Dado Problem

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Bill OConnell
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Dado Problem

Post by Bill OConnell »

We are using an upper cabinet from eCabinets to make drawer boxes. We take the back of the box (top of the cabinet) into the Part Editor and cut two notches in it to accomodate undermount drawer slides. Here is the problem.

During nesting we got the following error message, \"Diameter of tool didn't work for a rout operation. The diameter tried was 0.5\" We dado the drawer box bottom into the sides and front and back. The parts that we notched did not get a dado cut into it, all the other parts did.

We used this approach once before without a problem. In between we upgraded to a later version of rolling next (v.4.71).

Any suggestions?
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Nick M Singer
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Post by Nick M Singer »

Hi Bill

I find that most times I have this problem it is for one of two reasons, 1) I dont have the material used set up in the cutter group or 2) The tool diameter is exactly the same size of the dado I am trying to cut.
Bill OConnell
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Post by Bill OConnell »

I might agree with you Nick, except that it cut the same sized dado in all the other parts without a problem. The only parts where it didn't were the ones I used the Part Editor to notch the bottoms.
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David Hall
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Post by David Hall »

Bill,
I think Nick's comment about the size of the dado is probably on point.

The dado for the cabinet back (drawer bottom) is a \"smart\" dado. i.e. it will change size with material thickness changes, and it has both depth and fit clearance added to it when the TWD file is created.

When you take a part to the part editor and cut out your notches if the notches touch the dado, it becomes a \"dumb\" dado. It will no longer be adjusted for material thickness changes and the \"fit\" clearance is not added to the dado width. The dado becomes a \"Rout\" operation. You can check if this is happening by noting the color of the dado in rolling nest. If it's red, it's a rout operation and without the \"fit\" clearance added to it's width, may be too small for the available tools.

I would try drawing the notches with just a .002\" clearance between them and the dado.

Regards,
Dave
David Hall
Hall's Edge Inc.
eCabinets Machining Services
http://www.HallsEdge.com
Jody Wilmes
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Post by Jody Wilmes »

Just a note;
If your cutout touches a dado, then Control Nesting will look at the dado as a rout operation....preventing the necessary dado extensions to be cut. This will cause the tennons not to fit properly.
Bill OConnell
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Post by Bill OConnell »

I could've sworn I did this before on an earlier version of rolling nest, but I tried to go back to an earlier version but ran into some issues.

I took Dave's advise and moved my drawer bottom up 0.002\" and it nested just fine.

Thanks to all for your help and suggestions.

Regards,
Bill
Woodworking the Way You Want It
Nick M Singer
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Post by Nick M Singer »

Hi Bill, I am reconsidering my previous position on this issue. i am running 2 jobs now where I have cut outs generated in the part editor and I am also getting the same tooling error as you
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