-
Posts
-
Is V-Grooving really faster or is it just a different method with different benefits. I am seriously considering the Compact V from Steve, but I don’t just want to do it different, I want to save time.
Andy
If I could get the company to finish setting up mine I would be able to tell you for certain. When we were running test pieces from our cut off saw/ counter saw set up into the v- groover we were able to run a 96″ vanity top in around 3 minutes. Personally I saw the one monument tools has available and it looks like a good machine. Plus it can be set up to run a cove real easy, which is why I liked it, and it is not 70K or more.
John
Andy,
Hi. I think the v-groove cove is the best benefit of a v-groover, especially for fabricating commercial vanities. V-grooving the profiled edges can save time depending on the edge profile and various other aspects of the job. If you are reintroducing tops to rout the edge profile, it is best not to v-groove the edges (does anyone else v-groove and reintroduce?), especially if you are going to be using the wall edge as a reference during reintroducing. It is normally faster to v-groove edges and rout the edge profile manually when you have a single top or a few tops with a minimal edge profile (1/4″ bevel, 3/8″ roundover, etc.), but when fabricating tops with a small ogee edge profile, it is faster to use stand-up build-ups and rout the edge profile on the CNC due to the time that you save in sanding by not having chatter or lines in the small radius of the ogee. Even doing tops with minimal edge profiles (1/4″ bevel, 3/8″ roundover, etc.), I still reintroduce them if there is at least one top in the job that can’t be v-grooved because it has an inside corner, etc. I feel there are a lot more benefits to reintroducing tops – you can true-up field seams after the build-ups have been applied without having to worry about someone sanding too much off, the fabricators only need to flush-trim the edges that are being used as references and the rest just get trimmed off when you are profiling/trimming, if a seam does not glue-up correctly you will have an easy time positioning the piece back on the table to trim the seam edges, etc. With all this said in favor of reintroducing, you do really have to watch how much you reintroduce. You don’t want the CNC to be tied up reintroducing with fabricators standing around waiting for other jobs to be processed on the CNC. Does your CNC have a saw on it? If it does, you can get saw blades to do your v-grooved edges and v-grooved coves on the CNC (there I go again tying up the CNC) – you will just need to manually tape the tops. V-groovers normally have a large footprint, especially if you have a lot of roller tables for support, and you don’t want to be eating up space that doesn’t neccessarily need to be and that you may need in the future.
Have a nice evening,
Seth
Len,
Sound Great. Maybe I will come down there and have a look. I would love to just buy one but my wife controls the money [EMO]bigsmile.gif[/EMO]. Do you feel that it is going to save time, or is there another reason you are buying it?
Seth,
That was some good info, Thanks.
Andy
Andy,
Honestly I have all of this equipment in my new shop and here is what I would do. Cut all the parts on the CNC including a 1″ pc to stand up for the edge. Buy the v-groover for steve and just set it up to use for cove splashes. My guys can build a stand up edge faster than a man running it thru the v-groover. Plus sometimes the v-groover has a couple of problems. But to use it as a stand alone cove machine, definitely. Seth is right about reintroducing, simple edges just do by hand but more complex cutting on the CNC. We run a bit of Corian’s midnight for a certain builder who loves it with a pretty fancy edge. On our CNC the edge require next to no sanding.
John
Does anyone know how long the bits will last on a v-groover runnign solid surface? I’m thinking actually to make my coved splashes with a groover but I already have a system that works but requires manually pushing the router.
Amir wrote
Does anyone know how long the bits will last on a v-groover runnign solid surface? I’m thinking actually to make my coved splashes with a groover but I already have a system that works but requires manually pushing the router.
The big V groovers running the large diameter carbide tipped cutters get about 600 lin ft before the cutters are dull. At that point the machine is so loud that it is impossible to be around without hearing protection. Change the cutter, adjust the depth of cut, and go back to work.
The Compact V gets about 400 lin ft before the blades need to be changed. Rotate the inserts and go back to work, no re adjustment needed. Nowhere near as loud either.
4 inserts @$4.50 ea = $18.00. Two cutting edges per insert = $18.00 total cost per 800 lin ft.
I don’t remember what the large diameter carbide tipped cutters cost, or the cost to sharpen them.
Jcristina wrote
Andy,
Honestly I have all of this equipment in my new shop and here is what I would do. Cut all the parts on the CNC including a 1″ pc to stand up for the edge. Buy the v-groover for steve and just set it up to use for cove splashes. My guys can build a stand up edge faster than a man running it thru the v-groover. Plus sometimes the v-groover has a couple of problems. But to use it as a stand alone cove machine, definitely. Seth is right about reintroducing, simple edges just do by hand but more complex cutting on the CNC. We run a bit of Corian’s midnight for a certain builder who loves it with a pretty fancy edge. On our CNC the edge require next to no sanding.
John
Are you running one of my machines? What problems are you getting?
Steve,
No, we have a machine by someone else. The owner puchased it before I was brought on. It is a lot more money than yours, does the same amount of processes and a lot more difficult to use. If there is a problem you need a machinist to fix it, yours seems to be alot more user friendly and easier to maintain. If it were my choice I would have bought yours, at least just to run coves, but…
John
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.