Hi everyone, I have a LongMill MK2.5 (48” x 30”). I would like to make a catchall tray out of 3/4” Eastern white pine. Beautiful piece of wood with no knots. I’ve never, had the need to use the ramping feature on my cnc. I want to do a 3/8” pocket on the pine. Since the pine is a softwood, is it necessary to use ramping?
What software are you using? I generally try to avoid any plunging just out of habit, since there are times it’s a problem, and I’m mostly using down cut bits too (so plunging would re-cut the chips).
I’d say if it’s easy to use with whatever software you are using, it won’t hurt.
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I am using Vectric Vcarve pro v12.5
Hi Vince,
I don‘t think there is a direct need to use ramps untill you discover that it can help mitigate some problems tnat can occure when simply plunging into the wood and start the xy movement.
I am thinking of burning, deflecting and using the actual flute engagement of the bit asap. Can you do without, sure, but if you are working on wood that gets burn marks easy, a straight down plunge can leave a nasty mark that needs rework. For the same reason I use surface toolpaths that overshoots the material by at least the bit diameter andsome.
Deflection can be a problem when cutting out a project, the engagement point might introduce a deflection that gives a rafher visible dent in the cutout where the bit engages. Even a plunge movent might not prevent that from happening. The only way to get rid of it is to use spiral plunge (changing plunge speed to cutting speed), that stretches the plunge over the complete length of the cut, preventing visible deflection.
The last one is like the song: these flutes are made for cutting. (And that’s what they should do..)
You can near the difference clearly when plunging straigt vs with a short zigzag movement. The bit plung always sounds demonish to me while the zigzag sounds more like an Angel starting to sing.
I do have to say, the sound of a bit plunging, vs the sound of it ramping in, is always so jarring to me. I like the analogy… and generally, I take the approach that if it sounds unhappy, I try to avoid it - when the bit is doing its work comfortably well, the sound is much “happier” somehow.
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