My fourth time cutting wood..

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tpulley
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2017 1:31 pm

My fourth time cutting wood..

Post by tpulley »

I bought a piece of 12x12x1 to test out my 4th time cutting wood. I was after the collage effect. I bumped up my feed rate to 100 ipm. At this rate there were a few cuts that seemed to cause the shark to chatter/shutter. I was using a 1/8 carbide ball cutter. The shuttering was as it was taking out some of the wood full on the side about 1/4 inch dep. Not sure if you can tell it but I also swapped out a 45 degree 1/2 cutter and put a light chamfer around the edges minus where the clamps were.

I am thinking I want to learn how to apply stains and finishes to bring out some of the detail better.

Here is what I have learned on this project... I need to keep a database on how deep of an offset from the stock template I need to go. Meaning, the moose for example I can't raise that up at all. The hind quarter is almost flush with the top of the board. The duck on the other hand is about 5/16 deep from the top and could easily be raised 1/4 and still have the detail showing.

I need to find a consistent way to locate against a straight edge or fence so I can do multiple pieces and insure it is parallel with the sides. My ultimate goal is to have the shark start earning its keep. Once I can tame the beast... :) Ideas and suggestions welcome.
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moose duck toucan and fish.jpg
Last edited by tpulley on Wed Mar 08, 2017 9:55 am, edited 1 time in total.
HD4 extended, Vcarve pro 8.5, 4th axis, Laser. Learning everyday...

TAW
Posts: 130
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2015 10:50 am

Re: My forth time cutting wood..

Post by TAW »

Did you use a larger end mill and the roughing pass before the finishing path? Thus will get the larger areas cleared out faster and only leave a small amount of material for the taper ball nose bit to remove. The chattering on the edges is normal- the tapper bit is just touching the straight edge on the outside(if you did a roughing path)
If you high make an outline of the carving - you can do a pocket tool path deep as the highest part of the 2d- then do the 2D carve on the left over silhouette of un carved wood to have the 2D carve above the surface.
They have colored stains- some in powder form and you mix what you want. I just use enamels and blot on and dip brush in thinner to spread around -still gives color but you can see the wood grain thru it. Just experiment. the bass is in enamels. and beer mug was carved as stated above to be elevated and not sunken it.
good luck
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IMG_20170130_202402137~2.jpg

tpulley
Posts: 34
Joined: Thu Jan 05, 2017 1:31 pm

Re: My fourth time cutting wood..

Post by tpulley »

No I did not do a rough cut. I only have a 1/8 ball nosed cutter. I ordered one right after I completed this project. Thanks for the finishing tips I look forward to trying some of them out. I love the idea of powdered stains as mine have often dried out before using them all up. Now I have the shark, that shouldn't happen...

Is 100 ipm a good rate? I would think for finishing work it would be ok. Not sure about roughing work.
HD4 extended, Vcarve pro 8.5, 4th axis, Laser. Learning everyday...

TAW
Posts: 130
Joined: Tue Oct 20, 2015 10:50 am

Re: My fourth time cutting wood..

Post by TAW »

100 ipm is fine-I have went up to 150- use 125 most of the time- made a difference on my carve if going with the grain or across- found out hard way- if going with the grain I had less clean up sanding and if carve has a lot of flat area in it (like the foaming beer mug) the carve goes faster on the smooth part of mug and just slows down to adjust all the z changes. good luck

BillK
Posts: 885
Joined: Mon Apr 18, 2011 3:08 am

Re: My fourth time cutting wood..

Post by BillK »

I use The with the grain rule and find it works well with most woods. The one I have found where across the grain works better is red Mahogany.
BillK
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