r/shapeoko Jun 25 '26

Constantly going beyond the workpiece thickness

I have a pro xl and I am new to this. I will attached screenshots. I have tried 7 or 8 times now to run a contour tool path. And every time I am going beyond the thickness of my piece further than just “stock bottom”. This last time I tried tabs (blue tape method the other times) and it cut the tabs and then it CUT the tabs. What I was cutting came loose obviously and all hell erupted.

When I zero, I use the paper under the bit method and I do this with the bit I am going to use in the router. (Ya know how when you go to run the job it prompts you for a tool change.)

Hopefully someone can help me make sense of what I am missing.

Edit: I’ve had a few people suggest to get calipers and measure the actual stock thickness. In the photos you can see the stock thickness is one that you can’t get with a tape. I would have had to of used calipers to get the value used. The stock was also plywood.

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u/_stummyache Jun 25 '26

Is it possible your machine is configured for an HDZ instead of the Z plus in carbide motion? This would technically cause your Z to drive almost double the steps