The right code for a Keyhole bit - CNC Router & Sheetcam

Having problems with or questions about SheetCam? Post them here.
Post Reply
Ellis_Ascott
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2015 2:57 am

The right code for a Keyhole bit - CNC Router & Sheetcam

Post by Ellis_Ascott »

Greetings! I'm looking into using a keyhole router bit in some wall panels I have been fine-tuning. This will allow me to mount the panels flush against the wall.

So here's the issue. The keyhole bit needs to drop into my material and cut a straight line down about one inch...then it needs to go UP the same straight line and exit from the hole it created when it initially plunged into the material. Make sense? Can I create this code in Sheetcam?

Thank you!
PK
Posts: 362
Joined: Thu May 10, 2012 9:58 am

Post by PK »

I have done this before. It's been awhile and need to locate the code, but I believe I did it in two (possibly three) operations with the same keyhole bit.

The first was a drill operation for the insert (large) hole.

The second operation is just a single line which starts in the center of the large hole. This operation needs to goto and start at the same depth as the drill operations finish depth and it also needs to return to this same start position before lifting. The return may have been the third operation.

The size of your keyhole bit will determine how deep you need to go.

HTH

Paul
User avatar
Les Newell
Site Admin
Posts: 3661
Joined: Thu May 11, 2006 8:12 pm

Post by Les Newell »

This is an interesting application.

Use a single straight line for the keyhole. Set up a no offset cut operation. Set the depth per pass to a tiny bit less than the cut depth. This forces the machine to take two passes even though they are at near enough the same depth. Normally SheetCam will plunge, cut the line then lift and return to the start for the next pass. To get around this go to the cut path tab and turn on 'Reverse open paths'. With this enabled SheetCam will reverse the cut direction for the second pass instead of lifting and returning to the start.
Ellis_Ascott
Posts: 11
Joined: Tue Dec 29, 2015 2:57 am

Awesome!

Post by Ellis_Ascott »

Les Newell wrote:This is an interesting application.

Use a single straight line for the keyhole. Set up a no offset cut operation. Set the depth per pass to a tiny bit less than the cut depth. This forces the machine to take two passes even though they are at near enough the same depth. Normally SheetCam will plunge, cut the line then lift and return to the start for the next pass. To get around this go to the cut path tab and turn on 'Reverse open paths'. With this enabled SheetCam will reverse the cut direction for the second pass instead of lifting and returning to the start.
Lol. It seems like a majority of CNC applications I am attempting are considered "interesting applications" these days. I'm looking forward to trying this. Thank you for the input!!!
Post Reply