Hi @JeffTalbot,
I’d like to try out the roughing feature. If it is possible to add me, I’d appreciate it.
If not, that is fine… I can wait for the feature to be released. Either way, thanks for the awesome work!
Please add me to the testing as well.
Mine’s coming in a week, but I’d like to check this out too.
@JeffTalbot would love access to this feature! I already have a number of projects that would benefit from this.
What is the process for changing tools without losing registration?
Good question as i would like to know as well. Also how much stress is put on the spindle mount and gantry changing bits? is there a fear of it becoming off or not square any longer? just some things im thinking about
That is the part of the feature that probably needs the most work and the main reason why it’s in early access mode, so we can get feedback on how it can be improved before rolling it out to all users.
The way I do it is I usually drill a notch at my zero point. After the roughing pass Easel returns to the original zero. I jog the spindle up and carefully change the bit with the motors locked. Then I jog it down to the Z-zero point and run the detail pass. The notch is there in case I lose the x/y zero.
How would you like it to work?
Jeff
I’ve noticed that, after cutting, when it homes, it does not go back to the same Z (what I would call home). If I jog up more to change the bit, does it still know where I touched-off?
Hi. Is this where you would like us to give feedback?
If so, check out the following image:
I thought I would try out the 2 stage cut with something built in to Easel so as to weed out as many variables as possible. After typing this text and clicking carve I went through the steps to do a roughing pass. After it finished this pass, the letters came out nice and smooth though the corners were rounded due to the bit being .125 in. I then followed the steps to run the detail pass with a .0625 in bit to get the details right in the corners. After this finished the letters were much more rough even though the corners received more detail. In the image above I’ve circled spots where the bit was traveling along the path and then lifted… skipped a section… then lowered and continues along. You can see these all over the cut, but the tops and sides of curves are the most noticeable.
I’ll run a few more tests in different materials using just the shapes available in Easel and some imported as SVG to confirm this.
I would think that the bit would just refollow the same paths as before, but just with a smaller radius so as to cut into the corners while still having a smooth transition from straight line to turning.
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Does the bit not return to the X and Y home for you? It goes back to that home point for me very precisely, but just raised a little on the Z axis which is expected due to the tool path being this way.
If your tool path shows that it should return to the same X and Y point and your machine doesn’t return to the point that it started at with regards to the X and Y then there may need to be some calibration on your build.
It’s just Z that’s off.
ah, yeah that is in the toolpath. If you take a look at it closely, the last move is to return to X and Y zeros, but not to drop down to the Z zero.
You should be able to then jog your machine while still on and replace the bit, jog it back down to set the Z zero to the surface of the material and step through the process again using the new home position. This will make it so that you haven’t changed the X and Y because they were locked down and all you did was set a new Z to account for the bit height change.
Hope that was clear… 
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OK, that could be a problem for me, then. My x-carve is on the other side of my desk, and, I can’t reach the PC when I’m at it. If I do need to touch-off again (the system lost Z-zero), maybe I’ll add a switch to kill the Z axis.
Mine is also a bit of a reach to get to my computer, but I just use an old wireless mouse and click on the buttons from right at the tool head.
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Thanks for this example. I agree, the detail bit should probably cut more of a continuous line so it doesn’t leave jagged edges.
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Hi there,
Just some feed back from my side. I have been testing this feature for some time now and I love it. The only issue i have had is that lets say i want to make a board with some text in it roughs the letters with the 1/8 bit and that is fine then when i do the fine cuts it cuts the letters and the profile cut with the 1/16 bit. I think big cuts with tabs should be done with the bigger bit. Hope this makes sense
Regards,
Frank
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Please add me also to the testing group
I have a plan for how I’ll make sure my X-Carve is at the same zero point for each tool pass.
It’s a secret, but it involves this - http://www.ebay.com/itm/301267213814?_trksid=p2060353.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT
Once I can confirm it works, then I’ll provide more details…
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