Im guessing this is a simple answer but I cant seem to get my head around it.
We have been opting to use the CNC as a jointer/planer as of late for flattening and surfacing glue ups as well as slabs for customers. Im trying to refine the process mainly on the second side but here is what Im doing....
I setup the code to mill say .030 per pass to a depth of lets say an inch (we will never go that deep). The cutter is set to the .030 max per pass so the file will run some 30+ passes. I have an M0 after each pass. The thought is on the first side of a slab or panel glue up it will run a pass at .030, pause, if we dont get a full clean up, we hit enter and go again.
On the second side, Im wondering how would we do something similar to what machinists do and look for our high spot visually, touch off, and then machine down to a fixed thickness off the table say using .030 passes (the last pass would be whatever is needed)? I can go into Vcarve and setup a toolpath with Z zero on the table and machine to .8125 but I have to set a start height which means I may be cutting air for several passes.