3D Carving Show and Tell

Thank you, I used Aspire and UGS. I used the same to make this cabinet door for my shop.

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Keith - How do you go about “cleaning up” your eagles? I have V-Carve Pro with the new 3D carving capability and it works great. Once the part is cut, I try my best to clean it up with sandpaper on my finger and tiny files but I am sure there is a better way. How do you go about it?

Hi @Earwigger, I struggled with this as well. What I have been doing lately is using a soft brass wire brush that takes off most of the loose pieces and from there use a pair off tweezers and carving tools. If you find an easier way I am sure interested in hearing it.

I wonder if an abrasive brush like this might be useful:

http://amzn.to/1JeNOnT

Also Make recently had an article on making your own brushes in this style:

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…and if you need something more aggressive, have you tried the carbide rasps? Might be able to run them on the X-Carve, but I haven’t tried it. E.g. Google “proxxon tct rasps”.

Cheers

Ian

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That does look interesting, I will have to give it a try.

Keith, in the USA, these get a good rep. Friend uses them in a hand held Dremel on driftwood: http://www.saburr-tooth.com/

Thanks Ian… The learning continues :slight_smile: …

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Everyday :smile:

I power carve birds with a dremel. For cleanup of “fuzzies and such we often use a piece of 3M green Scotchbrite in a rotary bit (like the ones that hold grinding discs). Just cut it square about 1.25” x !1.25" and use slow speed and it will round itself and do a good job.

There are also small conical sanders that we also use in pawercarving that fit the Dremel.

Bob

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These are great ideas! I once used these and they worked great but you would need two for each “eagle” as they are not durable and SUPER expensive. Definitely trying both of these.

Sorry forgot the link: Woodturning Abrasives / Abrasive Discs / 3M Scotch-Brite Radial Bristle Discs

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How about steel wool?

I couldn’t resist trying at least an eagle head (only had a hour). I used one of the 3m wheels to debur it… and I didn’t realize I was cutting the piece from a laminated panel. Whoops. Still, it adds character. Thanks for the inspiration.

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This looks really good. Do you mind sharing which of the 3M discs you used? I am going to buy them off the link you posted but wanted to make sure I ordered the right ones.
Thanks,
Keith

Very impressive, can you post the details of what software you used and what rough and detail bits you used. That is so far ahead of what I have been able to do I am very curious about how you made it,

I am offended you assumed I didn’t do it freehand with a paring knife.:0

I use V-Carve Pro and send the G-Code to Mach 3. V-Carve allows you to create g-code to machine 3d models from places like thingverse.com. It automatically sets up a tool chain for you. So, this was “roughed out” using a 1/4" end mill. Then the finishing detail was accomplished with an 1/8" ball nose end mill.

The 1/4" end mill was cutting at .125" depth and 30 inches per minute… I think I could have gone faster because this was just a pine panel, but I just finished modding my machine to make it more rigid, and am just dialing in my 600watt spindle so I took it slow. The ball nose bit then only had to make a single pass to carve out this level of detail. I don’t think it had to go any deeper than .05", the software is that good. It’s fascinating to watch.

V-Carve Pro is by far the best investment I’ve made (along with Mach3). The support, tutorials, newsletters, have really advanced my CNC capabilities. BUT I have not tried anything else so my opinion means little. I do know that it gives you unlimited control to adjust your depth of passes, create a tool and materials library, ramp your plunges, add tabs, do perfect V-Carving, import all manner of graphics… it does everything - EXCEPT - you cannot CREATE 3D models. You have to import them and then can manipulate them. You can create 2.5d models and projects, but you have to upgrade to Aspire for big dollars to design in 3d. The v-carving capability alone was worth the price in my opinion.

I thought I replied to this but it isn’t showing up. Just in case: It turns out these are not the 3M products. These are Dremel. And are still expensive, but this 36 grit seems more durable than the finer wheels. Use a light hand and it does a great job:

http://www.amazon.com/Dremel-EZ471SA-36-Grit-Detail-Abrasive/dp/B002E9GUDG/ref=pd_sim_469_5?ie=UTF8&refRID=03CPXGJHV7DRBTVFKD3J

I need to look at V-Carve Pro again. I had looked at V-Carve Desktop and then forgot about it when I started being able to do more stuff with Easel.

Is VCarve Pro that much better than the desktop version?

I have heard lots (and lots) about Mach3 but I always thought it was for professional milling systems. I did not know it would work with Grbl,

Thank you for the information @Earwigger , sounds like I need to spend more money,

I am not sure it will work with GRBL. I use a generic breakoutboard with a parallel cable hooked to my computer. The breakout board (or BOB), drives stepper drivers.

Like this; http://www.amazon.com/SainSmart-Breakout-Board-Stepper-Driver/dp/B0093Y897A/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1435630368&sr=8-4&keywords=cnc+driver

Coupled with three of these:

http://www.amazon.com/SainSmart-TB6600-Micro-Stepping-Stepper-Driver/dp/B00MQGSLNE/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1435630504&sr=8-5&keywords=cnc+driver

Way more reliable and robust than an arduino based system. I have been playing with Arduino’s since they were first invented by Mossimo Banzi hisself, hisself. And I love them… I really do, but I can’t see using them for a CNC machine. Though, my first machine was arduino based it was an egg coloring robot (before the Eggbot, I might add).