I know that this seems trivial but I was having a hard time trying to determine whether or not the issue was either software, hardware or user error. Anyway, I used Makercam to load up the sled with tool paths file and exported the g-code and ran it on ground control. I then used Maslow to cut the sled but every time I cut the sled (around 5 already) on the plywood, the cutting depth was only about 0.5" instead of 0.8" which was what was the default.
I tried to systematically figure out what was wrong. Was it because the plywood was too thick (0.75")? Was it because the Z-axis wasn’t zeroed correctly (had to zero it every time)? Was it because Makercam wanted a value for the thickness of the plywood (default was 0)?
Anyway, to make a long story short, the problem lay with the fact that the bit was NOT installed correctly. Having said that, however, I backed out the bit from the collet so that the length of the bit was 1.5" and then set the cutting depth to 0.95" to ensure that it would cut all the way through the plywood and the into the spoilboard just to make sure.
However, when I did that and ran a file (circle, depth of cut 0.95") the bit just flew off the shaft at around 0.80" into the plywood. I inspected the bit and the router and didn’t find any damage so I reinstalled it only to bring down the bit about 0.25" down leaving about 1.25" out of the collet.
Typically, when I install a bit into a router, I bottom out the bit and then back it out about 0.125" to make sure that the bit doesn’t fly out. Having the bit stick out 1.25" seems risky and dangerous to me but I don’t see any other way to ensure that the bit will cut all the way through the plywood.
Please advise. Thank you.