Creating the 3D path(s) in Solidworks is turning out to be the tricky part.

3D Contour with lead in/out!!! I never use it, so I never thought of it. That seems like it should work. I'll give it a try and report back. Thank you! Jeff

Hello All, My company machines hinged wedding rings (picture below). I make them on my Haas OM2A in two operations. Recently I've been adding a faux hammered texture using Surface Contour Toolpaths and a radius keycutter (picture below). A customer seeing this requested a Celtic pattern (examples below). I know I could approximate it cutting in and out of material using a Surface Contour toolpath, very small Lollipop cutter and VERY small step downs, but I'm wondering if there is a slick programming method that would allow me to stay in material and contour along the paths around the ring. In other words, approximate the motion of a 4th axis, using 3 axis and Lollipop cutter. Hope I'm being clear. Ideas anyone? Thanks in advance! Jeff