[fishin_fl]

Hi everyone. I am in need of some help with setting up toolpaths.

I have started my first 2.5d relief carving on a piece of Cherry and I have a question about the next pass. I ran the first pass as a roughing pass with a 0.5" end mill. I left a 2.00 mm machining allowance. So each pass depth is 0.1". I am now trying to program the next pass but am stuck wandering if I should be doing another roughing pass or start a finishing pass with material left behind. I was planning on using a 0.25" ballnose end mill. Then on my final a 1/16 tapered end mill. Can some one help me out? I have attached photos image of first pass ran and simulated and planned second pass. My machine is not super heavy duty so I am trying to cut it right and not take to much that would cause bog down or tear out. Thanks everyone. Insight greatly appreciated.

[awerby]

You could do it either way. If you use a .5" ballnose to do the roughing, you won't have all those "stairsteps" to remove; the cutting will be smoother. I doubt that part has enough detail to warrant a 1/16" cutter; a 1/8" tapered ball endmill would work fine. In that case a second roughing pass certainly wouldn't be necessary, and it would go a lot faster. BTW, this looks like a 3D relief, not a 2.5d project, which wouldn't have rounded contours or require a ballnose cutter.

[ger21]

I agree, go straight to the tapered ballnose.