hi everyone

[rebel scum]

My name is Michael. I live in Maine.

I got interested in an inexpensive CNC since I'm into scale modeling and would like to craft my own aftermarket parts and add-ons and whatnot without having to spend a mint elsewhere when I can make them at home and perhaps sell my wares.

See, my plan is to first carve out the part and then replicate the part on a vaccuform machine out of a sheet of polystyrene. Or, if at all possible, create the part out of stock styrene, acrylic or resin. The stock styrene would be pretty simple. Just glue or "laminate" several sheets together to the desired thickness and then sand the finished product smooth.

[Dan-Woodman]

Michael
Welcome to the form . I'm not sure if this machine will have enough fine detail for what you are wanting.
It uses a 1/16" ballnose tapered carving bit for all carvings. You can put smaller bits in it but the feed rate and movement of the table is defaulted to the 1/16" bit.
Maybe research more on the form for more info.
later Daniel

[ChrisAlb]

Hi Michael,

I don't know how detailed you need to get but I've done some pretty fine detail work on mine. The only question that comes to my mind is how "Big" do you need to get? The machine is limited to a 1" cutting depth (with older software) and now a .8" depth with the newer software.

As far as carving directly in styrene, acrylic or resin, I'm not so sure that would be good. However it does carve very nicely in Corian. Acrylics are great for making lithophanes but they are basically "scratch" carvings of photos done at a very shallow depth. .150" or less. I don't have any experience with acrylics so others in here may know better as to how deep you can carve in them.

When you say "scale modeling", do you model all kinds of things like cars, planes, buildings?

I would suggest this, I'm also willing to help with it. Contact one of us who has one, layout the details & specs of what you may have in mind and allow one of us to try it out for you.

Chris

[Rocky]

Chris,

Have you made lithophanes with CarveWright that actually allow the light from behind to "brighten up" the image?

Rocky

[ChrisAlb]

Hi Rocky,

Nope...lol...I've yet to try one. I can't wait to but I've been too busy with other things as of yet.

BUT, others in here have done some absolutely ASTONISHING works. If you do a "Search" on "lithopanes" I think you'll be as amazed as I am.

(I know Ken, it's actually LithoPHanes...LOL) But a search on that might not yield the results....LOL :p

[Kenm810]

Chris,

Carve them a little to deep and they become Lithopains!! http://www.carvewright.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_confused.gif --- http://www.carvewright.com/forum/images/smilies/icon_razz.gif

[rstudley]

I will tell you that styrene will melt if you try to cut it on the CW. Even extruded acrylic will melt, it has to be cast acrylic which I don't think comes very thin and is more expensive.
Good luck!