(Also posted in Discord)
Probably a dumb question but as I start to play with actually designing some things, here goes. Trying to make a stand/pedestal for something else I am designing.
I want to carve this, likely in 0.75" but I want the top to be basically 0.75" and the lower portion to be lower, like 0.4" once done.
How would I accomplish this in VCarve/Pro?
Design is currently 2 rectangles if that matters.
Basically this is what I am trying to achieve although there will be more to it before it is complete. I’m working on an alternative version that may make this a moot point but still curious if & how I can achieve it.
@whitewolf I deleted my reply as, clearly, I missed the mark entirely. 
I’m sure that someone will be able to advise you. I’m lost between the pic and your description, so I can’t be of any help. I apologize for the confusing first post.
All good sir! I’ve drawn it a different way that I was able to figure out so good in the short term.
But if anyone has any advice on how to make this shape work / cut out, I’m all ears.
If nothing else, I suppose I can finish drawing it in 3D and import it that way but not what I was wanting to do.
My 3D skills are limited to Tinkercad still so not the best software to really be exact in.
I’d do this with three vectors (easier if they’re on their own layer).
The first vector looks like this:
The second vector looks like this:
The third vector looks like this:
Do a pocket cut with the first vector to remove the bulk of the material at the depth you want.
Follow that with a profile cut using the second vector, also at the depth you want.
Finish with another profile cut using the third vector at the full depth of the piece.
Awesome! I’ll try it out - I figured there was a way that I just wasn’t processing in my newbie brain.
The first method I show assumes that the workpiece is all ready cut to the final size. If your work piece is larger, you can do it like this:
First cut is a pocket cut at half (or whatever) the depth using two vectors: one has the shape of the top part of your design and a larger rectangle slightly larger than your final piece.
Second cut is a profile cut at full depth
Will give it a go as well when I back from work-work, thanks a million!
I will add that I do all my vector work in a proper 2D design software. VCarve is great at some things, but creating vector drawings is not one of them (at least not to someone who’s been doing 2D drafting for 30years). I use qCad, which is a port of the free Libre CAD. I then import the DXF in vCarve.
What’s the difference between qCad and LibreCAD - looks like the both work on all platforms (Linux, Apple, Windows) - just curious why use a ported version?
Dunno. qCad is cheap enough that I didn’t mind paying for a supported product under constant development.
@whitewolf If you don’t mind a question. I didn’t get where the .4", which you mention in your first post, comes in.
My CAD/CAM “experience” is limited to BiesseWorks and Vectric products. Doing this in VCarvePro from scratch is easy enough. I was lost on the .4" requirement.
@gwilki I think he wants that to be the amount of material to remove to create the step. So remove 0.4" of material using a pocket cut, leaving 0.35" for the step.
@whitewolf No need to apologize. @Chucky_ott understood exactly what you were talking about. I’m the dense one.
Now that I know, it really is easy to do in VCarve.
