The following was just sent by email to all authorized Multicam Users.
My Multicam Mea Culpa
(being sent to all authorized users as of 9Apr2019)
I have been a BIG proponent of the Fasmer Method for setting the Surface Z level on the Multicam. I encouraged Chris Ghaly to add it to his training package and made a video about using it.
I have used it for years and only recently discovered it did not do what I thought it did. For a tiny recap, the Fasmer method places the TOUCHPAD on the SPOILBOARD, not the work piece. You start by pressing the SHIFT key, then the SURFACE key and next enter the work thickness value on the remote and press ENTER, then hold ZERO to auto-set and it calculates where to set the Surface height. The thickness I enter is the exact same thickness I set the work thickness to be in VCarve. Then when I cut that same thickness, it touches the spoilboard, but doesn’t leave much of a scar at all.
The other thing the Fasmer Method sets is Depth. Here’s where I was wrong: that Depth is NOT the Max Depth. I got away with it because I didn’t cut deeper than my work depth. When I finally made that mistake, there was not a Max Depth value set and into the spoilboard I went. (For what it is worth, the Depth being set is something called the 2D Params Depth which most people will never use.)
So, contrary to everything I have said before, YOU STILL NEED TO SET MAX DEPTH EVEN WHEN USING FASMER .
I personally still like Fasmer a lot. While it doesn’t eliminate the Max Depth setting step, it does make it simple as follows:
- Determine the thickness of your work. This could be an nominal value or a maximim if you are measuring it.
- Define your work thickness in VCarve Job Setup to be compatible with your chosen work material.
- Use that exact same value for any through cuts you make in your toolpaths.
- Use that exact same value in your Fasmer material thickness entry and setup made from the spoilboard.
- Immediately after setting the Fasmer Surface and without moving the touchpad, set Max Depth.
Doing this avoids having to set the touchpad on your work for Surface and moving to a different location to set Max Depth.
My apologies for misunderstanding this and for advising Fasmer took care of Max Depth all in one step. I was wrong and am bummed about it!
Have started working to see if I can find a work around, but that won’t be quick if it is even possible.
Bert Rabbe
Multicam SIG Leader