How would you create a rough tool path for this file

[muellercandd]

This is my first complex shape and I am struggling on an idea of how to make the tool paths. Every roughing pass I have tried takes ~20 hours. I would like to get some ideas on efficient ways to machine this. See file attached and thanks in advance.

[a.laasW8M6T]

Hi

To give a better answer, could you provide some more information:

What material are you machining?

What machine are you making this on?

What is the machines maximum RPM?

What other cutters can you use on this machine?

[muellercandd]

I will be machining a soft wood like pine. Im running a bulkman cnc router. It run at 24000 rpm. I like to run it at 18000 with a feed rate of 40 IPM. I was planing on roughing this with a 1/4 endmill. I can use others in other sizes as well. I have many collet sizes and could use almost any endmill for wood, usually 2 flutes. Hope this helps.

[seth.madore]

40ipm is rather slow for pine, is that the max feed that your machine allows for?

If it's just pine, I'd likely just rough with a Pocket Clearing and finish with a Parallel toolpath, and a Scallop toolpath to clean up the snake

I'd also use the biggies tool my machine could comfortably take, as a larger stepover is going to equal less cycle time, assuming you can still feed it fast

[muellercandd]

Ok, so I actually changed the design, changed the machining setup and came up with something I can live with.  Now I have a new question. If you look in my attached file, I have backed the time line up to only show a wave surface. I would like to mill this first, then apply my emboss and the mill the emboss. I can not seem to determine a good workflow to make this happen. Please educate me on a good work flow to create this. Thanks

[seth.madore]

Couple methods:
Roll back the timeline, duplicate the body and then create two setups:

You will need to make sure you're selecting the same origin point in both setups. 

The other method is similar:

Roll back timeline, duplicate the bodies, move timeline back.

In your initial setup, leave everything "as-is".

In all 3D toolpaths, there's a "Model" section in the Geometry Tab. Click that:

[muellercandd]

OK, so as normally, life gets in the way. I as able to follow your first steps and I think I got things to work. Now I am trying get the letters to machine out, but it seems as though It is just tracing the surface. I have tried a few different tool paths but keep getting the same result. Please see the attached file. What is going, what do I need to do different?

[seth.madore · Accepted solution]

You had incorrect models selected in your Setup. For the Setup Model, you want to select the body that has the engraving and then for your Stock, select "From Solid" and select the body that has no engraving.

You're also going to want to switch to a ball endmill for best finishes, unless you plan on filling in with an epoxy or similar.

[muellercandd]

Thank you so much!! This solved my problem. Now I just need to spend some time fine tuning the tool paths. I will post a solved file incase anyone else needs help.