Negative Contour Offset in MC X 5

I'm making guitars ( solid bodies ) and I want to have the same bit .375 cut the contour for binding.
I can't seem to do a negative contour offset, so how do I do this MC X5? height is .23 thickness is .059

After I cut all my pockets, drill all my holes, cut the contour at finished depth....I want to then take a minor contour cut to finish the body for the single binding.
I tried to do an Xform Offset, but you can't do a negative number.....

This is bugging me greatly.

Then the next thing is setting up the drawing to cut the Arm relief on Strats and the Belly or Contour relief on the back side! That's another question if you can help.

Thanks
Rob

Quote:

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Originally Posted by robwiacek

After I cut all my pockets, drill all my holes, cut the contour at finished depth....I want to then take a minor contour cut to finish the body for the single binding.
I tried to do an Xform Offset, but you can't do a negative number.....

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The offset side depends what side of the original you L-click your mouse on....after inputting an offset size ( +ive only), number of steps, left/right/both sides, etc
- hint... don't use your enter key (or accept button )....until you are happy with the result, you can modify values, change sides using the red arrow <--/-->

Ok Superman....
So thanks again for your input. To me if it isn't perfectly clear and reduced to simple stupid steps....I'll never get it. What your reply did for me was to give me a little more focus. AADD

So when I went to add the contour, I chained it, added the width of the chain, and in the window, there is an arrow that runs horizontal...either left or right. After I clicked on the arrow, the contour jumped to the inside! Voila!
That did it.....I ran the program to verify it looked accurate and it did!
Now,I did try to click on the inside of my existing contour and it did not change the position of the new contour!
Thanks for the focus on my problem.
Rob

Wow ! Just looked at that little sketch you did with the arrows..... That's it!
Thanks again.


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In Mastercam X5, can you change the tool path direction after you go through all the steps?
Sometimes when I varify my latest work I notice the tool is going the wrong way.
So , I delete that and start over.... Getting tired of that now .
Thanks in advance for your help.
Rob


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Quote:

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Originally Posted by robwiacek

In Mastercam X5, can you change the tool path direction after you go through all the steps?
Sometimes when I varify my latest work I notice the tool is going the wrong way.

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Yes

L-click on the "Geometry" icon, it will open to a dialog box that holds the selected contours ( or points, if a drill cycle) for that operation.
- you may have multiple chains, you need to L-click on the chain you wish to emend, Then R-click that item ( big green arrow indicates cutting direction, small arrow indicates offset side )
- then select "Reverse chain"....you may also have to "Change side" ( this last option can change all chains, so you may have to re-select that chain again using the R-click menu in the dialog box )

Side note for multiple chains
- you can move each path chain to a new order by the drag & drop method...to get a more efficient path between contours
ie a series of holes, & you forgot 1 hole....add the chain to the end, then drag it ( dialog box ) so that it can be ordered logically

Great job once again Superman !
Next problem is to try to draw a neck and machine it .
I can and have the drawings done , but still can't figure out how to 3d it in MC


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I think a good start would be to just draw a 1"x3"x 28" rectangle.
Then what I can figure out us to place a 12" radii on both ends and gave a ball mill make that entire board have a 12" radii across the. 3" width.
After that, I can place the fret position and figure out how to keep the end mill down to follow the radii and stay at a consistent depth.
Thus a Fret Board is made.


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I have a better idea. Draw and place the two radius's as you mentioned. Under the create menu surface tab select create ruled/lofted surface. Then hit the green check. Now go to toolpaths and under surface finish select finish parallel toolpath. In the cam tree select the geometry tab for the toolpath. Click the white pointer arrow next to the word drive. Select the surface you just created. Hit the enter button then hit the green check again. Now under parameters select your tool and hit the check again. You should now have the toolpath your looking for though you may need to adjust other things under the parameters to get the best finish. Now things you should know. If you draw each of your radius's to the actual length needed plus just a little on each side you will speed up your program by not cutting so much air. The radius's can be different lengths and it will still create the correct surface. And last if you draw two different radius's and create a surface between them you have now drawn a compound radius. Hope this all makes sense.

Ben

Nope
Couldn't follow it.
I'm sure if I watched it being done I could emulate it.
I could draw a rectangle, then go to solids and extrude the surface 1" down.
That's where I stopped. Could get the radii to attach to anything.
Crap.


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I'll be the first to admit I'm not good at explaining. I don't know how much if any 3d cad and cam work you have done if any. It always seems so easy to do these kinds of things now that I have been doing them for many years I sometimes forget how hard it was when I started. I'll try to think of a better way to explain and if I can I'll post back.

Ben

A good question for you is do you understand what it means to create a wireframe? It is the outline of a 3d model. What your doing doesn't really require a solid and you would have to convert your solid to surfaces to create a toolpath anyway.

Ben

I have some idea.
I think I can do this in my friends Aspire.


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RED TOOL PATH ... In MCX5
While in school the other day, I designed a part and thought I had all the parameters set correctly.
Upon executing one cut and moving to the next , a red tool path line, looking like a gouge occurred when moving to the next cut .
I changed the retract parameter and it removed most if the line except for about one inch.
I checked the Lead in a Lead out and since I almost never use that , I left it deselected.
Any ideas ?
Thanks


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