Im cutting a heart out with text in the center using a v bit for the text and I cant get it to cut the heart out with a 1/8’’ bit
You will need to utilize the “workpiece panel” feature at the bottom of Easel, Creating Duplicates of the project, and using these duplicates to remove features from one or the other copy in order to assign different bits to different portions of the carve.
In this Example Video I use the workpieces to define what bit is used to carve a Pocket (endmill) and then to engrave into the bottom of that pocket (Vbit) and then to Cut out the final part (endmill)
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How do I copy a work piece and paste to another?
There is a “duplicate” option at that bottom panel
When I copy and paste a heart being cut out with a 1/8’’ bit to the text work piece being cut with a V-bit the heart changes from 1/8’’ to V-bit.
This is just how Easel works at the moment. There is currently no way to define which bit cuts which object except to place items on different workpieces.
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Brandon R. Parker
Well thats just not good!!!
But Thanks for the help.
Do you still need assistance/explanation?
If you do, then please share the project as shown in the 2nd half of this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qX9gEkbX0v4 and paste that share link here in the forum and I’ll take a look at your project…
Sorry for the news.
As @SethCNC mentioned, if you need help figuring out how to do something or lay out your project just ask. We are always cruising around the forum on a regular basis and are glad to help at no charge… 
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Brandon R. Parker
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You can always change the bit. Easel makes assumptions sometimes, or it just goes ahead with the last settings you were messing with. I have been frustrated with the same thing, but you can change it. Maybe you need to do three workpieces if the edge of your heart has a slant or curve? You should nevertheless be able to tell it to use a 1/8 bit to cut the majority of the heart and then switch to a v-bit for details, and then another workpiece for the text. Patience and practice. Try it! Use the preview and simulation buttons to see what it wants to do, and if you feel the need to change it, you can.
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Not sure if I did it right Im new to CNC as well as the computer
You would want one workpiece with the text only and set to vbit
And another workpiece with the perimeter only and set to the endmill you want to cut the shape out with.
Essentially the same as my video shows, but omitting the portions about the pocket cut since you’re not making a tray.
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Carving out some HDPE with a o-flute end mill but want to roundover the sides and corners of the square with a roundover bit is that something i can do with easel?
@MichaelMarley,
This is doable, but the preview will not show exactly what you are after. You have to set up the design with the roundover bit’s dimensions in mind. The part where you would utilize the roundover bit will look like a pocket that is cut around the edge. If you set up the dimensions of the carve correctly it would work. If you need help with this, please start a new thread so that all of the discussion will be contained within its own thread.
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Brandon R. Parker
Seth, Joe J here. I’m attempting a similar project. Firstly, a bit of friendly criticism. You move very quickly through your tutorials. For an experienced person, that ‘might’ be fine, for us beginners, I had to keep hitting pause, and back-up (dozens of times, and that’s AFTER, changing the play-back speed to 50%. Also, you do a lot of things without explaining what you are doing. It is very hard to see what it is that you are clicking on. My solution was to put a magnifying glass over my screen and slow the playback speed so that I could actually see what things you were clicking on - PLEASE do not think that I’m trolling, I do TRULY appreciate your willingness to help us newbies, just wanted to let you know that it’s hard to follow).
with that said, I’m confused as to how to proceed. I have a simple heart selected from the easel image options, that I want to turn into a tray with the added image and text carved or raised at the bottom of that tray (the added image and text were also selected from the easel options, so nothing custom here).
My question is this; how do I get the software to accept that I want to carve out the center of the heart??? none of the four options upon selecting the image - or the four cut options from the cut drop-down appear to allow me to do so. When I chose ‘clear out a pocket’ from the cut drop-down (as you did), it wants to carve between the two lines of the shape of the heart (outside). The two lines BTW were created by easel, not me. The image I chose was a simple heart outline, but depending on the carve option, it has one line or two. When I delete the heart and re-select the design and choose each of the four cut options (can’t figure out how to simply choose a different option without starting over each and every time), NONE of the four options allow me to clear out the center of the heart.
I also have a second question: what is the difference between the four carve options offered when I first import an image (Fill, "Outline (on path), Outline (outside), Outline (inside)), and the four carve options once working in the ‘cut’ dropdown of the project (Clear out pocket, Cut on shape path, cut outside shape path, cut inside shape path)? They appear to be similar, but clearly they have different names, so I am assuming that they are different tasks, which if so, means that I have to differentiate between 16 different possible cut options. To say that I’m confused would be a major understatement.
Regardless, no matter which combination of cut options that I chose, I cannot get my project to do what yours is doing, which is to say, cut out a pocket INSIDE the heart. PLEASE HELP this newbie!!
Again, I TRULY appreciate any help, PLEASE do not take the above criticism as a negative, I just want to help you make your videos clearer to clueless newbies like me.
All my best,
Joe
Hey @JosephJohnson1 , It is best if you start a new thread for your issues, but that’s okay.
Seth does talk and move his mouse a lot. He’s constantly moving and clicking just for something to do. Call it a twitch. haha. You have to pay attention to the right parts, but Seth is awesome. He has helped (and confused) me a lot, but he knows what he is doing.
The cut options are as follows: Clear a Pocket means to carve everything inside the shape to a specific depth. In the case of a heart, it would carve the entire heart to the depth you choose.
Cut On Shape Path means exactly that. It will center the bit over your line and carve it to the depth you specify at the center point of your line and the bit is the determining factor as to how big that line will be.
Cut Outside Shape Path means that it will cut your shape with the edge of the bit against your line, thusly on the outside of your shape.
Cut Inside Shape Path means that it will cut your shape with the edge of the bit against the inside of your line.
In regard to carving a pocket on the inside of your heart (If you share your project it would be easier to figure out instead of trying to guess), you need to select just the inside heart, and choose Clear a Pocket. I find Easel a bit tricky to select just what I want, so I move my mouse right to the line and when the cursor changes to four arrows, I click. As long as that shape is independent and not open or linked to another line, it should allow you to just Clear a Pocket on the inside of the heart, and leave the outside line to Cut On Path (or Outside). Clear as mud?
@MichaelMarley I did a livestream a while back and discussed a handful of non-standard bits and how to enter/use them with Easel… including roundover bits… I’ve queued this video up to right where I begin discussing roundover bits so you don’t have to sit through the rest or jump around searching for the relevant part…
you’ve described what is essentially a RING, two vectors creating two hearts, one within the other. You can select that and open Node Editor (press E on your keyboard is the shortcut to this feature) then delete one of the two vectors. Changing the design from a hollow Ring in a heart shape, into a single heart, which then you can apply the pocket cut as desired.