Rough cut and final pass tool change and tool path advice?

[nadya835EC]

I am cutting into moderately soft hardwood (think soft maple). 3/4" thick.  I am cutting out a few shapes.  Really quite simple.  But the corners are extremely delicate and I want to have the cleanest edge I can when I'm through.  So what I've done is create a 2D Contour Tool Path with 1/4" down cut 2 flute bit that has an offset of .2 on the edge and .2 on the bottom.  THEN I created a separate 2d Contour Tool Path for a 1/4" 2 flute compression bit to ramp down into the remaining .2 on the bottom, and to hug my profile edge to finish the cut.

My question:

If I am doing a tool change, do I need to have these two tool paths as two separate files that I send to CNC?  And run the files back to back?  OR can I set up a "tool change" within the single 2D Contour file?

I'm SUPER concerned about my Z axis changing during the tool change and me somehow screwing up the x/y in the process.  How would you all go about this process?  Amateur here.

[matty.fuller]

Really depends on how the tool change happens for your machine...

For a machine with an ATC it's trivial to post both paths in a single program, exactly what they're meant to be doing.

If you have a machine where the tools are manually changed but each has it's own number/holder/offset that is repeatable then I expect you would be fine either way.

If you have a hobby machine where you need to undo a collet and re-touch/probe the tool, then it's likely down to the accuracy with which you can do that.

[seth.madore]

The other question; are you on a Personal or Commercial license? If the former, posting out multiple tools in one file is not supported. What machine and control?

[programming2C78B]

I think you'b be surprised by how clean a regular 2FL straight bit will work in maple.