I am attempting to make drink coasters with an engraved center. The coasters are round with the center area cut down by 2mm. This leaves a lip around the edge of the coaster. I am trying to engrave using a 60 degree v-bit onto the center of the coaster. I have clamped a piece of wood large enough for four coasters and have carved the blanks for all four coasters. I am using the same x/y zero and attempting to carve a design in the center of the coaster, However I cannot get the v bit to go deep enough to carve the design. I have used the surface of the center of the coaster to set the bit height. Any suggestions?
Use the center of the coaster as the x,y zero point. Use an end mill bit to carve down to the 2mm level. Change to the v-bit and set you z axis at the center of the coaster. You are doing two separate carves.
Phil,
I don’t quite understand your response. To do the carve for the inside, I made a copy of the project for the coaster and centered the art work in the coaster and then deleted the cuts for the coaster. So I am running a complete second job on the same footprint as the one that I used to carve the coasters. I thought that the X y zero point is the lower left corner of your work space. I am not sure how to use the center of the coaster as the x y zero. I also have it set to carve a set of four out of one piece of wood.
I have only been using an X carve for a week or two, so obviously there is a lot that I don’t know.
I did a test of the artwork on a piece of wood without the center depression and it worked fine.
Thanks so much for your assistance.
I’m not clear on your zeroing procedure… Did you zero your Z at the already carved 2mm depth? Or at the original surface?
At the 2mm depth
Phil,
Here are the two files I am using
You need to share them so we can see them.
File– > Share– > Share with link– > Save
Still not shared
EDIT: OK…I see them now
Can you see them now?
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Looks like your bit is way to big.
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I don’t see any issues with the procedure or files, except as @WayneHall noted, the 2.5mm endmill won’t work. Are you using a 60deg bit like you said in the original post?
My apologies. I just got a batch of 2.5mm end mills and added them to my library using the file I shared. I used a 60 degree V bit for the artwork. I will fix the files so you can see what I used.
How are you zeroing the V-bit inside the pocket?
Took your file and made the changes to represent (X,Y) at the center of your first graphic. Nothing is changed accept for the location of the artwork. It will still carve our the same. Don’t be confused by the placement in the preview window. You will find that it will carve where you tell it too.
Just make sure to set all zeros at the center of the first coaster. All artwork was grouped and moved simultaneously.
Please verify the center placement is accurate before carving.
What’s the purpose of doing this?
This was a good way for me to understand how to use the center of a file as the zero location. Reading above, it seemed Richard was a little confused about zeroing being lower left. @PhillipLunsford made a really good video explaining this technique.
How to Turn a Free Vinyl Floor Tile Sample into a Coaster Set :~3:00 minute mark.
Maybe I should have linked to that video in my last post.
His files seem fine. Keeping X0Y0 in the lower left should work. Unless I’m missing something, the issue is something with his Z zero.
You’re correct. His file is fine. I’m just trying to provide another method of achieving his goal of carving in the center of his coasters as he envisioned them to be.
Keep the file the same and zero of the lower left corner. Assuming the material is still in the same spot. Or, zero in the center. It all works 
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Try this file, basically a three bit project in two work spaces. The first bit is a roughing pass to get the bottom of your coaster, second bit is the detail for the tree, the second work space will cut out the coasters going back to and using the 1/8" bit for your third bit usage. Always zero off the same area of the surface of your wood this way Easel always has the same starting point.