How to Avoid Breaking Bits When Using Clamps – Toolpath Preview and Safe Z Height

This video is a reminder that when using clamps it is important to preview your toolpath in vectric to see if there is a possibility of hitting any of your clamps and breaking a bit or damaging a clamp.

The video will discuss previewing your toolpath after being calculated and ensuring the Safe Z Rapid travel is set properly to avoid hitting clamps during the carving process.

This is the setting in Vectric software, vCarve Pro or Aspire, that ensures when the CNC is moving from one location to another “rapid moves” during a toolpath that it is sufficiently high enough to avoid hitting hold down clamps.

Sections in this video are:

00:00 Introduction to the issue

00:50 Discussion of the issue background

01:40 How to interpret toolpath preview in Vectric Software

02:50 How to Set Safe Z Travel

04:25 Demonstration of Toolpath Height after Safe Z Travel set above clamp

04:45 Wrap Up