I was hoping to get these skateboard trucks done by the end of the day but ended up running into some more issues.
Since the part was nearing completion, my boss instructed me to fill the backside with a casting material to hold it in place while cutting it out of the base with a tapered ball endmill. It all worked as it should, and the part popped out several minutes later. However, I didn't consider that since I was cutting it with a ball endmill from both sides, it would leave a rather large cusp that would have to get removed later. Since this was the setup piece anyway, I didn't mind messing it up as it would go in my collection.
Since I didn't want to deal with spending the time to remove that stock on the other parts, I decided to go about cutting the piece out in a different manner, namely, a swarf toolpath. A swarf toolpath is a full simultaneous 5-axis motion that is guided by two points, similar to a contour toolpath, but you need the center guiding one as well as a brace for the side of the tool to follow. I was a little nervous about doing this before because I wasn't sure how the VF2 would take it, and my boss mentioned he had issues where the brake would turn on and off while trying to move.
I got the second part up and running and tested out the swarf toolpath with my finger resting on the stop button. It turned out amazing, and I'm ecstatic about how well it worked! I plan to completely cut off the lower base of the part and take my finishing pass to break it loose from the stock at the top where the wings are. The reason for cutting it off at the top is because it's one of the only locations that require a single contour pass to finish off, and makes it easier to clean up any possible marks. There are also some small finishing passes I'm going to change to get a more seamless transition between tools.
I goofed again when finishing the second part and somehow ran and stopped a probing cycle for my 1/4" square endmill and ended up ruining the second truck as well. Thankfully the program is mostly proven, and I can pick it up first thing Monday and get them all finished by the end of the day.