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Pocket Tool? Confused.

Discussion in 'SketchUcam Help' started by Boarder101, Sep 14, 2016.

  1. Boarder101

    Boarder101 New Member

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    Hi all,

    Things are going well so far - ive generated the g-code for many of the bits I need/want.

    However - this one has confused me.

    Its a little stamp - the total height is 8mm. The body cylinder is 5mm deep and the stamp is 3mm. It will be cut from a larger 8mm thick block of Acetal.

    Here is the the 3d-render of it - ive taken the top as a flat and im trying to work out how to actually do it. I assumed Id pick the pocket tool to remove all that material around the stamp-part - because its only part way down. The only option the pocket tool gives me is for the middle - bit that I want to remain solid!

    How do I cut away all the outer stuff, leaving the stamp in place but down to a depth of 3mm - and then go and cut all the way through for the outer circle?

    What am I missing here? Thoughts and suggestions would be very much appreciated :)
     

    Attached Files:

  2. swarfer

    swarfer Moderator Staff Member

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    The pocket tool can only do relatively simple faces:


    but that stamp is easy to do with offsets. (the offset tool in sketchup that is, combined with centerline cuts)

    you need 2 copies of the flat drawing and some way of referencing the safe area...
    see here for the method of doing multi drawings:


    I will do an example drawing for you just now and attach it here, the basics are
    on copy 1:
    1. remove the outline
    2. add several offset lines starting at the stamp edge, the first one must be 1/2 bit diam away, the others can be more or less depending on what stepover you want
    3. set the stepover lines as 100% deep centerline cuts
    4. place the safe area for this drawing (this sets your 0,0 reference so it must be correct for both drawings)
    5. set material thickness to 3mm
    6. generate gcode to 'stamp1.nc'

    on copy 2
    1. place an outside cut on the outside edge of the object
    2. set material thickness to 8mm
    3. place the safe area for this drawing
    4. generate Gcode to 'stamp2.nc'
    use the Gcode joiner to join the 2 files together, stamp1 then stamp2 to create stamp.nc

    It is/might be possible to do this in one drawing but a bit more complicated since you have to draw the offsets first and collect them in a group, then add the outside cut. If you ever need to change anything you have to do it all over again.

    I drew a random shape and ended up with this: sketchup and nc files attached
    stamp.png
     

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  3. swarfer

    swarfer Moderator Staff Member

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    more advanced ways of doing multilevel drawings.... (yes I know the sound sucks, I am not a voice artist...)
     
  4. Boarder101

    Boarder101 New Member

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    Superb, thank you very much :)
     
  5. Boarder101

    Boarder101 New Member

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    Right - gave that a go and it looks far more successful!

    It does look a bit skinnier than it should - I did all the spacing to 1/2 the bit diameter. Ill keep going with it, but I get the idea of it now. Thank you both!
     

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