Options for inlay work?

[JC]

I bought an E bay 60 40 a couple of years ago and am still a raw beginner. Highly recommend vetric cut2D for a buck and a half to get yourself started with simple inlays. I am fairly computer savy and bobcad gave me a headache the first tutorial I watched. Learning curve is steep as well as the price.

I have done very few inlays because I simple don't like them but the ones I have done, including my logo on every butt sleeve were very easy to do with that cheap machine and cut2D came out nicely. Had to do a few mods to the machine to make it cue friendly so there's going to be expense there. If you got that bob machine with the router on it you would rue the day you made that decision. Noise is not your friend in any way. I believe the machine I have is up to the task of what we do with cues.

 

[Chili Palmer]

Operating a CNC machine is all about learning the programs that support it.
Just like any other computer program they have a learning curve.
Simple once you know how but sometimes not so simple to find information on what you need to know.
Most CNC drafting programs will start you right out on 3D instructions.
Almost all of cue inlay work is 2D.
Getting answers for the simple questions is sometimes very difficult unless you have a friend willing to teach the basics.

A very simple course in CNC creation.
Step by step ... you design the inlay and then make two drawings ... one for the pocket and one for the inlay piece.
Simple one line 2D profile drawings ... think Diamond and Dot.
Then you create the tool path lines around those drawings that the cutting tool needs to follow to cut the material right up to those lines.
Inside for the pocket and outside for the inlay piece.
You then convert those line drawings to CNC instructions using a software program like BobCad.
You end up with two CNC programs ... one to cut the pocket and one to cut the inlay piece.
Just by tinkering you will eventually learn enough about CNC instructions to make simple changes directly to the CNC coding if needed.
So simply put ... all you need to know is how to make the programs do what you know must be done.
Lost a bit of hair learning those instructions.

Cutting the pocket is easy but what about the inlay pieces?
You need to somehow get those inlay pieces out of the material you cut them into.
But that is another set of instructions for another day.

I use that same machine.
Feel free to call me if you need some help.
I use BobCad for the creation part and and Mach4 to run the machine.
You will need to fine tune your stepper motors for best results.
Willee 361-563-1303

Thanks for the long response and all the information. I took the last week off of work and don't normally get on AZB at home so didn't see this until now! Fine tuning is not something I've attempted yet, I've just been having fun with crap wood and crap projects to get a feel for it. I will definitely contact you when that time comes.

I bought an E bay 60 40 a couple of years ago and am still a raw beginner. Highly recommend vetric cut2D for a buck and a half to get yourself started with simple inlays. I am fairly computer savy and bobcad gave me a headache the first tutorial I watched. Learning curve is steep as well as the price.

I have done very few inlays because I simple don't like them but the ones I have done, including my logo on every butt sleeve were very easy to do with that cheap machine and cut2D came out nicely. Had to do a few mods to the machine to make it cue friendly so there's going to be expense there. If you got that bob machine with the router on it you would rue the day you made that decision. Noise is not your friend in any way. I believe the machine I have is up to the task of what we do with cues.

Thanks JC, can't lie, I pulled the trigger after watching you put your logo on one of your cues, I think I actually commented here on AZB about that particular cue when someone bought it. Either way, thanks


My response applies to both so why type it twice

I was trying to explain to my son about how you need two programs and I told him this: Getting a final product from a CNC machine is like eating a steak. The rancher gets the raw product and grows it to send to market, in CNC you use the first program to build your product. The rancher then sends the cow to the butcher to chop it all up - that's akin to sending it to the CNC machine. Then, you have to finish that steak, i.e. sand, assemble, finish, etc. I thought it was a pretty good correlation.

I've been messing around with it a little over the last week while I decide which software to go with. I work for an architectural firm (accountant) and one of the people I work with recommended Fusion 360 so I spent the first week racking my brain (JC will get that) with that software and I'm fairly computer savvy - but screw that program. I was trying to do a simple square pocket but gave up and took one of the sample files and deleted most of it and wrote my own code. Simple left to right, down an 1/8" then back left then down an 1/8, then back right, etc. then a final cleanup pass. That was fun but clearly not the way to go

After more research I found v-carve.

Done, that's what I'm going with. That program is simple. For g-code I'm probably going to stick with the USB-CNC that came with the unit. If I find it doesn't do what I need then I may look elsewhere.

That being said - does cut2D do everything you need it to do or is there anything missing? I plan on doing a lot of different stuff (non pool related) so I have been debating between the desktop and pro version of Vcarve (not 2D) but am interested to know how well 2D fits into the work you do and if you would add anything it doesn't have.


And side note: I ended up downloading F-engrave (not for pool stuff) and it's a pretty good little program for being free. It does text fairly well but not as easy as v-carve - but it's free. If anyone is looking to do text only it would be a good option.

 

[JC]

Thanks for the long response and all the information. I took the last week off of work and don't normally get on AZB at home so didn't see this until now! Fine tuning is not something I've attempted yet, I've just been having fun with crap wood and crap projects to get a feel for it. I will definitely contact you when that time comes.



Thanks JC, can't lie, I pulled the trigger after watching you put your logo on one of your cues, I think I actually commented here on AZB about that particular cue when someone bought it. Either way, thanks


My response applies to both so why type it twice

I was trying to explain to my son about how you need two programs and I told him this: Getting a final product from a CNC machine is like eating a steak. The rancher gets the raw product and grows it to send to market, in CNC you use the first program to build your product. The rancher then sends the cow to the butcher to chop it all up - that's akin to sending it to the CNC machine. Then, you have to finish that steak, i.e. sand, assemble, finish, etc. I thought it was a pretty good correlation.

I've been messing around with it a little over the last week while I decide which software to go with. I work for an architectural firm (accountant) and one of the people I work with recommended Fusion 360 so I spent the first week racking my brain (JC will get that) with that software and I'm fairly computer savvy - but screw that program. I was trying to do a simple square pocket but gave up and took one of the sample files and deleted most of it and wrote my own code. Simple left to right, down an 1/8" then back left then down an 1/8, then back right, etc. then a final cleanup pass. That was fun but clearly not the way to go

After more research I found v-carve.

Done, that's what I'm going with. That program is simple. For g-code I'm probably going to stick with the USB-CNC that came with the unit. If I find it doesn't do what I need then I may look elsewhere.

That being said - does cut2D do everything you need it to do or is there anything missing? I plan on doing a lot of different stuff (non pool related) so I have been debating between the desktop and pro version of Vcarve (not 2D) but am interested to know how well 2D fits into the work you do and if you would add anything it doesn't have.


And side note: I ended up downloading F-engrave (not for pool stuff) and it's a pretty good little program for being free. It does text fairly well but not as easy as v-carve - but it's free. If anyone is looking to do text only it would be a good option.

I haven't seen V carve in action but I believe it's all of cut 2d and the ability to do wrap around inlaying and engraving with the fourth axis. Both by the same company Vetric. So it doesn't surprise me that it's pretty easy to grasp. I will likely buy v carve when I need to rotate around my cue as I engrave or inlay. Right now I'm not anywhere near there. So as long as your inlay is small enough on the x axis to not cut away at depth 2d is adequate. If you look at most cues it's apparent that's plenty.

 

[Newsheriffintwn]

Ive used cut2d for a few years and it will do all you want for cue inlays with the exception of wrapped work (4th axis). I've recommended it to several here.

I since upgraded to aspire and love it! Any of the programs vcarve and above will do wrapped work (4th axis). With 4th axis any index position is possible.

Cut2d is fine you would need a jig with indexing to hold the cue under your spindle. Positioning will be limited to whatever index you have. I've posted pictures in the past of mine, easy enough to make.

For ease of use the Vectric programs cannot be beat.

 

[JC]

Ive used cut2d for a few years and it will do all you want for cue inlays with the exception of wrapped work (4th axis). I've recommended it to several here.

I since upgraded to aspire and love it! Any of the programs vcarve and above will do wrapped work (4th axis). With 4th axis any position is possible.

Cut2d is fine you would need a jig with indexing to hold the cue under your spindle. Positioning will be limited to whatever index you have. I've posted pictures in the past of mine, easy enough to make.

For ease of use the Vectric programs cannot be beat.

You can use Mach to rotate your cue by as many degrees as you would like manually if you have a 4th axis without needing an indexed headstock or you can add the line of code to the end of the code generated by cut2d to make it rotate x number of degrees and then just his start again. But you cannot do wrapped work but many of us do not nor do we currently aspire to do so.

 

[Newsheriffintwn]

You can use Mach to rotate your cue by as many degrees as you would like manually if you have a 4th axis without needing an indexed headstock or you can add the line of code to the end of the code generated by cut2d to make it rotate x number of degrees and then just his start again. But you cannot do wrapped work but many of us do not nor do we currently aspire to do so.

You are correct. I have a 3 axis and a 4 axis machine that I use and for whatever reason was thinking about the jig and 3 axis when I said that.

With the 4th axis head stock you are able to easily index to whatever position you would like. You would still need to have some type of jig to hold the work piece or entire cue depending on how and when you wanted to inlay.

 

[Chili Palmer]

I haven't seen V carve in action but I believe it's all of cut 2d and the ability to do wrap around inlaying and engraving with the fourth axis. Both by the same company Vetric. So it doesn't surprise me that it's pretty easy to grasp. I will likely buy v carve when I need to rotate around my cue as I engrave or inlay. Right now I'm not anywhere near there. So as long as your inlay is small enough on the x axis to not cut away at depth 2d is adequate. If you look at most cues it's apparent that's plenty.

Ok, thanks, I've been trying to wrap my head around which one to go with and I'm going to start with cut2D for now. It should do everything I need it to do at this point. I do have a 4th axis so I could easily add code to rotate it 90 degrees, etc. if needed.

Ive used cut2d for a few years and it will do all you want for cue inlays with the exception of wrapped work (4th axis). I've recommended it to several here.

I since upgraded to aspire and love it! Any of the programs vcarve and above will do wrapped work (4th axis). With 4th axis any index position is possible.

Cut2d is fine you would need a jig with indexing to hold the cue under your spindle. Positioning will be limited to whatever index you have. I've posted pictures in the past of mine, easy enough to make.

For ease of use the Vectric programs cannot be beat.

Roger, you guys have definitely made my decision to stick with cut2D for now much easier as it does not limit me with any cue work I decide to do.

Does Aspire have the same look/feel as the other programs or does it get more complicated like Fusion 360, etc. I can't imagine I would ever need something that robust, I'm pretty sure V-carve Pro would be just fine for the projects I'm thinking of.

And yeah, the moment I saw a video of v-carve I was hooked and my mind was made up.

I did pick up some ebony today for my project. Hoping to at least get a few blanks cut today and ready for the cnc. I'm busy the next couple of days but I will be getting cut2D today so I can get it installed and get familiar with it before I dig in.

I appreciate all the info! THIS is why I joined AZB

 

[Newsheriffintwn]

Cut2d is a really good program. The others Vcarve, Aspire are great but if you only want to do inlays (not wrapped inlays) then you will be happy with cut2d.

All the programs are built off the same interface so they all work and look the same way with the exception of the others have a few more bells and whistles to do 3d carving and some other things. Another benefit when you want to upgrade you will get credit for what you spent on the previous program so it costs less than buying each stand alone.

You are also able to download and try for free each version.

GL and have fun. PM me if you have any questions.

 

[Chili Palmer]

Cut2d is a really good program. The others Vcarve, Aspire are great but if you only want to do inlays (not wrapped inlays) then you will be happy with cut2d.

All the programs are built off the same interface so they all work and look the same way with the exception of the others have a few more bells and whistles to do 3d carving and some other things. Another benefit when you want to upgrade you will get credit for what you spent on the previous program so it costs less than buying each stand alone.

You are also able to download and try for free each version.

GL and have fun. PM me if you have any questions.

Thanks again and I have V-carve Pro trial downloaded and have been playing with it. I also have 2D trial downloaded but not installed but not going to bother, just going to buy it tonight or tomorrow when I have to sit down at my desk at home.

 

[JoeyInCali]

Thanks again and I have V-carve Pro trial downloaded and have been playing with it. I also have 2D trial downloaded but not installed but not going to bother, just going to buy it tonight or tomorrow when I have to sit down at my desk at home.

Good call.
I'm dabbling on cut2d now . Will likely upgrade to VCarve too. But, I saw some videos of Aspire that shows drawing like Inventor/Autocad/Mastercam. Drawing tapered cylinders is ultimately needed , I think. But, $2K is pretty steep.