It took me a long time to figure out that the view you show is an isometric projection. Orthographic is the one with top, front and right side views folded out flat. Thank you for having the patience to do this very valuable set of tutorials.
You know what? You're absolutely right, Thom! (Getting the wrong word is my thing...) Okay, y'all! Everywhere I said "orthographic view" in this video, ignore that, and think "Isometric View!" (Boy is my face red...)
Exactly the info I’ve been looking for! 3D files are amazing, don’t love they take so long… but man are they cool! Learning to cut time without breaking something is key 🔑
One of the better ones, I see a lot of guys who have CNC's that don't have a clue how to use their software and want to jump right into 3d carves but don't know how to import the files Will be sending a lot of guy/girls here.
Thanks very much! I do appreciate it. That's the main reason I waited so long to get into this subject. The more you know about your machine and software, the better you'll be when it comes time to get into 3D.
You are a Master. I watch all of the good ones, however I believe you are a Master of this craft. And probably others. I wish I could do at least a month worth of training with you. Thank you for your blessings.
Thank you very much for your kind words. I am no expert with any of this, and I'm certainly not a master. I just know what has worked for me, and what hasn't. I'm not afraid to try and fail. I'm starting a new course in this adventure, and I hope people will follow along so we can learn together - what works, and what doesn't.
Keep being an excellent teacher. Thanks for your time and clarity in your videos. I don't have the money to spend for the education you are giving for free, Thanks again. You make things easy to understand for a dummy like me. Top notch educator.
Mark, thank you for an extremely informative video. I have not imported an STL file before and your step by step instruction made it easy. A very good instructional video.
Thanks Mark for a very informative lesson, I am thinking of buying a Rapid Change ATC and they sent me a STL file so that I can run a mock up unit to see if it will fit on my CNC. Well it has holes in it for where the cutters fit into and fixing holes to the cnc table, I have never done a 3D before but this one made it a lot easier to understand. I have just upgraded to VCarve12 so working out what is different is a bit of a challenge. Cheers.
I know this is an older video now but thank you very much, I watched this one and following 2 yesterday, imported my .stl design last night and today made my first 3d carve! Thank you very much for the tutorial!!
Wow I am a true beginner but with your videos I feel like a pro!!! thank you so much for your pace and how your explain every detail!!!! Amazing and as we say in Cali "You Rock" :)
Thanks Mark for detailed and thorough guidance through these basics, one more stage would be great, in showing us how to finally feed these tool paths to the router where it will be machined. cheers Emile
Mark, thanks for my Sunday dose of mind-boggling. The video is clear and has LOTS of valuable information in it. One day I'll get up enough nerve to attempt a 3D carve, And when I do I assure you I'll be re-watching your video!@!@!@
I have been struggling with this method for several years and your video has helped me with several things dealing with STL importing. Thank you again, Mark!
Approximately four years experience with my Cnc Professor 2.3 router. Using Aspire is great but still learning from many of your easy paced and well explained videos. Thanks Mark👍👍👍
Thanks Mark. This is an excellent video tutorial and made my first 3D carve so much better. It challenged me to think differently about how to import and prepare this type of image for cutting. Reduced my time from 279 hours to 13 hours for a really complex detailed object. My granddaughters thank you too!
Thank you for making this video. You teach exactly the way I need to understand what I am doing & what I need to do. I look forward to learning from your other videos.
Another great video explanation!! I just downloaded tons of stl files and now I have a guide to use to set it up correctly without pulling my hair out. Thanks for doing these Mark..
Mate you should be paid by aspire/Vectric, you just make sense full stop. You have given me so much more confidence that I can actually achieve my goals. One note, you say to follow the grain however the illustration looks to be going against the grain? Getting picky but am new to this Regards and thank you. Keep em coming I’ll be sure to watch and tell my friends YOUR THE MAN Derek
Thank you very much for the kind words. I really do appreciate them. As for following the grain; as you can see, the material sample image has the grain running vertically. That's just the way that particular sample image is oriented. I should probably add a few samples with the grain running horizontally, to avoid this kind of confusion. Also, I typically change the raster angle so that the file is being cut at a 45° angle now, rather than cutting with the grain. I'm finding that I get cleaner results that way. Thanks for watching!
Thanks, Mark. I appreciate the pace and depth of these videos. I'm less than two months into my first CNC (NWA Piranha Fx) and enjoying learning all about it.
As has been said "Another great video" It always amazes me how you pack so much information into a video and still keep it understandable for a layman. Thanks for your hard work.
Thank's a lot Mark! for taking the time to teach us how this Works even if i am a 3d modeler and knowing a lot of 3d software i have to admit that this is a complete new world for me, just bought a cnc router 2 weeks ago thinking that doing that kind of stuff would be easy but it is not lol so many different behaviors depending of which bit you take or plunge rates and feed rates, hardness of the material, shape of the bits, kind of results you want to achieve etc etc etc.....so i am not out of the forest yet anyway looking at your tutorial help me considerably so your my man ! nice job.
Merci à Stephan forseilles grâce à lui j'ai découvert votre chaine + 👍 😋 je suis Francophone et cette vidéo est expliquée calmement ce qui est agréable car sa me permet de lire en FR et de comprendre ce que vous êtes entrain de faire en même temps pas évident quand on est débutant 😌😌
Hey Mark great video- only problem is on my finishing tool path, the TBN wants to essentially “drill” around the outer vector . Any tips to prevent this in Vcarve desktop?
Mark Great Video. The amount of time to create this project is my concern after you showed your audience. Because if you use a Boush or Dewalt router and not a "spindle" type router, wouldn't that cause the router to overheat? Or would you have to pause the cut somewhere in the program to let it cool down and then resume to finish the cut? A long run time will get those routers hot. How do you deal with that? Thanks
My first 3 CNC routers used a Porter Cable model 890 series router. I believe the longest continuous carve I ever had was 14 hours, and I never had a problem with it overheating. Your concerns are valid, however. It all comes down to the fact that almost all routers were never designed to be run for that long of a duration without a break. They were designed to be turned on, make a cut, then turned off and allowed to cool off for a while. People have burned out routers (usually in hot weather, but not always.) This is especially true with smaller "trim-routers." The cooling fans inside aren't designed to handle that kind of work load. This is why I'm an advocate of using a spindle (be it water cooled or air cooled,) instead of a router. Spindles were designed to run for long periods without a break, and their cooling systems were designed accordingly. Having said all of that, for the beginner, you shouldn't have much of a problem running a fairly new router for long durations if you take steps to allow for maximum air-flow through the router (things like blowing out the router motor with compressed air after every use, and making sure the airway is kept clear of obstructions.) Just about all of the burned out routers I have seen had been neglected or were several years old, and had gone through several sets of brushes over their lifetime. I know that spindle kits are not cheap - but neither is replacing a router every 3-5 years.
Hi - new VCarve Pro user. I just saw this video. It was well done and very easy to follow. I was able to import, adjust a STL file however when I try to calculate toolpaths it says no vectors selected. Did I perhaps miss a step? thanks!
Yes, there are a couple of situations. When cutting Mahogany and other stringy woods, cutting at a 40-45 degree angle to the direction of the grain slices the fibers, rather than letting them tear or rip. It comes in very handy.
Going straight across the grain has its place, but I find it leads to a rougher surface finish on 3D carves. I tend to stick with somewhere around 40-45° to the grain direction.
I enjoy watching your tutorials ,some of them several times.What I need to know is how to trim the sides of a square stl file which I do not want to carve like an outer frame but i also want to increase the outer square area around the 3d carve
thank you for the very effective videos. i have the following problem: i input an stl file of a square block with a dome dug in it. i cannot create a vector boundary. vectric does not recognize the edge of the dome on the top surface. i try to draw a circle around and again no recognition. what is my mistake? thanks
what if you want to import something like without a straight base, meaning its curved from both sides. how to handle such task? I would appreciate your answer sir !
Hi Mark, I have another question. When an .STL File is downloaded from ESTY for example, do I have to use the exact same dimensions the file came with or can I use different dimensions to either downsize it or upsize it? Thank You
Thank you for the great videos … all I know is … I have a lot to learn…… I’m about to do my first 3D file carve… my question is after doing the roughing cut.. then change bit to do the finish cut… where do you zero your Z height for the finishing bit at? I’m using two different length bits. I would assume the highest peak left after roughing cut.
I plan on doing a video on this topic when I get moved into the new shop. The short answer is, set your Z zero in a place that won't be carved away. Contrary to popular belief, you do NOT have to set your Z zero at the same place you set your X and Y zero. Pick a spot on your material that won't be carved away, draw an X there, then circle it. Set your X and Y zero to wherever you told the software you were going to set it (center, bottom left, etc...) Move your router/spindle over to that circled X, then set your Z zero. Every time you do a tool change, set your Z zero on that spot, and you should have no issues.
You have a couple of options. Once the STL is imported, you can click the model to select it, then click it a second time to put it into Move and Transform Mode, then hold down the CTRL key, and drag a copy of the model into whichever position you want it on your material surface. Or you can calculate the toolpaths needed to carve the model, then Array Copy those toolpaths. I did a video on Array Copy Toolpaths a while back. Here's a link: th-cam.com/video/6y-Fos9KItA/w-d-xo.html
Mark, I have a 3d object file of a guitar neck. I'm having trouble setting it up. It will be two sided, but since the head stock is angled, part of it will need to be cut below the zero plane. I tried setting up the zero plane center of the neck. I have a bunch of files I purchased for a les Paul guitar. I would be happy to give you copies if you could help me figure out how to cut this neck. The body was easy. Thanks
There is no easy answer to this question. You'll need to make the material in Job Setup thick enough to carve the neck and headstock out of 1 piece. Import the STL file, and adjust the position so that the modeling plane is underneath the model. From there, basically, you're going to have to decide which side of the neck you're going to carve first, then build a jig to hold the neck from that side. What I mean by that is, lets say you carve the top of the neck first (the fretboard side.) You'll need to mount the neck fretboard side down, onto that jig. I'd use either double-sided tape or the painter's tape and CA glue mounting method for that. The jig will need to be flat for the fretboard mounting surface, then angle up for the back of the headstock. It could be made out of plywood and screwed or clamped to the table as you clamp or screw down any other project material. Sorry I can't help more than that, but I don't have any videos that demonstrate the process. I do have plans on building a guitar and making a series on the topic, but it'll either be later this year or next year before I can get to it. My plate is so full right now, it's not even funny.
Mark, again, thanks so much for these videos! I'm able to follow along in my copy of VCarve as I watch you, It's the best way to learn. One thing that I'd like to know is, when working in the Modeling tab with the component properties there are five options to "Combine with other components...". They appear as two "U"s and two upsides down "U"s, one of each colored filled and a color filled circle. Can you explain the differences and/or purpose to each? Thanks, Chuck
Thank you! I get into the Combine Mode of the models in 2 of my videos. I introduce the Combine Mode in my video on the Concept of Composite Models, here: th-cam.com/video/39dndle4Mlg/w-d-xo.html I get into it a bit deeper into it in my Assembling a Composite Model, here: th-cam.com/video/vKRjPBCvbbY/w-d-xo.html I don't go down the list and show what each of the 5 options are one by one, but what I show in the two videos tells you what each does to the way models interact with one another.
Mark ; Thank You for these videos! They have helped me a lot so far. I have been going thru them slowly being new to using a CNC machine and now working full time again training dogs. My question is regarding importing a .stl model file for a 3D carve I'm doing for my training mentor. I'm importing a file from Esty and when I import it it's really big and has a symbol that looks like a picture of an atom with the neutrons around it; three rings red, green, and blue around the box representing the work surface. The distance from the model and the work surface is pretty big and there is a zero plane there already I think. Do you have a video that might address this "thing", and help explain centering and positioning of the model. I am using V-Carve Pro. I hope this isn't a bother for you. I've tried to get through your play lists but so far haven't located or I missed it if it was addressed. I know it's kind of specific but I'm hoping you can point me in the right direction Thanks Scott S
What you're seeing is the new interface to import the model. The 3 rings represent the 3 different directions you can orient the model. Size the model to the desired size and click APPLY within that box. That'll resize it to fit into your material. Click the Position and Import button, and use the slider to place the model where you want it in your material. You can use the BACK button to change sizes or make any other adjustments. Click IMPORT to finish the import process.
@@MarkLindsayCNC Thank you. I did as you advised and went back and forth several times to get it placed into a work piece that the file liked and I could live with. Thanks for the help
Awesome video to follow, but when I put my tabs in they don’t show up in the preview and the last thing I want is to be cutting and the piece goes flying off the table. Can you help me with this?
I have a file I want to carve in Corel Draw. I don't have STL as an options in my export choices. Do I have an alternative? I really want to bring the job in to carve. Thanks.
I'm not certain exactly what file types Corel Draw will export to, but if it will export an SVG file, they can be imported into VCarve. ALSO - send an email to Vectric, requesting they include the ability to import a CDR file directly into VCarve and Aspire. I know that some folks have already asked for that, but the squeaky wheel gets the grease. They DO listen to customer requests, so the more folks who ask, the more likely they are to do it.
Great work Mark! That sample piece would be great to make on the cnc. I can only imagine how hard it would be to do with a chisel..don't want to think about it.
How do I get the zero plain down. I have a 3-D project that is thick and when I put the thickness to the zero plain it leaves off a lot of the detail in the carve. I lower the carve and the zero plain stays in the middle. I have not tried carving that yet but is that what I should do? Thank Rick
Thanks Mark for this video. I think I rotated the object file and lost part of the file. I have been trying to delete and Reload file and it keeps defaulting back to the file I saved with no detail. I want to delete and import it again and I get a message Vectric only allows one import other than their clipart. What do I do to reload new file? Thank you for your time.
In this case I chose the Vector Boundary to both save time and to demonstrate one way to limit the area the bit was going to carve. In many cases (for example, the use of a Zero Plane) using the model boundary will result in the bit carving the entire surface of the material. Machining to the selected vector will prevent that.
Great video! I have a question. I am carving two sided mandolin tops and backs. My material is slopes from the center to the two sides about an inch in the center to about 1/4 at the two edges. Any recommendations on setting tool paths for this type material?
You would need a 3D model of the surface you want to carve. If you have Aspire, you can model it yourself. If you have VCarve, you'd need to import a model, then project the carving toolpath onto that 3D model.
You can certainly import a single STL file into VCarve Desktop or VCarve Pro. You would want to create separate files for each part of the mandolin anyway, so that isn't an issue. Just know that you can't edit the STL files in VCarve, other than basic edits like size, thickness, etc.
This is one of Marks best videos but then they are all great. At the end of the video you used the 20 minute roughing pass with an 8 hour finishing pass. If you had used the other 1 hour roughing pass what would have been the final pass time? Thank You for the great work and please keep it up!
Thank you for the kind words, Bryan! The finishing pass time would stay the same. The roughing pass is more to save wear, tear, and possible breakage of the finishing bit than anything else. If I had roughed out the whole thing, I might be able to set a slightly faster feed rate, but that depends on the material and how it's cutting.
If you use raster for roughing, can you later adjust plunge rate/feed rate on the final 3D pass enough to be more efficient than before? If the hold up on the plunge is the depth it has to go on the deepest parts for good accuracy it seems if you could double plunge speed (as it only will need to cut a shallower cut at the extremes) on the final you would be a head in the total. Certainly machine dependent.
Absolutely machine and bit dependent. If you're using a tapered ball nose bit, they can handle a bit more stress than something like a .03125 diameter bit can handle. Of course if you're using a tapered ballnose bit, a roughing pass isn't really necessary in a lot of cases - depending on how deep you're carving, that is.
I recently purchased an stl file. I wanted to recess this carving in a piece of live edge but when I run the 3D finishing toolpath it also carves out the outline / profile of the file. Is there anyway to not carve out the profile?
Without knowing what the project is, it's hard to say. You might try adding a Zero Plane, then a vector boundary around the STL file - offset that vector boundary to the Outside by the diameter of the largest bit you're using for the Roughing and Finishing toolpaths. That effectively makes the entire surface of the material a part of the 3D model. That might not be what you're looking for, but try adding a Zero Plane, select the vector boundary, machine to that vector boundary, calculate the toolpaths, and preview them to see if that gives you the result you're looking for.
I have a question. The allowance offset for My 3d roughing tool pass on an stl will not move past the boundary...if I use a negative number it will move in, but it keeps showing that the roughing pass will leave a ridge where it will not pass. I’m not sure what I’m missing. No matter what number I put in for the offset it has no effect on the edge of the tool path, unless it’s negative and I shrink it. Any ideas?
This would be better answered by emailing Vectric Support. It may be something to do with the STL file itself or the toolpath, but I've never had that happen. Shoot Vectric a support an email, and try to include screen shots of the issue. Thank you!
Thank you for another excellent video! One question (that you may have gone over in another video but I didn’t start at the beginning) does it really matter where your datum point is? We started out putting it in the lower left corner but for the last few projects I’ve written, I’ve been putting it in the center. We locate and zero on an “x” drawn in the center of the board. Is there an advantage to leaving it in the lower left? Thanks again-I’m learning so much from you!
Thank you very much! The only real advantage to setting X Y zero to the center is within the software. It's easier to design from the center, in my opinion. There's not really an advantage to setting your X Y zero in either place when you get out on the machine. It's really just a matter of preference. Both work equally well. Just remember to set the XY zero to the same place in the software and on the machine.
Great video thank you very much... I hope somebody can help me on this. I have a model with is 600 x 300 mm and has little 20 x 20 mm squares to be carved 3 mm deep all aver the surface... The 3D rough machining follows the border of all the squared shapes and carves rough good so that the carved surfaces is 100% flat. However, when I try to configure the 3D finish, it goes step by step way to the other un straight lines so that the steps are marked on the little 20x20 squares surface border. How could I make the 3D finish to follow the borders of the shapes to be carved with the 3D finish???
It took me a long time to figure out that the view you show is an isometric projection. Orthographic is the one with top, front and right side views folded out flat. Thank you for having the patience to do this very valuable set of tutorials.
You know what? You're absolutely right, Thom! (Getting the wrong word is my thing...)
Okay, y'all! Everywhere I said "orthographic view" in this video, ignore that, and think "Isometric View!" (Boy is my face red...)
I cant remember ever having a teacher as clear and unconfusing as you sir. Thanks!!! subscribed
Mark: So glad you're doing these videos. I bought a few .stl files but couldn't get them loaded. This video saved me. Thanks so much!
Exactly the info I’ve been looking for! 3D files are amazing, don’t love they take so long… but man are they cool! Learning to cut time without breaking something is key 🔑
Thanks Mark,Great Video!
One of the better ones, I see a lot of guys who have CNC's that don't have a clue how to use their software and want to jump right into 3d carves but don't know how to import the files Will be sending a lot of guy/girls here.
Thanks very much! I do appreciate it. That's the main reason I waited so long to get into this subject. The more you know about your machine and software, the better you'll be when it comes time to get into 3D.
Thanks for explaining the difference between the 2 roughing types and the time differences.
You are a Master. I watch all of the good ones, however I believe you are a Master of this craft. And probably others.
I wish I could do at least a month worth of training with you. Thank you for your blessings.
Thank you very much for your kind words. I am no expert with any of this, and I'm certainly not a master. I just know what has worked for me, and what hasn't. I'm not afraid to try and fail. I'm starting a new course in this adventure, and I hope people will follow along so we can learn together - what works, and what doesn't.
You are so correct, that first screen to set up the import really threw me off. Thanks for the great video.
Keep being an excellent teacher. Thanks for your time and clarity in your videos. I don't have the money to spend for the education you are giving for free, Thanks again. You make things easy to understand for a dummy like me. Top notch educator.
Thank you very much! I hope it helps you out!
You have never done a video that does not deserve two thumbs up.
Triple thumbs up. Such good teaching.
Just want to take a minute to say thank you for your videos Mark.
VERY good and clearly explained. Thank you. Jim
Thanks Mark. Excellent video!
You need two thumbs up. I love ❤️ your explanations very able to understand and you give us older one the opportunity to get it into our heads.
Mark, thank you for an extremely informative video. I have not imported an STL file before and your step by step instruction made it easy. A very good instructional video.
*Fantastic* tutorial! Thank you, Mark
The best with superb clarity of explanation. Thank you.
Thank you Mark.... This was an immense help!!
Thanks Mark for a very informative lesson, I am thinking of buying a Rapid Change ATC and they sent me a STL file so that I can run a mock up unit to see if it will fit on my CNC. Well it has holes in it for where the cutters fit into and fixing holes to the cnc table, I have never done a 3D before but this one made it a lot easier to understand. I have just upgraded to VCarve12 so working out what is different is a bit of a challenge. Cheers.
Awesome video. Very thorough.
The best guidance I ever saw, bro!
Hi Mark, you are an amazing teacher and a true Godsend to the CNC community. Thanks for everything!
Great job, thank you to explain stap by step without hidden easy technics.😊
I know this is an older video now but thank you very much, I watched this one and following 2 yesterday, imported my .stl design last night and today made my first 3d carve! Thank you very much for the tutorial!!
OMG !! Now I know why my last job took over 8 hours to cut !! Thank you so much, Mark, for these great videos. I'm learning so much!!
Thank you, John!
As usual, Great work Mark. Appreciate you.
another home run I got to watch several times to dig in and get it in the brain
Thank you, Keith!
Mark, Your great, thank your for your patience and great instructions.
Thank you very much! I do hope it helped you out!
Thank you for sharing,you are a good teacher.
Wow I am a true beginner but with your videos I feel like a pro!!! thank you so much for your pace and how your explain every detail!!!! Amazing and as we say in Cali "You Rock" :)
Thanks Mark for detailed and thorough guidance through these basics, one more stage would be great, in showing us how to finally feed these tool paths to the router where it will be machined. cheers Emile
The very next video in this series is a demonstration of just that. Here's a link: th-cam.com/video/hXRp4igZU5s/w-d-xo.html
Thank you for a brilliant video. Just getting into vcarve and you have cleared up a lot of questions.
Mark, thanks for my Sunday dose of mind-boggling. The video is clear and has LOTS of valuable information in it. One day I'll get up enough nerve to attempt a 3D carve, And when I do I assure you I'll be re-watching your video!@!@!@
Thank you, Steve! It's good to review just before you pull the trigger. I do that a lot too.
I have been struggling with this method for several years and your video has helped me with several things dealing with STL importing. Thank you again, Mark!
Thanks very much! I'm glad it helped!
Approximately four years experience with my Cnc Professor 2.3 router. Using Aspire is great but still learning from many of your easy paced and well explained videos.
Thanks Mark👍👍👍
Thank you very much!
That was great..i need to practice...you explain it quite well..
Thanks Mark. This is an excellent video tutorial and made my first 3D carve so much better. It challenged me to think differently about how to import and prepare this type of image for cutting. Reduced my time from 279 hours to 13 hours for a really complex detailed object. My granddaughters thank you too!
Thank you for making this video. You teach exactly the way I need to understand what I am doing & what I need to do. I look forward to learning from your other videos.
Oh man!!! I have 100's of STL files for carving....This will be a great video for me to study....Thanks Mark!
Hope it helps!
Just want to say thank you for the videos. I haven't purchased a CNC machine yet, just wanted to get some insight of the process.
Another great video explanation!! I just downloaded tons of stl files and now I have a guide to use to set it up correctly without pulling my hair out. Thanks for doing these Mark..
Mate you should be paid by aspire/Vectric, you just make sense full stop.
You have given me so much more confidence that I can actually achieve my goals. One note, you say to follow the grain however the illustration looks to be going against the grain? Getting picky but am new to this
Regards and thank you. Keep em coming I’ll be sure to watch and tell my friends
YOUR THE MAN
Derek
Thank you very much for the kind words. I really do appreciate them. As for following the grain; as you can see, the material sample image has the grain running vertically. That's just the way that particular sample image is oriented. I should probably add a few samples with the grain running horizontally, to avoid this kind of confusion. Also, I typically change the raster angle so that the file is being cut at a 45° angle now, rather than cutting with the grain. I'm finding that I get cleaner results that way.
Thanks for watching!
Mark Lindsay CNC ok good to know. We all want to avoid as much sanding as possible, I’m getting older
awesome easy to follow tutorials packed with great information Thank you Mark
really in Depth, thank you for taking the time to make this video sir!
That was brilliant, thank you
Great Instructional video!!!
You really do a great job at a perfect pace for beginners. I needed everything in this video so I thank you very much!
Found your videos and I must say Good Job. Thank you for what you do.
Thank you for the wonderful tutorial. I was stuck and your video was so helpful. Excellent pace, very well done. Thank you again!
Thank you for checking it out, Jon! I hope it helps you out!
Another good video. Thanks Mark
Thank you!
Thanks alooot ...so much information ..great job.
Very nice explanation sir
Thanks for this video. You are a stud!!
Thanks, Mark. I appreciate the pace and depth of these videos. I'm less than two months into my first CNC (NWA Piranha Fx) and enjoying learning all about it.
Thank you, Mike! I hope you're finding the videos useful!
As always, great video Mark! Keep up the good work, through your videos you enable creative minds to apply their ideas to their work!
Thank you very much!
As has been said "Another great video" It always amazes me how you pack so much information into a video and still keep it understandable for a layman. Thanks for your hard work.
Thanks very much, Gary. I do hope it helps.
More explicitly impossible, great video, thanks!
I hope it helps!
@@MarkLindsayCNC What bit can I use to set the example?
Thank's a lot Mark! for taking the time to teach us how this Works even if i am a 3d modeler and knowing a lot of 3d software i have to admit that this is a complete new world for me, just bought a cnc router 2 weeks ago thinking that doing that kind of stuff would be easy but it is not lol so many different behaviors depending of which bit you take or plunge rates and feed rates, hardness of the material, shape of the bits, kind of results you want to achieve etc etc etc.....so i am not out of the forest yet anyway looking at your tutorial help me considerably so your my man ! nice job.
These videos are so well done - Thank You for sharing your insights
Thank you very much! I hope they help!
Well done thanks!
Merci à Stephan forseilles grâce à lui j'ai découvert votre chaine + 👍 😋 je suis Francophone et cette vidéo est expliquée calmement ce qui est agréable car sa me permet de lire en FR et de comprendre ce que vous êtes entrain de faire en même temps pas évident quand on est débutant 😌😌
Great video
Great video mate. Well done and thank you for this
Thanks very much, Rich! I hope it helped you out!
Great tutorial
Good lesson! Now to get my nerve up to try it. :-)
Thanks Mark, as always great lesson.
Thank you, Larry!
An other great video, I always learn so much. You do a great job of explaining the material covered.
Thank you for taking the time to check it out, Geoffrey!
what program do you use to run your cnc
I use carbide createbut it only handles small files> @@MarkLindsayCNC
I use Mach3, and have loved it from the very beginning.
Just another great video, thank you Sir
Thank you for checking it out!
Good video Mark. As always, alot of information to take in
Thank you, Steve! It does get easier - believe me!
Thank you!
How often should I save the setup?
The best explanation ever.Thank you
Hey Mark great video- only problem is on my finishing tool path, the TBN wants to essentially “drill” around the outer vector . Any tips to prevent this in Vcarve desktop?
Try adding a Zero Plane and make sure it's at the top of the Component Tree.
Mark Great Video. The amount of time to create this project is my concern after you showed your audience. Because if you use a Boush or Dewalt router and not a "spindle" type router, wouldn't that cause the router to overheat? Or would you have to pause the cut somewhere in the program to let it cool down and then resume to finish the cut? A long run time will get those routers hot. How do you deal with that? Thanks
My first 3 CNC routers used a Porter Cable model 890 series router. I believe the longest continuous carve I ever had was 14 hours, and I never had a problem with it overheating. Your concerns are valid, however. It all comes down to the fact that almost all routers were never designed to be run for that long of a duration without a break. They were designed to be turned on, make a cut, then turned off and allowed to cool off for a while. People have burned out routers (usually in hot weather, but not always.) This is especially true with smaller "trim-routers." The cooling fans inside aren't designed to handle that kind of work load. This is why I'm an advocate of using a spindle (be it water cooled or air cooled,) instead of a router. Spindles were designed to run for long periods without a break, and their cooling systems were designed accordingly. Having said all of that, for the beginner, you shouldn't have much of a problem running a fairly new router for long durations if you take steps to allow for maximum air-flow through the router (things like blowing out the router motor with compressed air after every use, and making sure the airway is kept clear of obstructions.) Just about all of the burned out routers I have seen had been neglected or were several years old, and had gone through several sets of brushes over their lifetime. I know that spindle kits are not cheap - but neither is replacing a router every 3-5 years.
Hi - new VCarve Pro user. I just saw this video. It was well done and very easy to follow. I was able to import, adjust a STL file however when I try to calculate toolpaths it says no vectors selected. Did I perhaps miss a step? thanks!
Is there a situation when you would raster against the grain? Thanks for all your helpful videos!
Yes, there are a couple of situations. When cutting Mahogany and other stringy woods, cutting at a 40-45 degree angle to the direction of the grain slices the fibers, rather than letting them tear or rip. It comes in very handy.
@@MarkLindsayCNC: Thanks Mark. So do you prefer not going straight across any grain?
Going straight across the grain has its place, but I find it leads to a rougher surface finish on 3D carves. I tend to stick with somewhere around 40-45° to the grain direction.
@@MarkLindsayCNC: Will give that a shot. Thanks for all of your great videos and sharing!
I enjoy watching your tutorials ,some of them several times.What I need to know is how to trim the sides of a square stl file which I do not want to carve like an outer frame but i also want to increase the outer square area around the 3d carve
Send me an email through the Contact Us page on my website marklindsaycnc.com I'll need to ask you some other questions in my reply.
thank you for the very effective videos.
i have the following problem: i input an stl file of a square block with a dome dug in it. i cannot create a vector boundary. vectric does not recognize the edge of the dome on the top surface. i try to draw a circle around and again no recognition.
what is my mistake?
thanks
what if you want to import something like without a straight base, meaning its curved from both sides. how to handle such task? I would appreciate your answer sir !
Hi Mark, I have another question. When an .STL File is downloaded from ESTY for example, do I have to use the exact same dimensions the file came with or can I use different dimensions to either downsize it or upsize it? Thank You
Once the STL is imported, you can scale it to whatever size you need.
Thank you for the great videos … all I know is … I have a lot to learn…… I’m about to do my first 3D file carve… my question is after doing the roughing cut.. then change bit to do the finish cut… where do you zero your Z height for the finishing bit at? I’m using two different length bits. I would assume the highest peak left after roughing cut.
I plan on doing a video on this topic when I get moved into the new shop. The short answer is, set your Z zero in a place that won't be carved away. Contrary to popular belief, you do NOT have to set your Z zero at the same place you set your X and Y zero. Pick a spot on your material that won't be carved away, draw an X there, then circle it. Set your X and Y zero to wherever you told the software you were going to set it (center, bottom left, etc...) Move your router/spindle over to that circled X, then set your Z zero. Every time you do a tool change, set your Z zero on that spot, and you should have no issues.
What if I want to carve several of them at once? Is there a way to duplicate the whole thing a few times, like nesting?
You have a couple of options. Once the STL is imported, you can click the model to select it, then click it a second time to put it into Move and Transform Mode, then hold down the CTRL key, and drag a copy of the model into whichever position you want it on your material surface. Or you can calculate the toolpaths needed to carve the model, then Array Copy those toolpaths. I did a video on Array Copy Toolpaths a while back. Here's a link: th-cam.com/video/6y-Fos9KItA/w-d-xo.html
@@MarkLindsayCNC Thanks!
very good
Mark, I have a 3d object file of a guitar neck. I'm having trouble setting it up. It will be two sided, but since the head stock is angled, part of it will need to be cut below the zero plane. I tried setting up the zero plane center of the neck. I have a bunch of files I purchased for a les Paul guitar. I would be happy to give you copies if you could help me figure out how to cut this neck. The body was easy. Thanks
There is no easy answer to this question. You'll need to make the material in Job Setup thick enough to carve the neck and headstock out of 1 piece. Import the STL file, and adjust the position so that the modeling plane is underneath the model. From there, basically, you're going to have to decide which side of the neck you're going to carve first, then build a jig to hold the neck from that side. What I mean by that is, lets say you carve the top of the neck first (the fretboard side.) You'll need to mount the neck fretboard side down, onto that jig. I'd use either double-sided tape or the painter's tape and CA glue mounting method for that. The jig will need to be flat for the fretboard mounting surface, then angle up for the back of the headstock. It could be made out of plywood and screwed or clamped to the table as you clamp or screw down any other project material. Sorry I can't help more than that, but I don't have any videos that demonstrate the process. I do have plans on building a guitar and making a series on the topic, but it'll either be later this year or next year before I can get to it. My plate is so full right now, it's not even funny.
Mark, again, thanks so much for these videos! I'm able to follow along in my copy of VCarve as I watch you, It's the best way to learn. One thing that I'd like to know is, when working in the Modeling tab with the component properties there are five options to "Combine with other components...". They appear as two "U"s and two upsides down "U"s, one of each colored filled and a color filled circle. Can you explain the differences and/or purpose to each? Thanks, Chuck
Thank you! I get into the Combine Mode of the models in 2 of my videos. I introduce the Combine Mode in my video on the Concept of Composite Models, here: th-cam.com/video/39dndle4Mlg/w-d-xo.html
I get into it a bit deeper into it in my Assembling a Composite Model, here: th-cam.com/video/vKRjPBCvbbY/w-d-xo.html
I don't go down the list and show what each of the 5 options are one by one, but what I show in the two videos tells you what each does to the way models interact with one another.
Mark ;
Thank You for these videos! They have helped me a lot so far.
I have been going thru them slowly being new to using a CNC machine and now working full time again training dogs. My question is regarding importing a .stl model file for a 3D carve I'm doing for my training mentor. I'm importing a file from Esty and when I import it it's really big and has a symbol that looks like a picture of an atom with the neutrons around it; three rings red, green, and blue around the box representing the work surface. The distance from the model and the work surface is pretty big and there is a zero plane there already I think. Do you have a video that might address this "thing", and help explain centering and positioning of the model. I am using V-Carve Pro. I hope this isn't a bother for you. I've tried to get through your play lists but so far haven't located or I missed it if it was addressed. I know it's kind of specific but I'm hoping you can point me in the right direction
Thanks Scott S
What you're seeing is the new interface to import the model. The 3 rings represent the 3 different directions you can orient the model. Size the model to the desired size and click APPLY within that box. That'll resize it to fit into your material. Click the Position and Import button, and use the slider to place the model where you want it in your material. You can use the BACK button to change sizes or make any other adjustments. Click IMPORT to finish the import process.
@@MarkLindsayCNC Thank you. I did as you advised and went back and forth several times to get it placed into a work piece that the file liked and I could live with. Thanks for the help
Awesome video to follow, but when I put my tabs in they don’t show up in the preview and the last thing I want is to be cutting and the piece goes flying off the table. Can you help me with this?
Have you tried adding 3D tabs to the model? They're located in the Vectric Clipart Library, in the Clipart tab.
I have a file I want to carve in Corel Draw. I don't have STL as an options in my export choices. Do I have an alternative? I really want to bring the job in to carve. Thanks.
I'm not certain exactly what file types Corel Draw will export to, but if it will export an SVG file, they can be imported into VCarve. ALSO - send an email to Vectric, requesting they include the ability to import a CDR file directly into VCarve and Aspire. I know that some folks have already asked for that, but the squeaky wheel gets the grease. They DO listen to customer requests, so the more folks who ask, the more likely they are to do it.
Great work Mark! That sample piece would be great to make on the cnc. I can only imagine how hard it would be to do with a chisel..don't want to think about it.
Yeah, just thinking bout hand carving it makes my head hurt. Thanks Eloy!
How do I get the zero plain down. I have a 3-D project that is thick and when I put the thickness to the zero plain it leaves off a lot of the detail in the carve. I lower the carve and the zero plain stays in the middle. I have not tried carving that yet but is that what I should do? Thank Rick
Thanks Mark for this video. I think I rotated the object file and lost part of the file. I have been trying to delete and
Reload file and it keeps defaulting back to the file I saved with no detail. I want to delete and import it again and I
get a message Vectric only allows one import other than their clipart. What do I do to reload new file?
Thank you for your time.
I'm afraid that about all you can do is start a new file and import it again.
@@MarkLindsayCNC Thankyou for your time. Thats what I did.
Is the reason you chose to machine to selected vector instead of model boundary to save time?
In this case I chose the Vector Boundary to both save time and to demonstrate one way to limit the area the bit was going to carve. In many cases (for example, the use of a Zero Plane) using the model boundary will result in the bit carving the entire surface of the material. Machining to the selected vector will prevent that.
Great video! I have a question. I am carving two sided mandolin tops and backs. My material is slopes from the center to the two sides about an inch in the center to about 1/4 at the two edges. Any recommendations on setting tool paths for this type material?
You would need a 3D model of the surface you want to carve. If you have Aspire, you can model it yourself. If you have VCarve, you'd need to import a model, then project the carving toolpath onto that 3D model.
@@MarkLindsayCNC I have 3d STL files for the different parts of the mandolin, so vcarve pro is all I need?
You can certainly import a single STL file into VCarve Desktop or VCarve Pro. You would want to create separate files for each part of the mandolin anyway, so that isn't an issue. Just know that you can't edit the STL files in VCarve, other than basic edits like size, thickness, etc.
This is one of Marks best videos but then they are all great. At the end of the video you used the 20 minute roughing pass with an 8 hour finishing pass. If you had used the other 1 hour roughing pass what would have been the final pass time?
Thank You for the great work and please keep it up!
Thank you for the kind words, Bryan! The finishing pass time would stay the same. The roughing pass is more to save wear, tear, and possible breakage of the finishing bit than anything else. If I had roughed out the whole thing, I might be able to set a slightly faster feed rate, but that depends on the material and how it's cutting.
If you use raster for roughing, can you later adjust plunge rate/feed rate on the final 3D pass enough to be more efficient than before? If the hold up on the plunge is the depth it has to go on the deepest parts for good accuracy it seems if you could double plunge speed (as it only will need to cut a shallower cut at the extremes) on the final you would be a head in the total. Certainly machine dependent.
Absolutely machine and bit dependent. If you're using a tapered ball nose bit, they can handle a bit more stress than something like a .03125 diameter bit can handle. Of course if you're using a tapered ballnose bit, a roughing pass isn't really necessary in a lot of cases - depending on how deep you're carving, that is.
I recently purchased an stl file. I wanted to recess this carving in a piece of live edge but when I run the 3D finishing toolpath it also carves out the outline / profile of the file. Is there anyway to not carve out the profile?
Without knowing what the project is, it's hard to say. You might try adding a Zero Plane, then a vector boundary around the STL file - offset that vector boundary to the Outside by the diameter of the largest bit you're using for the Roughing and Finishing toolpaths. That effectively makes the entire surface of the material a part of the 3D model. That might not be what you're looking for, but try adding a Zero Plane, select the vector boundary, machine to that vector boundary, calculate the toolpaths, and preview them to see if that gives you the result you're looking for.
I have a question. The allowance offset for My 3d roughing tool pass on an stl will not move past the boundary...if I use a negative number it will move in, but it keeps showing that the roughing pass will leave a ridge where it will not pass. I’m not sure what I’m missing. No matter what number I put in for the offset it has no effect on the edge of the tool path, unless it’s negative and I shrink it. Any ideas?
This would be better answered by emailing Vectric Support. It may be something to do with the STL file itself or the toolpath, but I've never had that happen. Shoot Vectric a support an email, and try to include screen shots of the issue. Thank you!
Mark Lindsay CNC thank you for the advice! And thanks again for all your great content !
Thank you for another excellent video! One question (that you may have gone over in another video but I didn’t start at the beginning) does it really matter where your datum point is? We started out putting it in the lower left corner but for the last few projects I’ve written, I’ve been putting it in the center. We locate and zero on an “x” drawn in the center of the board. Is there an advantage to leaving it in the lower left? Thanks again-I’m learning so much from you!
Thank you very much! The only real advantage to setting X Y zero to the center is within the software. It's easier to design from the center, in my opinion. There's not really an advantage to setting your X Y zero in either place when you get out on the machine. It's really just a matter of preference. Both work equally well. Just remember to set the XY zero to the same place in the software and on the machine.
Great video thank you very much... I hope somebody can help me on this.
I have a model with is 600 x 300 mm and has little 20 x 20 mm squares to be carved 3 mm deep all aver the surface...
The 3D rough machining follows the border of all the squared shapes and carves rough good so that the carved surfaces is 100% flat. However, when I try to configure the 3D finish, it goes step by step way to the other un straight lines so that the steps are marked on the little 20x20 squares surface border.
How could I make the 3D finish to follow the borders of the shapes to be carved with the 3D finish???