using layers

[RobSm]

Hi.
I have sort of worked my way through a Rhino tutorial making a model of a stratocaster-like electric guitar - pockets of various types tremolo bay - and learned to be awed by the power of the program..
but my question is:

In preparing such a job for the machine would it be advantageous or not breaking the task down into a number of discrete smaller jobs and running them sequentially? ie save the 'bits' to a layer and machine each layer.
I'm new at this and while fiddling with Rhino I could do all the bits by themselves in a layer and not worry about shifting surfaces and knocking down walls and stuffing up explodes trims and splits. Admittedly the tute was a confusing at first, but with a bit of patience i'm working through it.

If this is a silly question please tell me all about it so I can learn.

Thanks,
Rob.

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[popspipes]

just type in the command line: copy to layer, select (highlight) the item you want to copy and the layer to copy to, hit enter.

[RobSm]

Thanks.

Is there an advantage to making each layer a discrete model right through to the machining rather than a larger more complicated model? or not? So There might need to be 6 small jobs run rather than one big one.

[popspipes]

I usually give each part a separate layer, then export off the particular layer, just a bit easier for me......

[cnccraft]

It is always better to run jobs sequentially in smaller tasks. You are forced to anyway because you have to do different toolpathes using different tools. You run a roughing path with a big tool then a re-roughing path with a smaller tool etc. You may run small areas with smaller tools. You must also keep in mind that you don't want the toolpath to run too long. You really don't want to sit for 24 hours straight babysitting the machine.

So, as far as I am concerned the operation / tool type / tool size dictates the toolpath whilst giving due consideration to time taken.

Anther thing to think about is recover ability. What happens if you have power failure - can you still determine your 0,0,0 point? Make a point making sure that you are able to get back there should anything terrible happen.