[AlisRuss]

I have a cncest 6090 cnc, I use mach 3 and design with Aspire 10.516.

I use a 6 mm 4 flute bit to create pockets in wood, 4 mm deep by 50.80 mm, 76.20 mm and 127.00 mm rounds. I do a raster climb with a final pass. I always have the spindle travel in the direction of the wood grain. I have terrible lines left behind by my bit that I have to sand. I'm spending way too much time sanding. Any suggestions on a change that would leave less lines? I use hard woods, med and soft woods also.

2nd question:
Software and machine set up for mm, however the machine came with different collets 08, 10, 12 and 1/8. Can I use imperial collets and bits when my machine and software are set up for metric?
If so, when I am creating the toolpath in Aspire will I need to change all of the settings to "mm"?


Thank you for your time.
Alison

 

[gwilki]

What have you set the stepover to be on your bit? For smooth surfaces, you should be down to 8% or less. This will slow things down, but can leave you with a surface that does not need sanding. Feeds and speeds must be good, too.

Yes, you can use imperial bits and still design in MM in Aspire. You don't need to change any settings to mm. For example, you can cut a 10mm x 10mm square with a 1/8" bit. Conversely, you can cut a 6" by 6" pocket with a 6mm bit.