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http://www.amanatool.com/shaper/61108.html
Happened to run across this cutter in the Amana catalog. I've been fortunate (knock on spruce) to not encounter too many pitch pockets but there will probably come a time for the the need to repair one.
Got to wondering if CNC could be used to make a nearly invisible repair using, first, a V-form tool to cut the pocket in a similar shape to that of the above tool.
Then the patch plug would have to be machined on the underside to match precisely.
Probably not worth the trouble since there are ways of doing hand repairs?

Nelson

Well Nelson, no mater how you plug and patch, its gonna involve a blade, weather its your pen knife or CNC....its still a blade.

the rest is just technique and personal choice.


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One thing I've done in the past is to use a photograph of the part to design an f-hole that matched the grain of the top. I'm sure you could do something similar to repair a part as well. You just take the digital photo and import it into CAD, scale it, position it, draw whatever you need and then program it up.

Trev

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Trev--You lost me on that. Can you explain again?
Thanks
Nelson

If you take a digital picture of a part, you can then import that picture into Rhino (go to View>>Background Image>>Import. There are ways to position and scale the image in Rhino so that it lines up pretty well with the coord system. Then, you just sketch up whatever you want to cut in the correct position on the photo and setup your toolpath.

Rhino is GREAT at doing work off of images. I have the RhinoArt package but hardly use it since the core functionality in Rhino is so good at this stuff.

Let me know if you'd like a few screenshots explaining this....!

Trev

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Gotcha!
Thanks, Trev.

It depends on the wood how successful the patch will be. I've done it on burl.

Take a photo of the void with a ruler in the frame for scaling reference.
Bring that photo into Rhino
Trace the void. It helps to leave a little of the darker border area around the void to disguise the glue line.
Trace a couple of marks on the ruler and measure the gap. Scale the drawing accordingly.
Draw up a toolpath with your home point at an easy to find location like a sharp corner.
Cut your void out.

Cut the plug centered on an eye in the burl that matches the color of the surrounding wood.