Marquetry with CNC software?

[Fivetide]

Has anyone done marquetry with a cnc .. if so what software did you use? I’ve scoured Google maybe I’m asking the wrong question, but only get vetric and Artcam . I have seen a youtube vid that uses a blade in a jig, anyone know what to use ?

[Ger21]

I've never seen it done. I think the main issue is that veneer can be very difficult to cut with a CNC. I have had some veneer inlays laser cut for some jobs in the past, but it leaves faint dark edges which aren't really desirable.

Some day when I find the time, I'd like to try a little marquetry with one of these drag knives. Drag Knifer for CNC routerDonek Tools
I believe you'd need to use a 2 ply veneer to keep it from tearing, and there's a limit to how detailed you can cut (not too small).

As for software, I doubt there's any automatic marquetry software. But any CAD or drawing program would work.

[martin54]

Like Gerry says any design program should be able to produce the artwork & the drag knives are designed along the same lines as a vinyl cutter (plotter). From what I can see the biggest problem is intricate or small work as the blade swivels in the holder at turns which would make it tear the material at sharp corners. Some high end plotters get round this by using a tangential mode of cutting where the blade lifts from the material turns & is reinserted into the material at each turn. Not sure if that would be possible with a cnc machine, suppose it could be if it could be written into the g code.

[Ger21]

Mach3 can do tangential cutting, automatically aligning the A axis with the toolpath. I don't believe it supports G2/G3 moves, but I could be wrong.

[martin54]

Gerry this is all new to me so have no idea what mach3 can & can't do just now, have all that still to learn once the machine is finished.