Scanning a two sided foam piece?

[lbirdwell]

I am thinking about trying to carve a lap steel guitar from a block of foam and then use the probe to scan it. I have absolutly no experience doing anything like this, but I do own a new CompuCarve from Sears.

Basic question is; How would I go about scanning both top and bottom of the piece so that everything lines up accuratly when I cut it from a piece of wood by flipping the wood over in the cutter.

Lyle

[Charles M]

Lyle,

I don't have a scanenr (yet) so can't offer any help on alignment. From the lack of response it looks like you may be the pioneer. Please let us know if you find a method that works.

[Ted Grinnell]

I would scan both sides first. Then put the top side on your board in designer, size and position. Then outline the object and through cut.

Flip the board in designer and put your backside scan on it. Then size and position it to line up with the cut through marks on the board.

I have used this technique to carve a fish bowl that my wife had to have. Works well, and like always, what you see in designer is what you get.

When you flip the board do it the same as is done in Designer!!! By all means start with a square board and keep it tight with guide.

[DocWheeler]

Lyle,

Although I do not yet have a probe, I would think that foam would present some problems. If the probe was not gentle, it would not work with foam as it would scar it. On the other hand, if it was gentle and read fine detail, I don't see how you could produce a smooth finish (I don't recall foam carving smoothly).
Why don't you just produce (or copy) an image of what you want to start with and skip the foam and scan parts? You can adjust the depths and other surface features in Designer, fllip the image, save it as as two different names. Make the "flipped" one the back and make the needed changes to it.
With a square ended board, the machine will position correctly to match things up.
This is my understanding anyway, if I'm showing my ignorance I'm sure someone will correct me here.
However you do it, post the learnings for the rest of us.

Ken