PDA

View Full Version : So far so good



Julie Coffey
02-03-2007, 05:54 PM
Well we carved our first piece just finished about 20 min ago and I cleaned up the machine. I am going to tweek the design but the machine performed flawlessly. I'm using select pine and its fuzzy in places but it cut with no issues.

We'll be doing two more matching pieces tonight so I'll take photos of the when done.

Julie

IM2HAPPI
02-03-2007, 06:30 PM
Congrats. I knew you could do it. I seen you were going to start it today, so I waited and waited for a phone call than said heck with it,she's going fine.... going to shop to carve myself. Well not myself but you know what I mean. I did get another coat on last project. Have fun Thelma :lol:

Julie Coffey
02-03-2007, 09:47 PM
I learned quite a bit from this project so far-

First boxlid (lower) was done with no feathering - aka pluge cut. I didnt care much for the effect but I'm sure in time I'll get it sorted out. it has its uses I'm sure.

The second (upper) was done with 1/4" feathering and a different font. I liked the look of this one much better. I used select pine, it fuzzed up alittle on the first but next to none on the second. These three plaques (11x11 finished size) are to be turned into box lids for cases to hold 3- 8th Century medieval bishops miters I'm making for the Celtic Episcopal Church of North America. I'll be engraving those by hand next week.


http://www.ariaartistry.com/miterbox_sc.jpg
Now I do have some questions-

The cross was purchased off of vector art 3d- I got the reliefed one but now a dumb question. When I put it into my piece it gave the outline of the whole image square in the piece. I couldnt figure out how to get rid of it so I feathred it. Is that the best I can do or can I do something to alter it, perhaps make it deeper? I have currently only PSP 10 and adobe illustrator CS to work with Corel Draw3x is on the way. :wink:

Thank you in advance.


Julie http://www.ariaartistry.com/box_lids_lg.jpg

FdxGuy
02-04-2007, 12:17 AM
Great Project. I love the cross. Celtic, right?

Julie Coffey
02-04-2007, 12:58 AM
Hello and welcome, yes the cross is Celtic. This has been a very fun project on many levels- I'm really glad this has worked out- I have all three box lids done now- just in time to thaw out the shop and do some fingerjointing.

I just finished this mock up for my 8 yr old we lost our kennels stud a week ago. She's really missing her buddy.

http://www.ariaartistry.com/leo_sc.jpg

I'll be sure to post photos when we get it completed.

Julie

IM2HAPPI
02-04-2007, 03:00 AM
Hey Julie,
Those are neat ! On your question about the box, (being a newbie myself) around the cross ? I got rid of boxes by putting depth to 0.300. Was just playing around with a sign yesterday and tried that and they went away. I may have inverted to cant remember. I'll hush and let someone who knows software answer this.

IM2HAPPI
02-04-2007, 03:13 AM
heres what I was working on, maybe this may help looking at settings.

revved_up
02-04-2007, 09:54 AM
I just started my machine as well yesterday. First project had a few bugs in the machine but found a loose connecter and worked through it, was happily carving away until I fired up a space heater (I was banished to the cottage this weekend and brought my machine with me, as if thats a bad thing) I didnt realise they were on the same circuit and with 85% complete I tripped the breaker DOH! second project I was back to having having problems it cut through the side of the wood and Y axis stalled again connecter is tight this time still having chuck issues too cant get the bit out at all now and the bit measuring lever doesnt come out all the way for the bit to be measured. Heading back home today and will completely clean out the machine and try again but from what I have seen I think I might be in love with this thing. (Crossing fingers that I can fix what ever it is myself and not have to send it for repairs)

Lin
02-04-2007, 10:04 AM
Julie and Barb, Lurking and reading...Now both of you Michigan gals have your CW...and I'm still saving my $$...
I"m now officially green with envy. So far neither of you have really had major issues with the machine...Maybe it likes the female gender better???
That's my hope anyway for when I get my cookie jar full enough. Both of you are produing beatiful pieces...Damn..I want mine now!!!!!!
Lin

Skyhawk
02-04-2007, 10:06 AM
Julie...as long as the vector art image is in an image format, open it up in either Photoshop or Corel and set the background as transparent...when you import that image into Designer only the image will appear, not the background!

Julie Coffey
02-04-2007, 06:20 PM
Julie and Barb, Lurking and reading...Now both of you Michigan gals have your CW...and I'm still saving my $$...
I"m now officially green with envy. So far neither of you have really had major issues with the machine...Maybe it likes the female gender better???
That's my hope anyway for when I get my cookie jar full enough. Both of you are produing beatiful pieces...Damn..I want mine now!!!!!!
Lin

I dont think its a gender issue but 'Louise' might disagree <g> My husband works in a plant where they have machines sort of similar to this- photo eyes, belts, servos thinks like that. We read the manual and set it up together. Sat like little kids watching the first one carve, that was fun. And I'm 4 carvings in and no issues. But I thoroughly clean it between jobs and check to make sure everything is as it should be. So I'm hopeful it will be a ongoing pleasant experiance.

http://www.ariaartistry.com/compucarve/plaque.jpg

This is the sign I did for my daughter. It's made out of birch veneered mdf 10x10" 3/4" thick. Hit with a pecan stain.

So far I'm loving this machine.

Julie

The Bard
02-04-2007, 08:00 PM
Lin, somehow I recognize that name... have you called us yet?

and if Ericka is reading this, she'd better post soon!

Revved... just a jump in the dark, but is your sudden love affair with a machine having something to do with you being banished to the cottage?

just curious.

Lin
02-04-2007, 09:04 PM
Nope Bard, Haven't called you yet. I don't have enough pennies saved yet to purcahse my Carvewright. I'm a scroller that dabbles a bit with the lathe and sell what I can to buy more toys...At present I'm over halfway to having enough to order my CW but I know that it will be a few more months yet and several orders before the cookie jar is full enough. Bitng at the bit so to speak but have to wait it out and keep pushing for more orders for the scrollsaw...I'll get there...I have outfitted my little shop quite nicely so far selling items from my scrollsaws and the lathe.. A large bandsaw box every now and then help to sweeten the $$ in the ccokie jar. Wishing I could find a few that wanted them right about now...Higher end of the dollar amount in those sales...
Don't worry when I have enough and order the CW...everyone on here will know it...
Lin

The Bard
02-04-2007, 10:46 PM
Hang in there! Sears often has sales too. Check their website out often.

revved_up
02-05-2007, 12:02 AM
Revved... just a jump in the dark, but is your sudden love affair with a machine having something to do with you being banished to the cottage?

just curious.

No actually it was self imposed exile lol didnt plan on having frozen pipes both mornings though. So when I finally did get to play with the machine it became a love affair (even though I don't have one complete project yet)
When I got home I cleaned it all up and oiled the chuck I was able to **** it and get the bit out but it does appear to be squared off on the tip and the collet adapter has a couple of dings out of it causing it now not to reseat and stay in the chuck. Since I bought my machine from Sears is my first point of contact with problems with them or with you guys?

The Bard
02-05-2007, 12:33 AM
Sears hasn't been fully updated and none of their guys are trained yet.

They're good people, they simply don't have the know-how... currently all support is in-house.