Multi-bit carving, your thoughts?

1

While I’m awaiting the arrival of my XController, I’m slowly building my project list of items I want to carve. I created the following carving and shared it so you can look. What I want to know is…how would a multi-carve project operate? Would the XC carve everything with the larger bit first, then stop for me to change the bit? If so, do you just click the carve button after you change to the smaller bit for the finer detail work?

2

Yes.

When you setup a multi-stage carve, you’ll be prompted when you click on “Carve” and select which cut (Roughing or Detail) you want to carve. Because of the way they changed the toolpaths, you want to run the roughing pass (larger bit) first and then run the detail pass with the smaller bit.

When changing the bit, you have to be extra careful to not move the carriage in the X and Y direction (the motors should be locked) so that your X and Y zero location doesn’t change and then you’ll reset your Z for the new bit either manually or by probing.

Does this make sense?

3

That’s perfect. Thank you. I wish Easel would offer a third bit, I’d like to go with an even larger roughing but so the entire carve wouldn’t take so long.

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4

You technically could do as many multi bit operations as you want. Example:

First stage
Roughing bit - 6mm
Detail bit - 3mm

Second Stage (only run the detail pass)
Roughing Bit - 3mm
Detail Bit - 2mm

Just do this in you one project and just cut the first stage as normal, then change you bit settings and cut only the detail pass on sequential operations.

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6

I see that Easel uses 1/8, 1/16, 1/32 bit sizes, but also allows ‘custom’ sizes. Is a 1/4" bit too large for the DW611 to use for roughing? Should I be using something that large or is that not safe/recommended?

Thanks!!

8

Awesome. I’m still awaiting my Xcontroller to arrive. :frowning: so I’m trying to study up on everything. Is there a recommended bit to use for roughing a new waste board; a flattening bit or something like that?

10

Am I correct? I seems when doing a multi-bit carve in Easel .5" is the largest it will allow me to set. On a single bit carve it will accept 3/4" and 1" (haven’t tried any bigger).