Question about using custom cutters for mdf doors

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Scott Marshburn
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Re: Question about using custom cutters for mdf doors

Post by Scott Marshburn »

Kerry Fullington wrote:Scott,
scott_01.jpg
That is a lot of tool paths.

What does the profile look like.

Kerry
The lines you have the pointers on are where the pockets overlap each other the resulting profile looks like a standard mdf raised panel door cut with hand routers using a 1 1/2 cove for the panel,a 7/8 cutter with a 3/16 bead for the rails and stiles and a 1/8 cutter to square the corner. The widest pocket is offset so that my 1 1/2 cove cutter when set at the machine as a 1/4 dia. streight cutter will and did cut a pocket resulting in the panel raise. The next pocket outward from that was off set to cut using the 7/8 cutter set up at the machine as a 1/8 streight cutter to pocket .that pocket resulted in the bead profile.The last pockets (the smallest) was offset so that when I set up my 1/8 streight cutter as a1/16 dia. it cut those pockets resulting in the corners on top of the bead squared.The total number of pockets in this file are six. The door you are looking at took 2min and 45 sec to cut. Note again the geomintry on this file is for pockets not tool paths.
Kerry Fullington
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Re: Question about using custom cutters for mdf doors

Post by Kerry Fullington »

Scott,

In eCabinets each of those lines would be a path for a tool to follow. (you can offset the tool to the left or right of the line or follow the center) I guess I don't understand pockets. You could use one of the lines to create a pocket.

We would have to get rid of the lines I pointed out and then clean up some of the others as they aren't closed.

In eCabinets and the Profile Modeler you create a tool path then tell the machine what tool you want to follow that path and how deep to cut.

Kerry
Kerry Fullington
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Re: Question about using custom cutters for mdf doors

Post by Kerry Fullington »

OK,

I finally understand what you are doing with pocket cuts, but why? What is the advantage?
Scott Marshburn
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Re: Question about using custom cutters for mdf doors

Post by Scott Marshburn »

Kerry,
The reason why is ecab./thermwood will only allow 1 cutter path for the prementer profile (outside) and 1 cutter path for the inside profile.By the use of the pockets we could use what ever tool we want by off seting the the pockets to make the cutter go where we want and lie to the machine about the dia. and constrain these pockets so that we can type in the height width and qty. batch them. then send the twd to the machine and cut doors at 2.75 min per square foot or maby less Instead of 12 too 14 min per square foot modling. Dont get me rong I realy prefer the modled door personly but most of our customers would opt. for the lesser cost of the semple doors. To go back to my first post I was just wanting to know if any one has tryed this yet.I probaly have not mentioned this but I do not have ecab. on my personal computer it will not support it. If I did I probably would not be agravating you guys so mutch.
Thanks again for your help.
Kerry Fullington
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Posts: 4718
Joined: Mon, May 09 2005, 7:33PM
Company Name: Double E Cabinets
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Re: Question about using custom cutters for mdf doors

Post by Kerry Fullington »

Scott,

You should be able to do what you want in eCabinets using the cabinet back as I mentioned earlier. This way you would create the tools you are actually using in eCabinets then define the paths (and plunge) you want each tool to follow. You can then constrain these paths and you can resize the door and batch the different sizes. The batch would nest the doors but then you would need to open each one in the profile modeler to make the face cuts. In the profile modeler you will select Custom Tool for each cutting region (tool path) and select the appropriate tool for that region. This way each path will be cut by the appropriate tool in one pass speeding up things even more than your pocket cuts. It won't be as fast as doing the cuts in the nest but much faster than modeling.
Scott Marshburn
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Joined: Sat, Mar 05 2011, 7:29AM
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Re: Question about using custom cutters for mdf doors

Post by Scott Marshburn »

Kerry,
Would you or would you not have to do each part 1 at a time this way? With the pocket method every thing would be done on a sheet to sheet bases including flip op's for glass doors and any hardware holes you may need.That is if you are using flip ops first feature. Also if you have to do each part 1 at a time some parts are not going to hold down.
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