Box Gadget: I'm confused by the vectors for profiling ('Box Layer' vs CutOut Layer)

[carolinasmith]

I was excited to try out the Box Creator (v1.1), but alas the Square Tabs I profiled were way off. I wanted two inch square tabs, but the tabs came out 2.25" and the receiver space was only 1.75". Glad I practiced on baltic birch...

I was confused when I selected the vectors to profile, since the CutOut layer has an outer vector (with arrows) and the Box Layer has the vector that I assumed would be THE box parts. Normally when I profile, I am used to choosing a single outline, So I ignored the CutOut layer vector and only profiled the Box layer vectors, choosing to cut outside the line.

After my failure, I looked at the vectors again, thinking I needed to choose the CutOut layer vectors only, but they don't seem to fit when I scoot them next to each other in Aspire. I used a 0.25 inch EM and did an Allowance Offset of the radius (0.125)

Thanks if someone can help me see the error of my ways.

[EricSchimel]

Did you perhaps have it set on dovetail mode? That might explain why your tenons were really large on one side, they probably were supposed to have an angle cut into them. Check the settings in the gadget carefully.

[carolinasmith]

No, they were clearly cut as square tabs, everything at right angles, but thanks.

Has anyone used the Box Creator (v1.1) gadget successfully for square tabs?

[EricSchimel]

I follow what you're saying... When you use the box creator gadget and you have dovetails set, you actually get square tenons on the screen represented as vectors. If you select those vectors and run an outside toolpath, you're going to get tenons that don't fit if you expect square tenons. With an error that large that could very well be what's going on.

The other thing to look at is what side of the line you're cutting on, sounds like you were about .5" off which is two times the diameter of the bit you were using.

it also sounds like you're manually setting up these toolpaths, which is why I'm suggesting looking closely at the options and how you make your toolpaths. Is there any reason you didn't want to use the toolpaths that the box generator makes for you automatically?

[carolinasmith]

Hi, I never wanted nor did I select the dovetails... I clicked on the Square Tabs box, because I wanted box joints, not dovetail joints. I did not see any toolpaths from the box generator???
That is why I 'selected' all vectors, and was going to the toolpath menu, but I thought I saw two vectors for each piece, so I then manually selected (using the shift key) all the vectors from the Box Layer, and then proceeded to the Profile menu and manually set up the toolpaths.

I'll try running a new box file again to see if it gives me gadget generated toolpaths. I didn't see any, or at least I didn't think to look for any. I guess I thought I had to make some... I sure hope that was my problem! Thanks and I'll look again.

[EricSchimel]

If you want, post the file that was giving you trouble.