[louieatienza]

I have to say, I appreciate this thread. However, the sticky really makes it seem like its most useful if one already has some idea what they're looking for. Unfortuantely, I don't.

I'm just getting started, but I'm having a very hard time determining the correct bit for a project. For example, I've got this coaster here: https://easel.inventables.com/projec...Xd0LYBqL2CghEg

Should be pretty simple. But, unfortunately, I can use 60 or 90 V-bits and it gets close to usable - some of the letters are still a bit deformed. If I try a ball-end, I get total garbage - a circle with some blobs.

I've got a 10-degree v-bit that might work, but the estimated time is more than 50 hours, which is obviously nuts for a 4x4 coaster.

Can anyone offer any suggestions here?

In VCarve, you can select a flat area tool to clear the field, this looks like it can be up to a 1/8" flat endmill. The finishing toolpath would be with your v bit. If you don't have VCarve, you probably can do this using a flat endmill, leaving half the diameter of your v bit at final depth along the sides, then do a pencil trace with the v bit... but that would leave tiny islands that you'll have to manually touch up. Point is, you need CAM that allows what we call "rest machining" so you can clear the field with a larger tool.