I am still getting my “Z” butt kicked. I have purchased the Z probe that came with the X Carve and also bought the Triquetra but have yet to figure how how to use them. My question is how would you repair this carve? Am I forced to just start it over and let it carve air until it reaches the bottom and hope it cuts off exactly as much as it did on the last pass?
On a side note I would let to promise you I am setting the Z Axis in the same place on the board EVERY single time and yet I get these type of errors. I just to the point that I am tired of making expensive firewood.
Thanks!
Barry, one thing I notice is the ‘stripes’ seen in the open pocket areas could indicate that your router is not square with your piece. Did you plane the whole board before doing your z-probe?
No sir. I am aware that my waste board is higher on my right side because I zero it on the left front and it cuts deeper on the right. I want to say it’s less than 1/32 off though. Would that cause this to cut deeper on the second pass than the first pass? I make sure to touch the wood with the bit (the same way) to make the Z axis the same. I never move or touch the X&Y axis and I never have a problem with it.
Thanks!
Well that would make it cut deeper on one end but not across the board between passes. Did you carve with Easel? Could you share the project?
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I did cut with Easel. How do I share it here?
Phil I believe I was using .001 to move it.
I will try when I get home.
I have never been able to get the Z probe to work. I cannot figure out how to get the Triquetra to work either. I am still trying to site by eye. I set the travel to .001 while setting the Z Axis and go down until it touches. Sorry I was not familiar with the setting you were asking about.
$102=188.976 (z, step/mm)
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This just looks like there was some difference between the zero for your roughing bit vs. detail bit.
If the difference is really really small then you might be able to sand it out, but the pictures make it look pretty significant.
If the detail bit is still installed and the Z is still zeroed you can just change the roughing pass bit configuration to the detail bit size and run the roughing pass again; this will take FOREVER, but would definitely work…don’t ask how I know… 
Otherwise if you can here is what I would do:
This is contingent on getting the XYZ - Zero in exactly the same place
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XY- Has to be correct otherwise your letters will not be in the same place
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Z - Could be set to deep and you would just have to run the detail pass again (hopefully setting the Z perfectly though); too shallow and you just have to perform the actions below again
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Measure difference between the roughing depth and detail depth.
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Add that difference to your depth for the cutout. Make sure to set EASEL up as roughing and detail exactly as you had it before that way you only cut what the roughing pass cut in the first place.
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If the difference is smaller than the desired DOC for the roughing bit then you can just set the “Depth Per Pass” to be equal to the newly calculated depth (old depth + difference); this prevents cutting air for a few hours. Otherwise, set the “Depth Per Pass” to equal the depth that the roughing pass initially cut out; EASEL would then make one pass at that depth basically cutting air and then cut the final little difference.
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Install roughing bit again.
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Carve away (only roughing pass unless…see above)
That make sense?
I have had to use this method to clean up where I slightly misplaced the Z-Zero on the Detail Pass before. That being said; I cannot claim any responsibility if the piece gets messed up.
{:0)
Brandon
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Yes sir.
Brandon,
Thanks so much for your response. I will read back over it as soon as I can get back to it and let it run until it’s done if I have to. I just didn’t know if there was a way to “skip” all of the non-cutting time and zero it in such a way as to rough out the first pass and get to the pass I actual needed.
No problem…
That’s what is in the bullets…
Read it several times…think about it…read it again…think some more…then do…
{:0)
Good Luck!!
Brandon
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I have never altered these setting before. Where can I find them? In the “Cut Settings”? Would I change the plunge rate or the Depth per pass?
Since the difference is so small (and if I understand what your telling me) I can double the difference and then set my DPP as half and allow it to do two passes.
…am I even close?
Barry
I agree but “I” believe it is human error by my not doing something right while setting the Z axis back to zero (correctly) before running the second pass. I was only attempting to save this piece so I can get it off my table and look further into my problem.
For whatever reason the last pass of the detailed cut is .0275 deeper than the rough pass. I was trying to go back with the rough cut and fix it. It seems to be the same depth all the way around it’s just off on the last pass.
I know my rough needs to be .1345 to bring it down to the depth of the deeper detailed cut. So I set the cutting depth to .0675 per pass. It says approximately 52 minutes and if I am thinking right, the first 25 minutes will cut air and the last pass may take out that small .0275 I need to disappear. Am I over simplifying this or will this stand any chance of working?
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I didn’t remove the board. I kept moving the depth on the sliding scale and changing the DPP until I got 90% of it out. All is good for now I think.
I did get one of the 3axis blocks but I like the Z probe that came with my unit, I lack the talent to get it to work. I intention is to download picsender and hope I can figure it out. When I watch his videos I don’t know half of what he is referring to so I have to stop and figure that out before I can move on.
I have to be honest with ya…I thought I had a decent IQ before I opened the box the X-carve came in but I have ran slap out of talent since then.