[Arbo]

Figured since in general C1's threads have been taken over with all sorts of other things, maybe we need a thread in a better spot for all the normal chatter that is seen in them (and in other ones) about projects being worked on, projects finished, questions about machines, questions about software, questions about wood, cutters, etc.

So here we are.

I'll start with one, I had been using a .25 downcut EM to do all my cutout tool paths... on occasion I'd get tearout when going around a corner. So this last run I did, I switched to an up-cut bit. Big mistake. Tear out on the 'face' of the cut in spots, and the actual cut out cut is rough and nasty.

So what do others use for cutouts, do they have the same issues, and how do they handle them?

[ger21]

I'm assuming the tearout occurs when going from "across the grain", around the corner to "with the grain".
One thing you can do is start with an oversized piece that large enough to leave some wood on the waste side of the bit. This will minimize tearout.
Sometimes climb cutting will give better results, sometimes not.
As you've noticed, downcuts tend to tearout less, but not always.

If you're cutting rectangular shaped parts, here's one thing you can do.
rather than cutting around your part, do the cuts for each side separately. Do the crosscuts (across the grain) first, then do the rip cuts (with the grain).
The crossgrain cuts may need to be done in shallower passes to prevent tearout, but if you have plenty of extra width, it shouldn't be an issue.

There are a lot of subtleties involved that can affect the outcome.

[Arbo]

I think just about everything I cut has extra waste wood on the outside of the cut... so I am good there. Oddly, most of my tear outs with a DC bit are usually when going with the grain to across the grain.

The single cuts is an interesting idea, not sure how to set that up in vectric or rhino, but will have to write it down and look into it.

How much does sharpness of the bit play into it? I know I've used my DC quite a lot, maybe it's dulling..

[cd_edwards]

Signing up for this thread. So far I'm using Whiteside upcut spiral's and haven't noticed any significant tearout in oak. I know I had some trouble with a piece of walnut that I had joined together to get a wider piece. I ended up with a split piece of wood.

[ger21]

Oddly, most of my tear outs with a DC bit are usually when going with the grain to across the grain.

You should almost never get tearout from that?? perhaps we're not on the same page here with out terminology.

How much does sharpness of the bit play into it? I know I've used my DC quite a lot, maybe it's dulling..

It can play a huge role, but that can be very dependent on the specific piece of wood.

If you get tearout along the grain, leaving about .01" of material and doing a cleanup pass can help. Usually this is caused by grain direction issues, but some woods are more prone to tearout than others.

Can you post a picture of where you're getting the tearout?

[Arbo]

Can you post a picture of where you're getting the tearout?

Next time I cut something, which shouldn't be too long of a wait, as all I've been doing for 4 days is running my machine. Will get a shot of it on the machine.

[Arbo]

A 14" Aztec in the works. So far cut, primed to seal it, hammered copper on the front. Just sprayed the back to let it cure overnight. Might get to putting stain in the crevices tomorrow. Clear after all of that.

I don't know how others got the hammered copper to spray down in the carvings without spraying on too much and losing detail. You can see my white primer down in some of them. But they will be covered with stain...

[CarveOne]

Try standing the calendar on the edge at nearly 90 degrees for the first two or three light coats, laying it flat right after spraying. Don't put on enough to create runs. It's hard to fill the crevasses if the can is at an angle to the surface. The last coat can be heavier and sprayed at all angles while laying flat.

I finally found a few cans of the Rustoleum hammered gold that I snapped up. Saving it for another calendar and other projects some day.

[alan_3301]

A 14" Aztec in the works. So far cut, primed to seal it, hammered copper on the front. Just sprayed the back to let it cure overnight. Might get to putting stain in the crevices tomorrow. Clear after all of that.

I don't know how others got the hammered copper to spray down in the carvings without spraying on too much and losing detail. You can see my white primer down in some of them. But they will be covered with stain...

was that v-carved or 3d toolpathed? It looks a lot smoother than what I last made with vcarve.

[Arbo]

Alan, it was v-carved. I think it's the best one I have done so far in terms of detail and such.

[Arbo]

Theoretical question:

If you were limited on your work space, what one piece of equipment (other than your CNC) would you absolutely need?

Drill Press, table saw, band saw, jointer, planer, desktop multi-sander, drum sander, crosscut saw, etc...

[ger21]

Each one does something different, so that question is nearly impossible to answer.

I have all the tools you mentioned, and my table saw gets used the most often by a large margin.
But, it can't do what any of the other tools do.

[CarveOne]

Each one does something different, so that question is nearly impossible to answer.

I have all the tools you mentioned, and my table saw gets used the most often by a large margin.
But, it can't do what any of the other tools do.

Gerry is right, the only real answer is "All of the above and then some." I bought the smaller cheap equipment while I was building R/C models, but just before retiring I bought newer and larger larger equipment and gave the smaller equipment to friends that had few, or none, of those tools.

I would say table saw, band saw, and floor stand drill press in that order. Even a small table top drill press is better than no drill press.

[Arbo]

That's kinda the basis of the question, as if push comes to shove you can plane wood with your cnc machine, you can cut wood down like a table saw, you can use it as a drill press... so if push came to shove, what is the one other tool you would find essential aside from the cnc.

While I have none of the other stuff, I am thinking one of those table sanders that has a belt and disk, as using a hand sander doesn't much allow for straight and even sanding.

[Trotline]

I'm sort of in the same boat as you, Arbo. I have a working CNC router, a circular saw, a welder, several drills and other handheld tools. For the work I'm doing, I first chose to get a good handheld belt sander. Almost all of the wood I use is from a local miller, so I have to surface all of it, and the sander speeds up the cleanup. The model I got has a flat top, and can be clamped to the bench to serve as a stationary sander for breaking edges, rounding over, etc.

I'd love to have a good band saw, to resaw the rough lumber, and not waste so much, but the cost for a decent one puts it out of my reach, right now. A small drill press is probably my next buy. As C1 said, even a small one is better then nothing.

Cheers!

Luke

[CarveOne]

I'm sort of in the same boat as you, Arbo. I have a working CNC router, a circular saw, a welder, several drills and other handheld tools. For the work I'm doing, I first chose to get a good handheld belt sander. Almost all of the wood I use is from a local miller, so I have to surface all of it, and the sander speeds up the cleanup. The model I got has a flat top, and can be clamped to the bench to serve as a stationary sander for breaking edges, rounding over, etc.

I'd love to have a good band saw, to resaw the rough lumber, and not waste so much, but the cost for a decent one puts it out of my reach, right now. A small drill press is probably my next buy. As C1 said, even a small one is better then nothing.

Cheers!

Luke

Keep an eye on Harbor Freight sales flyers for drill presses and pick up one at the closest store. They will usually have a small one for around $40 to $50. They will drill holes straighter than you can do with a hand drill, and with a piece of steel or aluminum angle, even a piece of scrap 1x2 wood, clamped to the table it will serve as a guide fence for drilling rails along a center line. The fence can be used to maintain spacing in one direction while you concentrate on holding the spacing of holes along the center line more accurately. Small drill presses just limit the Z throat height and drill sizes much more than a floor standing drill press. The small ones are still useful though. I have a tabletop Delta and a floor standing Delta. I wouldn't want to part with either one. When more precision is needed I go to the milling machine(s) to drill.

For a small drill press the 8" Delta 11-950 I bought 15 years ago is worth the extra cost. I paid $99 for it at Lowes back then.

[ger21]

I couldn't live without my drill press. But, for what you're doing, you'd probably never use it.
One tool that I couldn't live without is my sander with 12" disc and 6x48 belt. I don't use it for any specific function, it's just really handy to have.

However, if I could only get one tool, it would be a table saw. But it would have to have a 50" fence and an outfeed table.

[Arbo]

I understand the table saw... even if I had room for one, I don't have room to run an 8ft piece of wood though one, unless I had a portable construction site table and put it outside to cut. I also understand the drill press. I think I may look for a disc/belt tabletop sander, as for all the things I'm lacking, that seems it might be the best investment... doing it by hand it tiresome, and doing it with an orbital sander just doesn't leave you with a straight edge...

In other 'questions of importance'... I found out that it takes 3 coats of poly on red oak for the stain to be wiped away cleanly and not darken the rest of the piece, at least not noticeably.

Started coating a 72" x 11" piece of pine for another pbox, now have to figure out what designs I want on it, and am going to try to lay it out so as to 'use' the knots as part of the design.

[Arbo]

BTW, here's a 'greek key' dxf, one border will fit on the top of a pbox, one will fit on the back or front. Used these on a pbox I am currently working on, will put pictures up when it's done.

For those that wonder what they look like prior to d/ling and looking at them, attached a screen shot.

[ger21]

I think I may look for a disc/belt tabletop sander, as for all the things I'm lacking, that seems it might be the best investment... doing it by hand it tiresome, and doing it with an orbital sander just doesn't leave you with a straight edge...

If you're talking about the edge of a board, a light climb cut pass on the CNC with a SHARP bit should give you the best results. I wouldn't count on using my sander, unless I fabricated a fence to keep it square.
The alternatives would be a jointer with sharp knives, or even a handplane with a sharp blade.

For cross cutting, nothing beats a good crosscut blade on a table saw. Glass smooth edges.