Stacked sign

I’ve been trying to do a stacked craving with 1/8 down cut, then a second stage with a V bit 60 degree, and everything looks like total shit. Everything has burns, or lines are off, it leaves material still there. I make sure my material doesn’t move with hot glue and clamps. It’s like a blind man did the work not a machine. I very new to all this and it’s frustrating can someone please give me some advice.

sounds like your to do your carve to fast , step back a bit and try it again with less caffeine

I have the freaky set to one and feeds and speed are auto

I personally wouldn’t use a downcut on a stacked sign, are your bits on the older side and worn? what would did you use

What cnc? Have any photos of the results? And can you share the easel project link?

I don’t typically bother with the v bit on my stacked text signs, the 1/8" alone is usually sufficient

No I just bought the machine, I used Aspen.


My apologies I have the 1000m XCrave just worked a 14 hr day bolts loose and I have the one with the dewalt router no upgrades with dust boot

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It’s all good, I totally understand. :grin:

It looks like your gantry might have moved towards the rear of the machine during the bit swap. Do you see this to?

Here’s how you’d lock the steppers to percent unwanted movement during those bit change:

And since we’re on “improving the machine” many people find it useful to install a secondary wasteboard which can be surfaced, giving you a parallel work surface to use…

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Ok I’ll do that and send you an update that kbyou for helping me

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Unless you have a different file that you are using, you might want to look at the spelling of “Friends” in the file that you linked to… :wink:

image

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Brandon Parker

I have made that correction already.

Great!!

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Brandon Parker

Lol I did fix it

I wish that was the only problem damn machine does not cut well

No luck seth


Little better but still not show quality

Are you using a new X-Carve with the updates or is your X-Cave of the pre-update period? Not an X-Carve Pro correct…?

Also, are you using the feeds & speeds that the linked file above shows? If you are then the settings for your 1/8" bit (Feed Rate - 120 in/min, Depth per Pass - 0.3 in) are high which is likely causing deflection. This is what it looks like is primarily occurring in your images above, but your Z-Zero might also be off from the roughing to the detail pass as well. Although you should be able to go faster than the Automatic Easel settings with a standard pre-upgrades machine, I would start there and see how things work out. You can always bump up the Feed Rate during a carve with the Feed Rate Override, but the Feed Rate of 120 in/min is ludicrously high for a 1/8" bit, especially a downcut bit as it needs to compress and pulverize the milled shavings as it goes. This is also another issue that might be cause deflection in the Z-Axis…

Another thing to look at might be the tramming of your Z-Axis…

The machine is capable of way-way better cutting. You have to get the machine set up as precisely as you can, get your workflow set up correctly for setting the Z-Zero consistently, and dial in the settings the machine is capable of performing at.

Just some things to think about…

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Brandon Parker

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For comparison, I carved both of these items (now joined together as they appear to be) with a 1/4" up-cut and 60-deg V-Bit. My machine does have an upgraded Z-Axis which is similar to the one Inventables now sells, but was milled by the X-Carve itself years ago. So, if you have the upgraded Z-Axis it should be comparable with respect to rigidity.

Here were the settings for the 22" circular piece:
image

Here were the settings for the left-hand accent piece:
image

Neither used ramping since this feature was not available at the time, and both used the Offset toolpath strategy (can’t remember if raster was available at that time).

You will get the machine working as expected, but remember, you have to work within the capabilities of the machine as well.

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Brandon Parker

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Yes I have the xcarve before the upgrade in November just the 1000m. The feed rate I’m using on the new but which is up it is 70in/min plunge at 9 in/ min and .03 depth with a 1/8 down cut. On the v bit 60 in/ min 20 in/min .03 and spindle on 1. I set the project to do a ramp on both