How-To: The Router Bit Organizer in vCarve

Darren Wright

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These are the steps I took for creating my router bit organizer (http://familywoodworking.org/forums/showthread.php?36132-Router-Bit-Organizer) in vCarve. I assume most of this should apply to some of the other Vectric products others are using here.

The setup of my board, which was 12" x 10" x 3/4", Zero for Z was set at the top of the work, and the datum point was set in the bottom left of the work piece.

Setup.PNG

I setup to snap to the grid, you can bring up this dialog by pressing F4
F4_snapsettings.PNG


I first created a single circle vector with a radius of .28, which allows a little room so the 1/2" router bit doesn't get stuck. I wanted the holes to be 1" on center from one another, so started 1" off the left and bottom sides of the work.
FirstHole.jpg


I closed the circle vector window, then clicked on the "Create linear array of copies" button on the toolbar
CopyArray.PNG


I chose to create copies of the circle in 5 rows and 11 columns, I subtracted the diameter of a circle from 1" to get .44", which was used as the spacing between the copies.
CopyArray2.jpg

Click Copy, then click Close.
SmallHole.jpg

Create another circle vector, this one was 1" above my other array on the left side, .125 radius (I found this was big enough for all my 1/4" bits).
CopyArray3.jpg

Close the circle vector window and click the "Create linear array of copies", this time make only 4 rows, still 11 columns, but also update the spacing between copies to .75" (1" minus .25"), click to copy and close the array copy window.
smallCopyArray.jpg

Select all the vectors and create a new pocket operation. I set mine to use a 1/4" end mill, .625" deep, zero pocket allowance, and calculated the pocket gcode.
Pockets.jpg
 

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Awesome tutorial, Darren!

It'll translate to vcarve and aspire for sure - Not sure how much cut2d can do, but possibly there, too. Nicely done.

The linear array tool is exactly the tool I used, too, for my grid. Only oddity for mine was that each row of holes was offset by an arbitrary amount (.026, iirc) so I could have a lot of choices for the pins I was making. I did the same as you did once i had a series of holes marked for the right locations (using the arrow keys and copy/pasting) to create a single column to be repeated. Worked out great!


grid.jpg
 
Awesome tutorial, Darren!

It'll translate to vcarve and aspire for sure - Not sure how much cut2d can do, but possibly there, too. Nicely done.

The linear array tool is exactly the tool I used, too, for my grid. Only oddity for mine was that each row of holes was offset by an arbitrary amount (.026, iirc) so I could have a lot of choices for the pins I was making. I did the same as you did once i had a series of holes marked for the right locations (using the arrow keys and copy/pasting) to create a single column to be repeated. Worked out great!


View attachment 92547

Ah, I see what you did there...;)
 
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