sake, then move onto the next part of the carve, and so on. I always drill first, then work from the outside in, however always starting at project center.
Hope this helps.
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I hope I am contributing to this thread, even if I have some negative feedback.
I have never done a great 2-bit carve using Easel. Somehow things just don’t quite line up, and I don’t like the lack of control with Easel to follow the carve to make sure things are going to be okay. It is too much “Click and Pray”.
I use UGS for multi-bit jobs, and run each job separately, very much like has been described in other posts. I can drill a shallow mark at XY Zero, and even if bad things happen, I can always find and confirm my Zero again later. Easel doesn’t do that. Everything is based on the XY Zero that you set each time. If you have a cnc machine that is always the same coordinates, this isn’t a big deal. If you have a cheap chinese machine, your coordinates can be different every time you turn on the machine. I have learned to always Home the machine before I shut it off, and it is much closer, and may only require tiny adjustments.
I also like to trace my work in UGS before I carve. I can right-click on any part of the carve and have the bit move to that exact location. UGS is a bit finicky in that the preview window shows the bit location plus the Z-height, so the bit needs to be within 1 or 2 mm of the surface, and your cut line will be slightly lower than the bit. But it is indeed a reliable way to ensure that my next carve is going to work or not.
I am reading this thread because I want to learn more about how to get Easel to work successfully with multiple bits. I have seen many examples of people who have done it, so it CAN be done. I just haven’t been happy with what I have done with Easel. I still use Easel to design and output my g-code though.
Watch the easel portion of this so see how to use “workpieces” (the bottom panel in easel) to gain control of which bit carves which design elements.
