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Tabs questions

Mikyung asked for help with MasterCAM:

“i got it to cut my shape but i cant cut the tabs out…
it only cuts the contour outline out and it seems like its not leaving the tabs…
please help me!”

She attached her file and after taking a look at it, there were two causes of her problem:

1. linking parameters
The “linking parameters” need to be set properly for the software to recognize the top of the stock and the desired depth of cut. Here is a screen shot of the settings you should use when cutting a 2″ thick piece of stock. keep in mind

• everything should be set to “absolute”
• the “depth” is expressed as a negative value

2. tabs

The tabs are a little finicky, but there are a few key settings that will help to make sure they work.

• Make sure to turn on “Tab all”
• Use “vertical moves” – “ramp moves” tends to cause problems
• make sure the “tab thickness” is significant enough to actually provide some connection – .125 or more should be good for foam.
• In most cases “automatic” tab position will provide adequate placement. If you do need to manually position tabs, make sure you understand how to do this (See the demonstration video.)

Here is a screenshot reviewing settings you should use for this project: