Rough & detail cuts not matching up on Y axis

Easel
1

Hi newbie here, please go easy with me!

I’m trying to cut a logo onto cast acrylic with Easel Pro using 2 toolpaths, one rough (1/8" O flute spiral upcut) & one detailed (30deg pencil point engraving, 1/4" shank).
I set up all homes with the Z touching the acrylic surface, and cut the rough toolpath (t/p) which appeared fine, and then raised the Z, locked motors, changed bit, unlocked motors and lowered back to acrylic surface home and set the detailed run going.
It was then that I noticed that the Y axis path of the detailed t/p appeared to be about 6mm out from the line of the rough t/p.

The simulations and workpieces in Easel both look fine and the cut depths (0.3mm) of both look ok.

I accepted the default cut settings in Easel which were as follows:
Rough: FR 1016mm/min PR 304.8 mm/min DPP 0.8 mm
Detailed: FR635 mm/min PR 228.6 mm/min DPP 0.3 mm

I have attached a photo below, roughly marking the cuts as they are very difficult to photograph, the full word should say INVADERS.
Can anyone help put me right? Thanks for any info which can be provided.
Karen

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2

What (and how) do you mean by lock/unlock motors?

3

When you changed bits, did the X carriage move at all when loosening the collet?

4

By using the lock/unlock buttons in Easel on RHS below XYZ direction buttons.

5

No, I was very careful as I had previously read problems with the motors and this.

7

Double check the spacing of the letters compared to the design. You probably lost steps somewhere.

9

Thanks for the suggestion, I obviously wasn’t searching for the correct words!
Not really understanding the intricacies of all this, but I will get there. I don’t understand why previous cuts (only a couple) have been fine though - I’ll give it a go tomorrow.

Should I change all 3 axis #4 dip switches to off, or just the Y axis?

Thanks for your patience.
K

11

What is the reason for the lock/unlock motors button in easel? It seams like it just causes alot of problems. The dip switches in the X-controller should be factory set to off. @KarenGill check that $1 is set to 255 in machine inspector.

1 Like
12

Hi Chris,
Machine Inspector in both the Console & Settings give $1=0
Does this change things?
K

13

Change it to $1=255. This keeps power to the steppers so things don’t move easily.

2 Likes
14

Ok, thanks.
Assume I just type in $1=255 +ENTER in the console in Easel and it will save it like the G28.1 & G30.1 settings?

15

Correct.

1 Like
16

Thanks everybody, just doing a test now. Looks ok so far.
Appreciate everyone’s help :smiley:
K

17

Reading the thread because I have never tried a 2 bit carve… silly question… After the bit change, you set the Z axis by lowering the new bit to the surface. Is that correct?

18

Same spot as you used for the first tool, otherwise there will be a Z offset which you do not want. (unless intentional)

19

So, basically, you re-home all the axis, XY and Z… okay. Thanks,
BK

20

Actually, as long as you don’t force the machine out of position or power off, there is no need to do anything regarding X and Y, only Z as the tool can have different stick-out.
In Easel, after Z is re-zeroed, simply select “Use previous home”.