Vectric Tutorial - How To Close Vectors [Vcarve, Aspire, Cutr2D] - Grouping and Join Vectors

[@petermonaco6827]

I've been CNC'ng with VCarve Pro for 4 months and always get frustrated closing vectors to the point I always do 10 additional steps to get them done. Have watched endless videos on nodes and closing vectors and my mistake was to press the close vector TWICE!!! WTF!!! Thanks and now to return to my errant files and finally complete them as intended. Thanks Garrett.

[@IDCWoodcraft]

petermonaco6827, You're not alone in making that mistake, it happens! Glad you found the solution and can now complete your projects more smoothly. Keep up the great work with your CNC projects!

[@Brian_T]

I have contemplated throwing my laptop across the room in an attempt to close frustrating vectors while using Vcarve. This video is a much more reasonable alternative. Thanks! LOL. 😂😂😂

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Yes, I think you might want to try this first lol

[@kwaks1979]

Same for us today 😂

[@kwaks1979]

This still didn’t answer why we have so many intersection errors. Ugh

[@rowepjr]

I had guessed that it was a grouping issue. I have had similar issue in other graphics programs. Now I know how to fix in Vcarve. I like the trick of extending the vector outside the workpiece to get rid of the rounded corner. Thanks for another helpful video.

[@ApexWoodworks]

The only thing I would have done different in extending the vector, would have been to shorten it to the absolute distance, thus saving milling time.

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Peter, I'm glad this helped you out! I know how frustrating these little details can be!

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Marty, great tip brother! That would definitely save some milling time!

[@kennethlehmann4225]

I just ran into that problem a couple days ago and you answered all my questions.

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Kenneth, right on! Glad I could help you on this one!

[@msmith08311]

Thanks! You have an amazing ability to communicate difficult topics extremely well. Love your videos. Still working through them. Only been using my Axiom CNC since I retired a few months ago. Loved your video on focusing on the future and not the past. I, too, have struggled with some devastating life events. Your insights were awesome and struck a nerve. Thanks a million!!!

[@IDCWoodcraft]

MsSmith, thank you so much for the support! Congrats on your Axiom CNC, I think it is going to be a wonderful transition into your retirement. I am excited to see where your CNC journey takes you!

[@Kyle-wb7wx]

Oh my GOD, I bet your Obama impression is FANTASTIC!

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Kyle-wb7wx, Haha, I appreciate the enthusiasm! While I've got my CNC skills down, impressions are a whole different hobby!

[@odarkthirtywoodworks3543]

Your timing is phenomenal!! I literally just searched this same topic up earlier today, and you have saved me so much time! Thank you so much!

[@IDCWoodcraft]

O Dark Thirty Woodworks, right on! I'm glad this helped you out!

[@flashinthepan1965]

Thanks for the informative video Garrett! My bit set just arrived quickly and safely ! Thanks for the great customer service and awesome bits!

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Flash InThePan, you're so welcome! Thanks for letting me know the bits arrived safely! I feel a lot of companies don't treat their customer like people anymore, so I've always made this my top priority! Happy cutting my friend!

[@ronnorris1504]

Thanks for sharing and very remarkable video. Who said you can't teach an old dog new tricks.

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Ron, I couldn't agree more bother! Glad it was helpful for you!

[@andyfinck6652]

Very helpful, very good teacher

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Andy, thanks! I love what I do my friend.

[@dave012175]

As ALWAYS Garrett your Videos and Instructions are GREAT.... I am surprised that you were in engineering types of jobs instead of teaching. Of course you probably made more of an income in that area... LOL. Take care My Friend... Always enjoy your video's... THANK YOU

[@IDCWoodcraft]

David, thanks again my friend! Wow, I'm humbled by your kind words! I truly love what I do teaching on here! I wouldn't trade it for the world!

[@douglasmitchell4063]

Good video Garrett! Thanks as always.

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Douglas, my pleasure brother!

[@ApexWoodworks]

Really helpful, Garrett. I was expecting you to go all the way and change the milling method of not only the 4 "slotted" areas, but the circles as well, from Pocket milling to Profile milling. Doing so will save a dramatic amount to milling time. But I guess that you only have some much time for each video and therefore can't cover too many things in each one.

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Yes, I thought about doing that in the project and started to go into it but edited it out. I really wanted people to understand the core issue. I'll talk about the profile and other projects. I may start doing that in the future just to help people understand this process and everything.

[@grahamrankin4725]

When I start designing a project with a simmer element, I hopefully will remember you solution.

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Graham, it will always be here for reference if the time comes my friend!

[@3DogsCustomEngraving]

This makes sense to me. Kinda like Lightburn

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Robert, exactly! You got it brother!

[@paulsmessyworkshop]

Garrett, good information, thanks for the explanation.

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Paul, you're so welcome! Glad to help!

[@ronc1231]

In the initial drawing, would he have been better off to 1. Draw a circle, 2. Draw a box to represent the lines, 3. Snip the un wanted lines from the box and circle? Also I would Draw one, run vector validator, when it's clean, copy to fill the job.

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Ron, that could work! There are plenty of ways to skin a cat as they say.

[@ronc1231]

I can't wait to get my machine set up. My son in law and I are building the table recommended for the 32x48 longmill.

[@harryshaw4998]

I have recently purchased a CNC machine that uses a spinner not a regular router. The bits are small, and I'm asking if this cnc can cut through regular wood or plywood 1 inch thick as in a leg or part of a table? I got it from Vevor and it's a large unit. I want to make images that use the whole wood. Can you help???

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Hi Harry. I have several videos on this channel that can help you with images. Go to my website. On the homepage is a download of all the videos on this channel. You'll find them on that list. My website is IDC woodcraft.com

[@harryshaw4998]

@@IDCWoodcraft I went to the link and didn't get my question answered. Can my cnc cut through a 3/4 inch piece of wood. IE Will it cut out the circle of a clock like my Dewalt can???

[@IDCWoodcraft]

@@harryshaw4998 It depends on what CNC machine you have. What brand is it?

[@harryshaw4998]

@@IDCWoodcraft Vevor 8080. There was NOT any operational instructions with it. You can't get customer support if you do by chance talk to someone they have to e-mail china to get the information you want.

[@harryshaw4998]

Vevor Cnc Router Kit Evolution 4@@IDCWoodcraft

[@LYTOMIZE_Woodshop]

Awesome video. I've had the same error but - I think- in another context in the past. It'll be interesting to see if I can use what I learned here next time it happens. Thanks!

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Michael, thanks! I hope this does the trick for your other project! Let me know!

[@mr.p9882]

Good video!!! I am looking at your computer setup, and wondering how it works for you? Can you explain what all you have set up, and what you do with it? The monitor showing gSender, is that hooled into your laptop, or into the longmill box? If in the Longmill box, how do you have it set up? And I see a number of LM users using a mouse, can you tell me if that is just for VCarve, or are you somehow controlling the router with it? Thanks!!!! Also, could you please tell me, it APPEARS you have your computer directly connected to the Longmill, and perhaps you are sending the files over ethernet to it from the laptop? I suppose that when I get my machine, I will understand things a little more...and by the way, I TRIED to order through the link in one of your videos, and it came back saying the page did not exist!!! So I just ordered via their website...sorry!!!

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Yes if you have the right software. You would have to buy Vectric aspire so you could create the 3D model out of the picture

[@dalemanley9662]

Would cutting them out in Profile work without changing all that

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Dale, that would work great but this CNCer was trying to do a pocket!

[@pontushanson4325]

Very informative, great video

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Pontushanson, glad to hear it brother!

[@ytbb123]

Again very helpfull, thanks Garret !

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Einnebbennie, you are so welcome brother.

[@SteveSpears-xg6ze]

Once you get all 3 closed can you group the 4 objects to cut them together or individual tool paths?

[@IDCWoodcraft]

SteveSpears-xg6ze, Yes, once you've closed all 3 vectors, you can group the 4 objects together to cut them simultaneously, saving time and ensuring they align perfectly on the material. This will allow your CNC machine to follow one toolpath for all objects in one go.

[@paulbergman8228]

Ok, you left the key slots off center. Had it been on center would it have worked after closing the vectors? 😬

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Paul, that would be something to look into. This was another CNCers file, it would have to be something to look into for sure.

[@ericsaxon9610]

I have tried writing before on grouping with no response, so give it one more try. I am new to cnc. I started a project that requires multiple files (flag with M4 and wording) the first 2 files (Stripes) came out perfect. The remaining files tried to re cut the stars and the stripes. So I reprogrammed to try and ungroup the files and then save to disk. Question> with a multiple file project that seems simple to some is beating me. I was told I can ungroup all files at once and tried that. also tried to ungroup one file at a time. If you have a chance and can explain this flag has stripes/stars/m4/and wording. thanks in advance

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Eric, that is a bit tough to answer over comment. Shoot me an email with plenty of pictures, I should be able to help you better there.

[@mruble64]

I'm trying to do a male inlay and when I go to select my tool all of my tools are not in there but when I do a female inlay all of my tools are there

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Mark, have you ensured that you selected the material that you are cutting in your tool database?

[@mruble64]

@@IDCWoodcraft so what you are say is that I actually have to select a material type when doing a male inlay? I didn't do that but I will try to see if this will fix my problem.

[@IDCWoodcraft]

@@mruble64 Do a search for how to import the tool database into Vectric. You'll see a video with a green band around it. That is my video. In that video, it will explain what I mean by material selection. You'll understand when you see it.

[@AndrewR74]

Thank you

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Andrew, you are so welcome brother.

[@fxsrider]

I really wish we could assign shortcut keys in vcarve desktop for frequently used items.

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Hi FX. There are shortcut keys. I was going to do a video on it at some point. But if you do a search for Vectric shortcut, you'll find the resource that has the shortcuts

[@fxsrider]

@@IDCWoodcraft I want to be able to assign a shortcut. Many times I have to go into node editing and draw a box around two nodes and click join then move end points. It's tedious on a large vector created within vcarve. It does a fair at best job of creating the vectors and usually creates long ellipses with lots of smaller ones in between I go in to correct. Thanks for the reply!

[@IDCWoodcraft]

@@fxsrider you're absolutely welcome!

[@MrBAchompBAchomp]

I have a vector that will only generate a toolpath for cutting the inside of the shape even when the path is selected to cut outside the shape

[@IDCWoodcraft]

MrBAchompBAchomp, you'll need to create a vector around the outside perimeter of your project. This should fix your issue brother!

[@MrBAchompBAchomp]

@@IDCWoodcraft thanks! I'm so new to vcarve and CNC. I ended up redrawing the shape I was working on and I didn't have the same issue. Your videos are great help

[@johnjames2682]

Nice tips

[@IDCWoodcraft]

John, glad you liked it brother! Happy cutting!

[@cncprogrammer3265]

After decades of using Mastercam, I tried to do things the same way with Vectric. No good. Close to total fail if not total fail. Grouping? What the heck is that? I found I don't really need to know. I just have to learn work around it or fix it.

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Grouping is a tool that you will want to use at times. I have videos that explain about it.

[@cncprogrammer3265]

@@IDCWoodcraft I just click around on it until it does what I want, then I keep going.

[@saintcharlesdesigngroup4419]

That was a lot of words just to say ungroup before closing

[@IDCWoodcraft]

Saint Charles, point taken brother. Ill work on brevity in future videos.

[@jimmytherazor]

Thanks for the answer... Can you edit your videos a little more please? 21min to explain something that might be explained in 5 - 10 Min!

[@IDCWoodcraft]

jimmytherazor, Thank you for the feedback! I'll work on making my videos more concise and to the point in the future.

[@olanordmann7836]

Dude, thanks for the info an all, but please get to the point.

[@IDCWoodcraft]

olanordmann7836, Hey there! I totally get what you're saying. I'll make sure to keep things more concise in my future videos. Thanks for the feedback!

[@olanordmann7836]

​@@IDCWoodcraft Thanks for not taking my blountness too hard, man. I have at least one suggestion: You merely need to tell your audience what the problem solving you are going to demonstrate is, you dont need to go into a lengthy explination of what the problem Is. Anyone clicking on your videoo already know what the problem is.