Sled ideas for abnormal material

[Schluppy]

I'm looking for ideas on how to build a sled for oval pieces like rough cut lumber that might still have the bark on. Pieces that are not straight and square and are still holding the unique look of the tree it came from. And also what to look for in setting it up within the software so the carved region remains on the piece and not wonder off.

Thanks in Advance!
Schluppy

[bergerud]

It would help if you could show us some pictures of what you want to do. Do you need to build a unique sled for each piece? Are the pieces unmeasurable by the machine? How thick? Can screws be used,... and so on.

[fwharris]

You will need a sled/carrier board to carve the slabs. This is a link to the tips and tricks newsletters. There is one on sleds.
http://support.carvewright.com/tips-tricks-archive/

What you will be doing is a jig with a solid bottom that has 2 side rails (to hold the compression roller up on the machine) that are at least 1/2" wide and as high or just bit bit higher than the thickest slab you will be carving. The width of the sled should be 14 1/2" wide and the length needs to be 7 1/2" longer than the size of your carving piece.

I finally found a picture of one, see bottom right side. This is a long slab.

[normrichards]

I have a very uncomplicated way of doing it. I carve a lot of slabs and rounds and I have a simple sled made of mdf. I put the round in between two 3.5 inch pieces of wood. I screw the wood pieces in place from the bottom of the sled, countersinking the screws. I either use double stick tape or hot melt glue to hold down the slab. I tape all around the slab or round to make the machine see a square. I pre mark the center of the slab or round and use jog to center to place the pattern. It will place your ptn right in the center. When I am in the machine software I make the board the same width as the center of the slab and the same height as the length of the slab and then place the ptn in the center leaving about an inch from any edge for safe keeping. I am by far an amateur but this is very easy to do, I have used the same thing for all kinds of wierd sizes and shapes. The trick is that your 3.5 inch ends have to be the same thickness as the slab. I have even inserted cardboard or thin strips under the ends or under the slab to line them all up to the same thickness. (I am having trouble uploading pictures hope this works). I have never done this (post with pics). Ok, I posted the same pics twice. sorry.

[henry1]

I have a very uncomplicated way of doing it. I carve a lot of slabs and rounds and I have a simple sled made of mdf. I put the round in between two 3.5 inch pieces of wood. I screw the wood pieces in place from the bottom of the sled, countersinking the screws. I either use double stick tape or hot melt glue to hold down the slab. I tape all around the slab or round to make the machine see a square. I pre mark the center of the slab or round and use jog to center to place the pattern. It will place your ptn right in the center. When I am in the machine software I make the board the same width as the center of the slab and the same height as the length of the slab and then place the ptn in the center leaving about an inch from any edge for safe keeping. I am by far an amateur but this is very easy to do, I have used the same thing for all kinds of wierd sizes and shapes. The trick is that your 3.5 inch ends have to be the same thickness as the slab. I have even inserted cardboard or thin strips under the ends or under the slab to line them all up to the same thickness. (I am having trouble uploading pictures hope this works). I have never done this (post with pics). Ok, I posted the same pics twice. sorry.

nice one that the way I do also with slab

[Schluppy]

Thanks everyone for all the great ideas! I really apologize for my absence to my post. I've been really busy trying to put my wood shop back together. Pulled everything out and installed a new floor including painting the walls ceiling and just getting it back to new again. BUT there is still a lot sitting in the garage I've been slowly sorting through every day after work. I'll post a picture of the piece in a little bit. The thickness is uniform. It has been run through the planer.

You guys truly are he greatest

[Schluppy]

Here's a picture of one of many odd shaped pieces of material I have to carve. I was going to post last night but got a little sleepy on the couch LOL