INLAY-Epic Fail???

[myxpykalix]

Ok tell me what the heck i did wrong? I followed the directions on the Paul Zank pdf and i'll outline them here

made a 4"x8" material size
picked Cambria font-bold
text size 1.275
then I vcarved the text .15 deep in poplar
using a 90 vbit for both toolpaths
then i copied file and opened it up as a separate file
I then flipped the vectors left to right created a outer box
selected text and box did a vcarve toolpath to relief carve the waste away. I set a depth on the male part of.10
that way i left .05 for glue

why is it so much fatter then the female part?:confused:

[tmerrill]

What program are you using?

Posting the file for us to look at will get you the best answer.

Tim

[CNYDWW]

Jack, I do this on occasion. You need to use set depths and start depths to get it just right. Basically you have to virtually fool the software into milling the male inlay deeper into the material. I usually v carve my female inlay down to .25 depth or flat depth in vectric products. Then in turn setup the start depth for the male at .20 and flat depth of .125. What this does is taper the carving in the negative above the flat depth. My settings will give you a gap inside the inlay of .05 which will give you a little breathing room. It will also set the flat depth you milled on the male .125 above female's surface. It's easier to mill off that way. I've attached a couple pics to show you what it should look like.

Regards
Randy

PS Don't mind the tearout, this was my first try some time ago. Newer pics were lost on a phone crash. Wasn't patient enough to let the glue cure.

[paul_z]

Randy,

I've noted often that the hardest part of this process is waiting for the glue to dry! (I did the same thing with my first couple of inlays.)

Jack,

We need to look at the file.

Paul Z

[myxpykalix]

Here is the issue i'm dealing with. I changed the S to a larger different font then the rest of "tacy". I went down and was using AC and this is what i'm getting. If you notice the vcarved S has a nice valley on it but the male S is still fat.:confused:

[CNYDWW]

Jack, you've gotta set your start depth on the vcarve of the male inlay. I believe you have to set it in the positive for vectric v carving. Take a look at my pics, jack. See the male side is coming to a point? That's what you need.

[bob_reda]

Jack,

Tht method is a sticky on the vectric forum. It gives all the starting depths. Like the gentleman said your male portions should all come to a point or pretty close so it will fit into the female with a liitle room to spare. It is a starting depth issue you have that the sticky will solve for you.

Bob

[geneb]

Doesn't the latest version of VCarve have a special Inlay Tool that does most of the hard work for you?

g.

[paul_z]

Gene,

The Inlay Tool creates a conventional inlay with a flat bottom. The level of detail is limited by the diameter of the endmill that is used and how frajile the inlay material is. This is the method to use if the inlay will be resurfaced during it's life like an inlay in flooring.

The V inlay is different. It uses a V bit to cut the sides of the male and female parts. It allows for arbitrarly fine detail including lines meeting at a geometric point. Parts of the inlay can be as thin (horizontal distance) as a few thousandths. This is the method to use if you want really fine detail. It's drawback is that the inlays come out correctly at only on depth (usually the surface). If it is resanded, the remaining inlay changes shape.

http://www.vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=564 has all of the "nuts and bolts".

Paul Z

[paul_z]

Jack,

still waiting for the file.

Paul Z

[geneb]

Ah, ok. I have never tried the Vectric tool before so I didn't realize it wasn't designed to work with a V carve bit. I've done V-carve inlay in the past using the method described in the Vectric forum. Made a very nice clock. :)

g.

[myxpykalix]

it is an artcam file and i have to wait to be able to get back in to the company to use it. I had done this before and it worked fine but it has been a long time and i'm just doing something incorrect.:confused:

[CNYDWW]

Jack, try going deeper with your start depth until all of the text on the male is pointed.

[jdervin]

Paul--

Will you be attending the Maine Camp ShopBot this September? If so, maybe we could add V-carve inlays to the list of things to talk about and/or demonstrate.

[myxpykalix]

I may have solved my dilema. Not sure yet as it is in the glue up stage and i don't want to go trying to cut afart while wet because it might be like you cut the cheese:D so i'll wait till tomorrow

I had a larger S that was not the same font and seperate and that was probably causing me problems so i just used the same font but larger and when i dry fit it together it felt like it fit ok so i slopped some goo on that big S and shoved the male part into the female part working in and out till it felt like it was right and tight and it didn't feel like it was loose side to side, and beat it in with a hammer lightly till the goo oozed out of the crack like kind of like a creampie:eek:;)

[myxpykalix]

SUCCESS!!:D I changed the big S to the same font and it seemed to work ok. I couldn't hold the belt sander long enough to get all the glue but this was just a test piece anyway.:D

[paul_z]

John,

I will be at the Maine camp and hope to meet you there. We should have time for a side session if you'd like.

Paul Z

[billp]

"We should have time for a side session if you'd like."
Oh no you don't Paul !...! I'm sure everyone would like to hear more about that so you may be drafted to do a short session for the group ( if that's OK with you?)

[curtiss]

Using the same font for both items would seem to be a key. :):)

Is there a reason one could not just use a cut with a vertical edge on both pieces... I guess I wonder why the v carve is needed at all... but then I am sort of a dull bit... :confused: