# Pocketing cut direction

**URL:** <https://forum.grid.space/t/pocketing-cut-direction/2483>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [April 16, 2025, 2:57pm UTC](https://forum.grid.space/t/pocketing-cut-direction/2483 "2025-04-16T14:57:20Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![pgf](https://forum.grid.space/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/f6c823/32.png) [@pgf](https://forum.grid.space/u/pgf)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 2:57pm UTC](https://forum.grid.space/t/pocketing-cut-direction/2483/1 "2025-04-16T14:57:20Z")

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(“Pocketing” in the general sense: not the Kiri:Moto “surface clearing” sense.)

I’m carving some irregular holes directly through a board. Some holes are circles, some were hand drawn. They were all converted to SVG, and imported (via DXF) into OnShape.

Because I don’t want the plugs floating around and jamming the mill when they’re released, I’m planning on simply clearing the entire void. When I rough out these holes, it’s important that at least the bottom-most layer is cut from the middle of the opening outward, so that the last bit of plug is all sawdust by the time it’s done.

Is there a way to control cut order (out to in, or in to out)? My shapes all seem to alternate cut direction layer by layer – very efficient, but then the final cut direction depends on the number of passes. The longer irregular shapes don’t seem to alternate as reliably, so I don’t know that I can predict the final cut order.

Am I missing a way to control this?

(I tried switching to “conventional”, thinking it might have an effect. It didn’t, but then I realized that my holes are being milled with alternating climb and conventional milling, layer by layer. Is this just because I’m only using roughing?)

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**Author:** ![stewart](https://forum.grid.space/user_avatar/forum.grid.space/stewart/32/21_2.png) [@stewart](https://forum.grid.space/u/stewart)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 3:18pm UTC](https://forum.grid.space/t/pocketing-cut-direction/2483/2 "2025-04-16T15:18:29Z")

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there is no current setting for this, but I can add one. the current roughing strategy is to make the smallest possible travel move that starts cutting again. when using the in/out out/in path planning this means we don’t have to [lift z, travel, plunge Z] nearly as often

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**Author:** ![pgf](https://forum.grid.space/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/p/f6c823/32.png) [@pgf](https://forum.grid.space/u/pgf)\
**Post date:** [April 16, 2025, 3:34pm UTC](https://forum.grid.space/t/pocketing-cut-direction/2483/3 "2025-04-16T15:34:51Z")

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I understand that completely. If there were another way to accomplish what I need, I’d happily use it, but I didn’t see one.

[How do most people deal with the “loose plug” issue? Double-sided tape might do it, but I’ve had bad experiences with it letting go and ruining pieces in the past. :-/]

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**Author:** ![stewart](https://forum.grid.space/user_avatar/forum.grid.space/stewart/32/21_2.png) [@stewart](https://forum.grid.space/u/stewart)\
**Post date:** [April 17, 2025, 2:39pm UTC](https://forum.grid.space/t/pocketing-cut-direction/2483/4 "2025-04-17T14:39:24Z")

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if you want to file a github issue / feature-request it will help me keep track of this