I want to carve text into a MDF plate. The word is 6 letters and the dimensions of the word is 26x10cm.
As it is nothing “special” I try using the “text”-option in Luban. However when I try to simulate the result is really not what I’m looking for. Even though the text I am using is somewhat simple, the simulation shows cut corners and letters cut into each other. I could maybe understand this if I was carving small details but that is not the case.
Then there is the time. It is estimated to take roughly 52 hours! Can that be right? I think I can carve it with a dremel faster
If I adjust the stepover and stepdown I can reduce the time a lot (still 2 hours if I go for 2,2 in stepdown and 2 for stepover), but then the simulation shows a lot of rough edges. See below.
I hope some of you guys, have some great tips on how to carve some text into a plate. I know it is a “noob” question, but well, I have to start somewhere
Please use a smaller cutter for Shank Diameter maybe 1,5mm or 0,5mm. I just created a text in Luban and set it with Shank Diameter 3,175 like you did in the preview a quite rough text in which the bus letters hang together.
Either your text is too small for the 3.175 Shank Diameter or you must take a smaller cutter!
Because if I reduce the shank diameter in Luban, the text will also be better in the simulation !!!
I attached a similar file with the same number of letters and same size as my project. When I use the fill function it takes almost two days. And the final font in the simulation does not look anything like the font I have chosen.
When I try the “on path” settings the simulation font look much more true to the original font AND the time is 44min. However this won’t cut out the “inner parts” of the letters.
I do believe that this should be possible with a 3,175mm flat mill. Especially when the “on path” setting show such promising results in the simulation. (The fill function should just follow the same path as the “on path” function only with closing the path in on it self as it process).
To me it looks like the fill function insist on carving from side to side instead of following each letter like the on path function.
Your stepover is way too small: .12 mm. That’s what’s taking so long. For a flat end mill it should be set somewhere between just less than, and 1/3 of, the diameter of your bit.
For best surface finish less than half is best. For clearing it just needs to be less than the bit so it overlaps slightly. I usually use 1/3 for finish.
Step down you can sometimes use 1mm, but it depends on the material. With hardwoods I usually find .5mm to be best. MDF can vary. I tend to err on the smaller side.
The simulations in Luban can be bad. Do some tests with a single letter and a small target depth like 1mm. That will show you what you need. Going deeper won’t change that. Also you may find that 1mm or 2mm is deep enough. You may find that the actual result is much deeper looking than you’d envisioned.
-S
