Some questions on V-carving letters

Mostly Printed CNC - MPCNC Advice
1

I have had good success using EstlCam and Inkscape to make some fun projects that uses a 45 ° Vee cutter (90° included) to carve out letters or shapes.

However I like to use Fusion 360 for design work and would be nice to just within F360 CAM it rather than saving DXF’s to import into Estlcam.

Using engrave in F360 with a Vee bit it just outlines the selected letters along the outline. Perhaps this can’t be done but thought I’d ask.

thanks…
-Craig

2

I’m unclear about your exact problem, and since I only use Fusion 360, I cannot compare/contrast with EstlCAM. I’m assuming the issue is that if the outline/path you are using to define your cutting area is wider than your chamfer bit at the depth of you are cutting, Fusion 360 leaves material in the middle. I know other CAM software will clear out this material. Fusion 360 requires you to run a separate pocking toolpath to clear out the material. You need to:

  • Create a second entry in your tool library that defines your “chamfer” bit as a tapered endmill.
  • Pocket out the outline setting half of the bit width at the depth you are cutting as radial stock to leave.

Here is a video by Winston Moy that describes the process (and where I learned how it is done).

There are other (perhaps simpler) ways of defining the pocketing operation, but setting the stock to leave to half bit width is how I’ve done this operation.

3

Actually I would like the 45 deg V bit to touch the opposite edges of the line and vary the Z axis as it runs out to the ends replicating a hand carved letter. I think using the straight fonts to create the text may not be what I want but need to convert to a DXF or SVG image.
Thanks for the video link. I watched it but noticed he was using a logo image which maybe I am guessing a SVG.
-Craig

4

Just tested to be absolutely sure, and a DXF works just fine. The bit touches both edges as expected. I do extrude out a block to act as the stock and have the contour to be carved setting on the top of that block. If you want to put your fusion 360 file in a ZIP file and upload/attach it to a post, I can take a look to see what is happening with your attempts.

5

Thanks. I think after reading your first post and watching the video I think it (F360) is looking for some vector guides and simple text is not the same. I will continue to experiment.
I just need more experience.
I go strong a project and it goes well then it gets nice out and I get pulled off. I had EstlCAM working but and bought the license but I know Fusion is so powerful I’d like get used to that.

-Craig

6

Anything that Fusion 360 recognizes as a contour should work for an Engrave toolpath operation. It works with text, any closed shape drawn in Fusion 360, imported CSV, and most imported DXF files. Though I’m not going into details, it is possible to use 3D aspects of your model as the contour for engraving. If you can select the contour in the Manufacturer’s workspace, it almost always works for engraving. Sometimes fusion gets confused wrt to which side of a contour you are selecting, and you have to click on the arrow for that contour. Simulating the job with the models turned off and the stock turned on is invaluable in avoiding mistakes and seeing exactly what your operations are producing.