Today's Flat Bottom Carves

[David Iannone]

Some of today's wholesale flat bottom carving for one of my wholesale customers. They supply the files and material, I cut it out.

[shilala]

Looking good, David.
Ya know, I've found out that if I rough cut and then shellac the skinny bits like on your basketball, they're less likely to explode.
Otherwise I tweak the files to make the lines thicker. Depends on the wood I'm using.
The more open the grain, the more brittle and more likely it is the skinny pieces and tips will break.
There's a point where there's really nothing you can do, but your basketball is a super easy fix, just by making the lines wider.
Your letters held up great!!! That's not easy, either.

[David Iannone]

Thanks Scott. That is a good idea, I will have to try that.

I cut with some new bits from the guy on eBay other had recommended.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/151479239905?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

And

http://www.ebay.com/itm/380715942183?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

When I ran the .0625 endmill, I just nudged the Z to get it just right depth wise to not see machine marks. These two bits cut very well, and they are a great deal too. He has been bringing me the same type of wood for a few months now on simple flat bottom carves. I think he said it was cypress? I'm not good with knowing the different types of wood.

Dave

[David Iannone]

One from last week

[David Iannone]

..........

[joe]

Dave,

I like your Seminole State Park sign. That's the way to make money.
Joe

[David Iannone]

Two more state park signs. They bring the Cypress, I flat bottom carve it .25" deep. Each panel took an hr to cut. I charge $125 per panel just to cut, then they pick it up. They are doing the whole state, so I have a tool path template I apply each time they supply new vectors and material.

.125 bit cutting at 2ips stepdown .25

Easier for me to just load 1 tool and let it run rather than use larger tool for area clear.

Dave

[David Iannone]

Forgot to post close up photo. These cuts were ugly. Brand new same bit and speeds as other panels that cut clean. This also was the roughest looking of the cypress he brought yet. Seems it varies from batch to batch or from board to board? Panels seemed to feel like they were damp by just putting my palm on it.

Dave

[Brady Watson]

Look carefully at the Dawson sign.

It appears that you need some fresh pinions and grease on those racks. The regular gear rack-like background texture is indicative of this. If you look carefully, you can see the rack teeth telegraphed into your background.

These marks can also appear if you are running too fast & your motor mounts are not properly adjusted. 3.5 turns out from closed spring to proper tension on a PRT. Also, the original mounts on that tool were never designed for cutting over 2 or 3 IPS. The 4G and PRTAlpha motor mounts are well worth it. Call SB to see if they are still available. The angle iron mounts on the 3G & older tools allow too much flexing of the pinion to rack mesh - and you wind up with that nasty background texture.


-B

[David Iannone]

Brady,
I am ashamed to say I have had the pinions sitting here since I upgraded to 4G and Aspire. about 7 months. I will definitely get the pinions on this week and rack greased. I have been lax in my maintenance to my machine, but it has gotten little use over the last years too.

I didn't realize I should be looking at the motor mounts since upgrading the board with faster speeds. I will check with SB to see if I can get a set. Also, my motor mounts are probably not in adjustment. I will be checking that first thing tomorrow.

Thanks for your recommendations. I will follow every one of them.

Dave

[Brady Watson]

Dave,
No problem. Take care of your machine & it will take care of you! ;)

-B

[Brady Watson]

Oh...BTW, the 4G/Alpha mounts look like this:

http://www.shopbotblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Motor-Upgrade.jpg



-B