That’s what I did for the serial tag. Problem is so much of it was so small that even a 1/16" endmill couldn’t pocket enough of it. And I was only going 2mm deep. I guess I could go shallower but wanted it deep enough to catch a good bit of the edge lighting. With the tag so small I might be better off to just do the drag bit on it. Then I know it will clean up nice. But I’m in the same boat as @azab2c now. I want to figure out how to make it work LOL
Hoping this’ll stop LR3 popping wheelies during v bit cuts… It might stop the LR3 altogether though…
Edit: Extra 20lbs on left YZ plate stopped the wheelies. But v bit just doesn’t want to cut to full depth. Core and gantry are starting to flex now when bit is not able to cut into Polycarbonate.
Trying other settings and other v bits, with and without trochoidal. Am expecting to ultimately end up following Ryan’s advice to use single flute flat end bit first.
Figured this Bowflex mod would be fun and quick to try out. Maybe useful even for fast experimenting with diff weights for diff cuts.
23-08-11 Edit: As mad as this looks, I swear it helped. However, correct fix for this situation was to use a different bit. There could be some value in supplementing the YZ weight for other situations though… So, if/when I have time and interest, am planning to test various feedrates with and without LR3 loaded up with additional weight on YZ Plates, but not the X gantry. Until then, ping me if you want the bowflex-mount.dxf if you’re curious enough to have a go and experiment.
I was thinking about this all day yesterday. Since the tip is basically getting dragged, and the V bit take a very large bite with each depth change, I think moving fast taking shallow passes is the ticket.
A 40% (3mm diam=1.2mm step over) step over on a regular bit is a normal/large step over. So what is the equivalent step down on a Vbit? I would say less than 1.2mm (not doing trig before I finish my coffee). I would do 0.5-1mm at 30-40mm/s as a starting point. Plastic is super picky about its feed rate though.
The hard part is the first pass is basically just dragging the tip through, so maybe the trick is full depth and getting the RPM and feedrate perfect? So easy in wood, so hard in everything else. I did get it in Aluminum and wrote down my setting in here somewhere.
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You wouldn’t happen to have the file for that hose end handy would you? looks like the same 2.5" dust collection hose I use. So far everything I have found has worked but not like I wanted it. That looks different than anything I’ve tried.
Always check his crazy(awesome) amounts of detailed documentation…
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I wonder if one of those offset tip bits would work better for acrylic. The tip of the regular V bit doesn’t cut anything. The offset ones has the very tip off to one side, so it effectively has a flat bottom. But the whole thing is at least cutting something.
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Do you have a link to an example? Not sure I’ve ever seen one like that before. I ordered one with a “blunt” tip that will be here tomorrow. Curious to see how that’s going to work.
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I always forget about his github 
Thank you!!
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Somewhere there is an OpenScad file for this… 
I‘ve got you:
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Thanks @Michael_Melancon and @Tokoloshe !
Yeah, initially shared vac hose adaptor am using (based on a parametric SCAD script) in my LR3 Build post.
Just uploaded current version to printables incase people aren’t stumbling across my semi structured v1e mods/notes repo on github.
Latest files (this Vac Hose and the Bowflex nonsense for example) will always be on GitHub here. Am only occasionally uploading to Printables. Am always backing up my v1e notes/mods to github, effort I put into structuring content will be proportional to interest from folks.
Time to try some more BowFlex assisted Acrylic cuts…
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LOL, good luck! Note the Vac Hose adapter was sized for one of Doug’s makita-vac-upper…stl models. Just added inner/outer dimensions to the printables description to help save some time/filament incase this isn’t a good fit for your Vac Hose and/or upper thingy… Printables
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I think the github approach is great. I’ve been telling myself for a months I need to do something to organize my thoughts and save the things I’ve come across, etc. for all the things I’m researching/planning, but never really thought about using github for this. So you’ve inspired me to do something similar and try to be more organized about it
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That is what I’m running on both of my LR3s so should be good to go!
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While this is on my brain. I have an update for you for this if you want it.
Quality - Great
Material - Aluminum
Bit - Carbide Single Flute Long – V1 Engineering Inc
DOC - 7mm (that’s what I have tested to but I think it could easily go more)
Plunge Angle - 90°
Feed XY - 20mm/s
Feed Z - 4mm/s
Speed - ?? See Above??
Coolant - 25psi air with just a hint of IPA
Notes - Trochoidal Milling: Stepover 10% Width: 50% Oscillation: 0
https://youtu.be/wTbvzWy-f1o
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Thanks for the info @Jonathjon. Have added to https://github.com/aaronse/v1engineering-mods/tree/main/lowrider3
| Quality | Material | Bit | DOC | Plunge Angle | Feed XY | Feed Z | Speed | Coolant | Notes / Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alu | V1E 1/8" Carbide single flute | 7mm | 90deg | 20mm/s | 4mm/s | RPM? | 25psi air + hint of IPA | Trochoidal Milling: Stepover 10% Width: 50% Oscillation: 0 https://youtu.be/wTbvzWy-f1o |
Cheers!
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NOW I realize what you meant by speed LOL… 12,000 - 15,000 RPM
Quick update… Thank you @jeffeb3’s and @vicious1’s, your settings wisdom and offset tip engraving bit suggestions, they helped guide me to better results. Ended up not needing the Bowflex Dumbbells, for now.
Vertical test lines on the right were created using 1/8" 60deg engraving v-bit, then going over again with 1/4" v-bit helps get wide v cuts. This was with the 4 flute 1/4" v-bit I have already. Hoping the arriving 2 flute v bit and curved bits will do even better.
Seeing pear drop like deeper holes near where the bit plunges at beginning of a path, still need to tune Z feedrate, depth of finish pass, maybe other settings too?
That looks WAY better!!! Good job!!! What DOC and Feed Rate did you settle on? Also what speed on your router?
Thanks Jonathan. Was going to hold off from sharing details until am happy with the cuts. Incase this helps, am currently using…
But not ideal, the chips are not clearing, but then I didn’t bother to rig up compressed air or cooling other than a Vac without a shroud, or decent suction. Still tinkering, when not doing other things I should be focused on 
Using this 1/8" V bit 60 Degree Engraving Bit, with offset point (like Jeff suggested) for initial carve to get desired depth…
Note, am still learning about edge lit stuff, doesn’t look like deep carves are a good idea anyway?
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