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Addressing the above 2 points only…
The 2 hrs would be greatly extended using the 1mm stock to leave approach because additional stepdowns will be required.
IF the standard stepover of about 10% is used, and tapered ball bits (the standard for 3d relief carving even though easel doesn’t properly support them yet but these are much stronger than straight ball bits, I’m not sure which style you’re currently using but you might want to look into tapered if you’ve not already…) then the stresses are greatly reduced.
Here’s some data about stepovers and why 10% is usually the optimal setting: How To Choose a Stepover for 3D Profiling - CNCCookbook: Be A Better CNC'er
However IF you want to get the carve to complete faster I’ve got some tips on that process… What model CNC are you using? I noticed the plunge rate is 976 and 1220 mm/min which exceed the max of the X-Carve (unless you’ve tuned the grbl settings above the stock settings)
Those tips on how to Alter the grbl settings for a faster plunge rate and thus a faster finishing pass are shown here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpU7GSRk6lA
Side note, I don’t actually work for inventables and the last I’ve heard, they don’t really read every thread on the forum, the best way for them to see your suggestions is to post into the topic “feature requests” because those posts do get sent to the developers inbox.
@Nacho, thanks for posting the speed & feeds, tonight am doing a topo using your data, really sped up the roughing pass. For some reason my onefinity will not accept the higher speed rate for finishing pass.
so am stuck past my bedtime waiting for the detail pass to get done, my best carve to date.
Wondering if you have done any blue epoxy pours for water?
Cheers and thank you again.
My apologies for assuming you did work for inventables
My CNC is Xcarve 1000 mm. I do not have grbl settings altered. I did not check the actual carving time so probably was slightly higher from the forecasted on easel
I do see your point on step over and scalloping, but i do see this like a next step when it comes to maturity level.
The core issue that in my opinion prevents using easel pro for stl’s with relevant roughing carves depths is the significant volume left for the finishing carve
This is the representation graphically on how it works and how i think it could work. I do skip the discussions on some thresholds for the finishing carve. Let hope that something might find this input helpfull in the future
Please understand that I am in CNC pre-school, but built my first DIY woodworking machine (stroke sander with 16ft belt) in1973.
I have tried three topo carves 1 sort of success and 2 failures and have a couple of thoughts and a couple of questions. I notice that if the roughing depth of cut, per pass is reduced it looks like there will be much less work for the finishing pass.
My most successful carve used a 1/4" diameter ball bit (all I had) with as I recall an 8% step over for the finishing pass.
I can run 3/8ths straight bits in my makita router and am wondering about using the 3/8ths bit pushed for speed with a 1mm depth of cut per pass, then the 1/4" ball bit then an 1/8" tapered round nose Which I recently got, for the finishing cut. On my set up it would just mean running the roughing pass twice, might have to play around with the Z probe hgt a bit for the second roughing.
Please try not to laugh at my iggorance but am planning to try another topo tomorrow and if you think am going astray please shout as I am getting a bit stressed from the spoiled hardwood work pcs.
Thanks for reading this, T
You are rigth, reducing depth lets an easier finishing for the second carve . However carving times get mad. From a bunch of hours to almost one full day …
My point in the discussion is for some additional logic on the gcode generation to get as depth as possible in any point instead of using modules of the division of the cut depth
Also, when considering extending life of the roughing carving bit, is always better to use as much depth as possible, to make sure most of the blade is used. Why having a 2cm flute when using only 1mm?
Anyways, I sincerely appreciate all your in order to make it work
