Peck drilling?

[baltic_birch]

Is the only way with PW3 to edit the file as in the fall2004 newsletter?

Also what is the best way to make a 3/8 hole with a 1/4 bit?

Thanks much!

Andrew

[myxpykalix]

Can I ask a stupid question? Why don't you drill a 3/8" hole with a 3/8" bit?

[baltic_birch]

Not a stupid question.

I'm running production sheets with a 1/4 bit.
3/4 inch baltic birch. PC router.

I have some 1/4 inch holes and some 3/8 holes that need to be drilled.

No time for bit changes.

Thanks

[richards]

Andrew,
If I understand your question correctly, you would have to edit the SBP file (the one that PartWizard creates) with a text editor, such as the Shopbot Editor, or NotePad or WordPad. My favorite editor is Crimson (CEdit). ParatWizard has a lot of capability to do 'canned' software, but to modify the way things are done, such as 'peck drilling', you would have to modify the SBP file.

The easiest way to cut 3/8-inch holes with a 1/4-inch bit is to use the 'pocket' function. When you create the holes, just make them 3/8-inch in diameter, then specify the 1/4-inch cutter as the tool and 'pocket' as the cutting routine. PartWizard will figure everything out for you.

If you're more adventuresome, you can create holes of any size with the CC or CP commands. Doing things that way, you can spiral down into a circle, make repetitive passes, make a finish pass to smooth the bottom of the hole, etc. Just be sure to read the CC, CP or CG command's instructions carefully. Also, if you write your own code using the CC, CP or CG instructions, you'll have to use the VC command to specify the parameters for the cutter that you use.

Edited: Pocketing takes a lot more time than drilling, so if the job is time critical, it would be faster to change the cutter, as Jack suggested.

[harryball]

If you use pocket to create 3/8" holes you can set your step over to the maximum. That will make sure it goes as fast as possible.

VCPro does peck drilling and I use it to drill about 50 holes in a sheet of 1/2" material with an 1/8" bit. When I drill in one pass the hole turns black and I eventually smell a little smoke. When I peck one time just over half way it solves the problem. The holes are not black and I never smell smoke. I was amazed at the difference.

Robert

[donchandler]

Here is a peck drill cycle.
Use &PD for your final depth.
&PD=-(DEPTH OF HOLE)
drill:
SC, 2
jz, .05
&A=%(3)
jz, .25
PECK:
jz, &A+.02
SR
mz, -.125
&A=%(3)
SA
jz, .25
if &A>(&PD+.125) THEN GOTO PECK
jz, &A+.02
mz, &PD
jz, .5
RETURN

Hope this helps
Don