Machsupport Forum

G-Code, CAD, and CAM => LazyCam (Beta) => Topic started by: budman68 on November 13, 2007, 09:05:21 PM

Title: Offsets on circles
Post by: budman68 on November 13, 2007, 09:05:21 PM
[this pertains to LazyCam Pro 2.58]

Ok, I'm really confused here so I thought I'd throw this out there for you to help out. I've created a .500 diameter circle and would like to cut out the outside diameter,  hence the need for an offset. Now first I check the scale and indeed it is .500.

I'm going to use a .125 endmill so I load the tool in the offset screen/tab and choose "outside" in the dropdown box. I clck on "create offset". Now the offset line shows up and enlarges the black border, but when I click to check the scale, it only grew .125 in size. Since it's a diameter, shouldn't it have grown twice the cutter diameter since it has to go around the .500 diameter?

Something isn't right, and it might just be me! lol!

Your thoughts?

Dave
Title: Re: Offsets on circles
Post by: docltf on November 13, 2007, 11:40:33 PM
twice the radious of the cutter. rad .0625 plus dia .500 plus rad .0625 = dia .625
Title: Re: Offsets on circles
Post by: budman68 on November 14, 2007, 04:55:26 AM
Thanks so much for your help but I don't understand as that makes no sense to me, shouldn't the offset be for the whole diameter X 2 since I'd like the end result to be .500 and not .375,? The machine ended up cutting just that, .375 diameter just like it showed in the software.

So may I ask how you setup to get the result of .500?

Thanks again,
Dave
Title: Re: Offsets on circles
Post by: docltf on November 14, 2007, 06:56:31 AM
when you outside offset a .500 circle with a .125 cutter lcam will show two circles .500 and .625 then you have to delete the .500 circle before you generate the code.if you don't it will cut both circles.
Title: Re: Offsets on circles
Post by: budman68 on November 14, 2007, 11:19:40 AM
Yes sir, I did just that as I watched the video as well. There's still something going on here that I don't understand. I'm going to try and "trick" the software and use a 1/16th cutter and see what happens. That should actually work but I'll have to wait until I get home from work to try it.

It's still not a fix but if it works, I guess it's the best I can do.....Thanks again for your help-
Title: Re: Offsets on circles
Post by: budman68 on November 14, 2007, 06:00:04 PM
Ok, success after work today and it was definitely me. I thought I had been deleting the original chain but in fact I wasn't. Thanks again for your help doc, it's appreciated-  ;)