Feature Request - almost already built in but not optionable

[larynx]

A lot of us, especially the guitar neck and other guys with 3D objects often have a large variation in height over the model we cut. In my case, 90% of the cut is less than 1.2" in height, whereas the actual heel is 4.5" in height but only about 1.5" x-long versus the total 25" x-long. I band-saw the block of wood into two pieces [two necks from one block] as they superimpose on the block flipped horizontally and vertically.

So I can run a "rough" operation and choose "geometry only" but it does not allow me to select a distance in which to start the cut [unless I am missing something]. In other words, I would like to "rough cut" the geometry with a 1" or whatever distance. I may only have 1/2" to cut, but allowing the selection of a distance from the actual model overall to begin the cut would save half my time/wear/equipment running - due to air cuts of wood not really there.

Either way, the software is fantastic at what it does and its price range. Just thought since I could state "stock to leave" - how about "stock to begin with" or "extra stock to start" as an overall buffer.

[tgdavies]

You could do this (painful for a one off, worth doing probably if you are machining a lot of similar necks)

- Define the stock as the worst case size, i.e. with the maximum height.
- Choose a machining region which covers the point with the maximum height and goes (say) 20cm down the neck
- Set the maximum cutting depth to the *smallest* height of the stock within the region.
- Create roughing gcode from these settings

Now do this again:
- Define the stock with the new maximum height (which is the old maximum height minus the max cutting depth from before)
- Choose a region which includes the old region plus another (say) 20cm of neck (of course we include the old region because we haven't finished roughing the sides of the neck)
*edit* THIS WON'T WORK -- you'll collide with the parts of the job which are above your new stock height. Perhaps you could use "don't machine top of stock" and set a retract height above the maximum height of the piece...)
- Set the maximum cutting depth to the minimum stock height in the region
- Create the gcode

and repeat until you've covered the whole neck.

See also:


http://grzforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=15453&p=24326

http://grzforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=15639&p=25138


You should be able to concatenate the gcode, with the removal of some pre/post parts.

I wish that MeshCAM had a way of scripting tasks like this.