I’ve been trying to get this figured out without bothering the forums but I have trying to do different carves but if I’m carving a piece of material that is lets say .25" and I set the cut depth to .20" but it seems to always cut through. I have set my materials and bits before setting up any of the project and just about every other possible combination yet still cuts through. I am new and haven’t tried any other software other than easel so far.
Hello Daniel,
If you don’t mind sharing your project on the forum, it might be easier to see what is going on. And/or have you made sure your machine is calibrated properly? If not, this might be a good place to start. Are you using X-Controller? I’m sure others might have a few suggestions with a little bit more information as well.
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Honestly it was a simple box from the apps that was the last one that i have tried. I have zeroed out the machine, went back through setting up the whole machine. I am running a 500mm and with the x controller a z probe and homing switches. I can share the project if needed to help diagnose my problems. Thank you guys for all your help
Are you actually measuring the thickness of the material?
Have you checked the thickness of the probe contact? Does match the settings?
Have you measure the depth of a given cut that you set to 0.20"
I have measured the material and it’s been on more than three or four projects that I have this issue. I was making labels from the two color 1/16" acrylic and was unable to get a even depth I even went as far as to replace the wasteboard thinking it was warped or uneven. I didn’t know there was a setting for the probe thickness, where would that be located? I have to say I am an actually embarrassed to say I haven’t measured the depth but I will be now thank you for that thought.
Does the same thing happen if you set your Z height manually, without the probe?
I am away from my machine right now but I will try that tomorrow as well.
Even while doing a manual zero set it still cuts deeper than said depth.
That would indicate you calibration is off (steps/mm).
Do you have a way to accurately and precisely measure depth (calipers)?
Is the depth consistent across your wasteboard?
Use a scrap piece of material, set zero at the top of it. Jog the machine to a bunch of locations and go to Z0 (G1Z0F200). Slide the scrap underneath…is it the same everywhere?
Are you cutting into the wasteboard when that happens? If not, you’re material might be being pulled up.
New user here… Just sorted out some errors of my own on my 1000mm machine. During the build I noticed that things are not completely square and parallel… given the nature of the machine it is to be expected… there is definitly no way that mdf is going to hold a tolerance of .050 Now that my machine is up and running properly, my first project will be to mount a second thinner waste board above the provided one, put a large flat cutter in the router and run a leveling cut to ensure that the waste board is indeed parallel to the gantry and side rails. Also in agreement with Neil… Entirely possible the cutterhead is lifting the material. .062" Acrylic is pretty flexible… you may want to modify the manner that it is being held down. 
So I’ve been busy doing other things but I just got back to trying this again and the wasteboard depth to the bit is very close throughout the whole surface as I have yet I am cutting the wasteboard around about .050" on any given cut that is only supposed to just cut to the depth of the material I am cutting. I have even tried to do everything up to the cut but when I go tot carve take the material out and just run in different areas of my work surface and its consisitently cutting into it. I don’t know of any settings to change that I haven’t looked at but if there is something i’m missing it would be greatly appreciated. I have been able to run with an offset depth but it is not how its supposed to be that’s why I am trying to fix it.
Interesting, if I understand you correctly: (for example), you place material with a known thickness on the wasteboard. Let’s say the material is .25" thick. You create a project to cut a total depth of .20" and prior to running the project you manually raise the bit .05" above the probed distance to get your offset. Zero out your z axis at the .05" above probed distance which results in the .20" depth of cut after project completes. Is this correct?
Yes if I set the depth at the exact thickness of the material it cuts into the wasteboard but if I say its .050 less then the thickness it will cut to where I want and its on all cuts on all positions of the board
If you jog the Z axis two inches, does it move exactly two inches?
Yes it moves exactly two inches when jogged
After your next carve (or test), without homing machine, jog to the location where you set Z-zero (make sure stock is still there). And send the machine to Z0.05" (G1Z.05F200).
Still clear of stock? See if Z0 is where it should be.
Not still clear of stock, you lost Z-steps… Check pulley, Z belt tension, etc.
Well I finally found out my problem and kinda embarrassed to say I was a loose v wheel now that I have all the right tension on them and made sure belts were good as well it seems to be cutting at the right depths now, I just want to thank everyone who took their time to help me out with this. I just have one question is it normal when the machine goes back to home after a carve that its lower than when it started from the probe position?
Normal, no.
But Easel does send your machine home at, if I’m recalling correctly, 0.25" above your Z-zero. So if your probe is thicker than a quarter inch, what you’re seeing is what Easel does.
I think it finishes at the safety height.