Easel Path: Too Much X-Axis between shapes

Easel
1

Hi guys, fairly new to using easel and my x-carve machine. I could use some help.

When using x-carve / easel to cut out shapes, I find my machine cuts just a small path (x/y) per shape for each plunge of the router. Then it lifts out (z-axis), moves to the next shape, plunges and repeats. This means that with a complex pattern, two-thirds of the time, the bit isn’t cutting anything – just moving up and down before passing to the next shape. This has been for every project so far.

Is there any way to force easel to cut out an entire shape before moving onto the next one? For example, there are two circles as independent shapes. Can easel cut one circle, then move to the next, or do I have to live with it cutting a small bit into one, moving back to the other, then back to the first?

This simple pattern I am making, 1x1x6" is taking upwards of 2.5 hours with a 10% push beyond the recommended settings.

I will try to include a video here as well.

https://discuss-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/original/3X/9/4/947f57fcb6495c7f5bd6b258fd8a678576d8dcc6.mp4

2

I hear ya, Jack. The paths have never been that efficient in Easel, and I’m not sure if we can change that.

The more experienced forum members may have some tips, and will hopefully respond.

Good luck

3

Did you try exploding the geometry to make multiple shapes? If I understand Easel correctly, it with move all the combined shapes to the same depth for each tool pass then move to the next depth pass. Exploding it would have each shape brought to depth individually before moving on to the next shape.

4

Thank you both for your feedback. I will play with combining / exploding the shapes to see what works for the most optimized cuts so I can get a feel for how that works. I had not considered that!

Secondly, I suppose I’ll have to continue to learn aspire to really get what I want done. Thanks again!

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