Polar_Holes

This cuts a circular pattern of regularly spaced, and identically sized, holes.

User steps:

• Step 1: center the router bit over the center of the hole pattern that you wish to cut.
• Step 2: run the wizard.

Machine steps:

• Step 3: the machine will move the bit to Safe Z height.
• Step 4: the machine will then move to the first hole location and perform a hole boring operation identical to the Hole Borer procedure, except for returning to center.
• Step 5...: the machine will move to the next hole repeat the hole boring procedure.
• Step 6: the machine will move back up to Safe Z height and return to center.

The options offered in the wizard are:

• 'Feed rate': the wizard will use this to set the feed rate when making cuts; fast moves are made according to the machine's default configuration.
• 'Safe Z travel height': the height at which it is safe for the router and bit to move in the XY-plane; default value is 100mm.
• 'Maximum cut per pass': the wizard will cut the circles in passes of X thickness to be defined here.
• 'Cutter diameter': the wizard presents a list of pre-defined options. Add additional sizes to the top of the MC_defaults.py file, to the tuple assigned to bits.
• 'Stock thickness': the thickness of the workpiece; the wizard will cut all the way through the workpiece.
• 'Hole diameter': the diameter of each the holes to be cut; the wizard adjusts the cutting arc radius according to the bit selected to achieve this diameter.
• 'Number of holes': the minimum number of holes is 2. Given x holes, they will be spaced 360°/x apart.
• 'Hole circle diameter': this is the diameter of a circle that crosses the center-point of all of the cut holes.