Hi. I am trying to use Estlcam to carve an STL file but can’t seem to get it to not plunge a border around the limits of the STL. I’ve tried both free machining and block machining approaches and still can’t seem to avoid it. My STL file is basically an open quilt with just the surfaces I want machined, but the tool path mills to a point on the outside of the outer boundary and down. Creating a perimeter trough. Is this a limitation of the software? Below is the Estlcam project screen for my last attempt and the output. Carve is about 60mm wide overall for scale .
Are you trying to clear away the excess background or cut this out? I’m a little confused.
I think the best solution is to correct your image. The file is cutting out your image to glue onto another piece of wood. Your image file needs alterations. You either use an end mill to remove the extra wood or accept the cut out like it is or change the settings to cut through the bottom. Don’t forget to add tabs.
Sorry for the confusion. Neither actually. I am only looking to mill the surface that is represented in the STL (image from Meshmixer attached, notice there is no vertical wall outside the shape, just a quilt in space), without any other surface removal or side cuts. Based on the STL shape, it would just end up as a pocket like it is, but Estlcam seems to want to add the perimeter cut as well. It’s hard to tell but the perimeter seems to be a consistent depth all around. (the arrows in the second image point to the perimeter cut (more like a slot) that should not be there). In other words, what I’m trying to get to is a tool path where the bit doesn’t ever go below the STL surface, even outside the boundary.
I’m not at my computer now, but if you use a custom mask that is smaller than the model, it won’t machine the profile, at least I think that’s what will happen.
When you set up your tool path, are you having the bit come in at an angle instead of 90 degrees straight down? That would give you an angled look you have whereas the 90-degree plunge will look like an outline. It’s a guess but I would look at that first as it’s the easiest to fix. Check your tool settings. That’s where the degree change needs to be made.[attachment file=“plunge angle.png”]
The slanted angle image has 90 in it on mine. Try changing that and see what happens.
He’s trying not to have a cutout at all on the outside, so that way it looks like the owl is in the wood. In vectric that’s a zero plane, but not sure how to do it in ESTLcam, short of deleting lines from the gcode.
You want block machining. Also rectangular workspace.
Also, it might be the stl. Can you make it a block, with the owl on the top? I think the open one sided nature of that stl is throwing things off. I did this without it cutting a border.
Yeah, I kinda figured that’s the case. I put that info up in case that wasn’t his situation. It sucks that it won’t carve it without the other stuff going on.
Thanks everyone! Aaron you are correct. I applied a mask and the perimeter cut went away. Making the mask was a bit of a challenge since the stl is very highly detailed and Solidworks sort of chokes on it. Very slow anyway even as a graphic body. Old hardware. Once I got the mask drawing though, easy peasy. Came out cute. Now to carve it in the real piece of Cedar. Man that smells good when it is getting cut. I’ll do a little hand carving around the edges to make it look a little more “ natural”.
Aaron, not sure of any way of opening the extracted vector. Looks like it can only be saved/opened in Estlcam as a project file not as a standard format (dxf svg, etc) and the mask needs to be a DXF.
