part editor cuts

[DarrelMWood]

I have a new one for me. Trying to make a mitered console using wood grain display cubes. The grain needs to run the length of the top (this is primarily for presentation purposes, not construction at this point). I create the display cube, and the grain is going in the correct direction. When I cut the miters off each end in Part Editor, it switches the direction of the grain. If I create the display cube by switching the length/width measures, I cannot cut the miters on the correct ends. I have attached a jpg showing the before and after photos. Any suggestions?
Thanks.

[DanEpps]

What are the dimensions of the cube? Are the ends mitered at 45°?

Have you looked at the "Part Editor Demystified" document on my website (second page under Training menu)?

[DarrelMWood]

The parts are 2" x 24" x 18" I'm using the closed contour to cut the 45 degree miters. The cuts are in the right place...the piece comes out just fine, except that the grain switched 90 degrees on the face (the 18x24 face) after I make the cuts. The grain on the edges stays the same, running the length.

[DarrelMWood]

If I do one contour cut, the grain stays the same. It's when I apply a second contour cut that the grain changes direction. I tried saving the cabinet, closing and reopening it, and doing the second cut then, but it still changes the direction of the grain.

[DanEpps]

In order to get the grain in the direction you want (with mitered ends), you will have to "turn around" the dimensions a bit.

Make the cube 18 wide, 24 long and 2 deep. You will need to create two tools for use in profiling the ends. I created my tools starting at 0,0 so I would not have to set the plunge and offset. This makes it so you don't have to remember the settings. The tools are 2 inches by 2 inches with no diameter.

Here is a link to a video I just made showing how to achieve the results you want...just click the "Last Page" button and download it. It is titled "Mitering Ends of a Display Cube."

Link: http://www.ecabworld.com/TrainingMain.aspx

[DarrelMWood]

Thanks, Dan.
What I don't get is why it starts out with the grain in the right direction, and then switches. Shouldn't the grain stay the same regardless of where I do the tooling? Is this a glitch, or is there some logical reason for it? Or is it the Computer Ghouls----they were fussing with my fax machine and scanner today. I thought it was the last vestiges of my sanity slipping away.

[Rick Palechuk]

Darrel, another way is to create 2" thick sheet stock. Then you can use display panels, which might work better for you.

[DanEpps]

Also, if you use Display Cubes, use them to make Display Objects in the Display Part Editor. There you can adjust the grain to run in any direction and they will be scalable.

[Kerry Fullington]

Darrel,

There is a long standing problem where the texture image on display cubes is messed up by part editor cuts. I try to use textures with no grain direction or I do as Dan mentioned and turn the cube into a display object. There is still a problem with this as texture images applied in the display part editor are always skewed.

Kerry

[DarrelMWood]

Thanks for all your help and suggestions. This might explain previous times where I just thought I had specified the dimensions wrong on a display cube and got the grain in the wrong direction.