# Chess pieces on Vortex with SLB

**URL:** <https://forum.sienci.com/t/chess-pieces-on-vortex-with-slb/12312>\
**Category:** 🪑 Projects\
**Created:** [May 17, 2024, 7:23pm UTC](https://forum.sienci.com/t/chess-pieces-on-vortex-with-slb/12312 "2024-05-17T19:23:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 6

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mhforbes](https://forum.sienci.com/user_avatar/forum.sienci.com/mhforbes/32/3461_2.png) [@mhforbes](https://forum.sienci.com/u/mhforbes)\
**Post date:** [May 20, 2024, 12:40am UTC](https://forum.sienci.com/t/chess-pieces-on-vortex-with-slb/12312/6 "2024-05-20T00:40:57Z")

</div>

Sean,

It took some doing to get started with the Vortex because I had just added the SLB. Some changes occurred to settings which caused issues, but the earlier thread addressed that in detail. So if you have the SLB, keep this in mind.

> [@Chess pieces on new Vortex](https://forum.sienci.com/t/chess-pieces-on-new-vortex/12186):
>
> I posted this on Facebook, but really have not had much response [IMG\_2902] [IMG\_2906] [King] , so thought I would try here. Problem with my chess carve on my vortex. Started a carve of a king figure, 2x2 mesquite, rough pass with 1/4 inch end mill, finish with tapered ball point (raster cut at 270). All good until the end, when the crown got rounded off (it was fine after the rough pass, but finish killed it). Obviously I did something wrong, but can anyone point me toward the corr…

Otherwise, my process is pretty much what the Sienci folks posted as a first project:

> **[Your First Project - Vortex Rotary Axis](https://resources.sienci.com/view/vx-first-project/)**
>
> Your first project will include selecting your stock, starting off with a 3D model, designing and creating toolpaths and running your project on the Vortex.

I did use larger stock and made a roughing pass with a quarter inch end mill, followed by a finish pass with this tapered end mill:

> **[1/4″ D1/16″ Tapered Ball Nose End Mill | Sienci Labs](https://sienci.com/product/1-32-radius-tapered-ball-end-mill/)**
>
> This 1/16" Diameter (1/32" Radius) Ball Nose Tapered End Mill, with a 1/4" shank has a tapered round end profile which is perfect for carving curves, contours, and reliefs in soft to medium hardness materials like wood, plastic and foam. This item...

Lessons learned:  
1) test in cheap wood, pine works well  
2) if you use the gSender’s stock turning tool, don’t go too deep at any one pass. The tool will try to cut as deeply as you tell it, which may turn out to be hard on the bit (don’t ask).  
3) don’t be afraid to ask for help. The folks on this site and in the labs love to help, and really are quite good.  
4) check you settings every chance you get, especially if something interrupts a process or during a bit change. Having a “low Z” will really mess you up!

 ![IMG_2925](https://forum.sienci.com/uploads/default/original/2X/4/4d06ea326da82018a2ce18d37b1762c84fc58340.jpeg)  
 ![IMG_2948](https://forum.sienci.com/uploads/default/original/2X/a/a749f5fb2c437d7711929d13e4587e453e131ee4.jpeg)

---

_[View the full topic](https://forum.sienci.com/t/chess-pieces-on-vortex-with-slb/12312)._