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Post by Back Road Rustics on Jul 2, 2015 10:17:11 GMT -8
Well here is a very close up of what I am seeing after running the latest blurred version. I did notice these lines around the letters and also notice very fine lines throughout the entire project background. Those sanded out easily except for the areas around the letters mainly because of trying to get sandpaper in there to sand the lines in the background out. Any suggestions could this be a scan step issue?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 2, 2015 13:57:13 GMT -8
On the question of Art Cam, no I have never delved into it mainly for 3 reasons, the initial cost of the program is expensive (you could easily have $ 1000-2500 invested in the software and or modules), you then need to buy additional modules to do various tasks and lastly there must be a huge learning curve if you have to pay $ 321 for teaching seminar. I am not knocking the software, it's just not practical for me to get that heavily invested in it, I have enough invested in my wood shop and will likely need to live to 105 to re-coup those bucks.
As far as using stain, I tried it a couple of times and was not thrilled with the results. Being the end grain of wood soaks up more stain than other areas making them darker than the other areas. On a flat plain board that is not too much of an issue because it only appears at the ends of the boards, but on the relief carvings you are bringing up many end grain areas on lettering and designs themselves.
Lines in the flat areas, yes you can get rid of some of them by changing the scan step, but at the price of more time to carve and they do not disappear completely. Most of my pieces are finished with multiple coats of clear lacquer (5+) and doing a build of coats takes care of them. Any finish you apply however, the first coat will raise the grain on you piece and it will need cleaned up before proceeding with other coats or it will just continue to show up in subsequent coats. I have been using steel wool to go over everything to get rid of the raised grain and using a magnet to pull off the steel fibers (a rare earth magnet with a piece of paper towel around it works great, you just peel it off and throw it away) then all that's left is the dust to clean off. I use lacquer mainly because it dries very fast for sanding and recoating, each coat melts down into the other giving you a super smooth finish, polys and varnishes do not do this if you have an "orange peel" finish at any time in the coating process then you will still have it when it dries.
Wood, I buy all my wood from local mills and plane it myself. It's all kiln dried and rough surfaced, I usually get cherry, walnut and maple. My recent trip I purchased 1- 12" wide x 12 foot long cherry, 2- 8" wide x 8 foot long walnut and 1- 12" wide x 10 foot long maple....it all came to $ 79.00
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Post by Back Road Rustics on Jul 3, 2015 7:06:22 GMT -8
I had notice the pricing on Art Cam and I was like wow. I am in the same boat as you I need to start recouping some money out of my shop before making a software purchase. I much rather get the thickness sander I need first. I was noticing the amount of end grain and that was what was worrying me. I had even wondered if using a wood conditioner on it first would help some but that is a lot of end grain to worry about. Hopefully nobody will want one stained. lol Nice price on the wood. I usually get all my wood locally at a hardwood shop but Im thinking your pricing is better. How has your experience been with the bits you were talking about that were 3 fluted, are they holding up any better than the ones you can get through Oliver or Woodcraft?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 3, 2015 18:15:54 GMT -8
Both types of the bits seem to be about the same for bit life, I did get the ones from toos today a lot quicker however. If would be nice if Oliver would have them available on their site for purchase, going thru Woodcraft is a slower process . I also have purchased some from Busy Bee tools based in Canada they were not any faster, maybe slightly cheaper. From them you have to make sure they do not send you the Metric sizes, because those require a metric collet.
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Post by Back Road Rustics on Jul 4, 2015 6:05:05 GMT -8
I had went to the Woodcraft to order a 1/50 and it says Oliver is out and not shipping until late July. This is why I was looking at your post from Tools Today Part, Number 46280 is the one you been ordering correct?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 4, 2015 14:05:12 GMT -8
Yes those are the ones I ordered, they are listed as 1/32" tip but they looked to be a ringer for the 1/50th" bits and that is how I set them up in I-Picture. I have a 1/32nd" bit from Oliver and these are no where near that size at the cutting tip.
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Post by gregory on Jul 6, 2015 9:28:51 GMT -8
you can get ArtCam "Express" and learn while upgrading the software at a affordable timeline.
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Post by Back Road Rustics on Jul 19, 2015 10:35:04 GMT -8
Two more pictures will follow. I really haven't ran much since I installed the new motherboard and updated the firmware. This is the same graphic I had ran before but now I am getting this weird run up at the bottom and something similar at the top. Also there is a weird "step" line showing up. Anyone with an ideas?
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Post by Back Road Rustics on Jul 19, 2015 10:36:51 GMT -8
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Post by Deleted on Jul 19, 2015 16:04:55 GMT -8
One thing you might check is the table. When the machine is at the home position and the table is hanging out at the end, grab the sides and see if there is any lateral movement from side to side. If there is, you would need to loosen the side rails that the table rides on and adjust so there is no play in the table, not too tight but just enough to get rid of the side to side movement. You also might want to look at some extra hold downs for your work piece, there are some on the market that fit into the "T" slots on the table. I made my own using 1/4" 20 bolts that are 1 1/2" long. I used square nuts for the bottom (to fit the "T" slot snug) and regular nuts with a fender washer at the top, and they are adjustable using the top nut to tighten down. Using a scrap of wood the same thickness as the work piece, for the other side of the fender washer to make it clamp down evenly: I do not cut the final dimensions of my workpiece until after it is carved so that I have shoulder areas to use these extra clamps on. The ones that came with the machine I use as well, although I do not think they are totally adequate for holding your work piece. If the wood moves up, and it sometimes does as a result of removing material during the carve you will get the lines in your piece like you have. Hopefully the table adjustment will fix the run off, and better clamp down will eliminate the lines, it is possible that the piece could have moved on the table as well.
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Post by Back Road Rustics on Jul 19, 2015 16:54:55 GMT -8
Thanks Bob for the information!!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 20, 2015 5:17:33 GMT -8
When using the supplied clamps to hold your work, when you tighten down the angled screws you are putting a side to side torque in the wood piece to hold it. As you carve that torque can release upward causing the lines in the piece and your workpiece will no longer be as secure as it was to start with. I use the other clamps to, at the minimum hold the piece on all four corners, and the supplied clamps mainly as stops on the edge of the work, I don't tighten them in place until the extra clamps are tightened down as those clamps will flatten the piece out which might cause it to expand slightly on the table.
If you are adjusting the side rails you might want to check in a couple of table positions so you do not get too tight. I have found that after doing so that the table might move freely when doing a manual jog but is a little too tight for the small scan step movement. And importantly: I believe most of the screws/bolts on the machine are steel and most attachment points are aluminium, so be careful when tightening down so you do not strip them out.
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Post by Back Road Rustics on Jul 20, 2015 14:40:52 GMT -8
Thanks again Bob I will have to try this option. Gets expensive when you start losing wood just dumb stuff like happened on that sign.
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Post by gregory on Jul 21, 2015 3:31:33 GMT -8
When using the supplied clamps to hold your work, when you tighten down the angled screws you are putting a side to side torque in the wood piece to hold it. As you carve that torque can release upward causing the lines in the piece and your workpiece will no longer be as secure as it was to start with. I use the other clamps to, at the minimum hold the piece on all four corners, and the supplied clamps mainly as stops on the edge of the work, I don't tighten them in place until the extra clamps are tightened down as those clamps will flatten the piece out which might cause it to expand slightly on the table. If you are adjusting the side rails you might want to check in a couple of table positions so you do not get too tight. I have found that after doing so that the table might move freely when doing a manual jog but is a little too tight for the small scan step movement. And importantly: I believe most of the screws/bolts on the machine are steel and most attachment points are aluminium, so be careful when tightening down so you do not strip them out. Bob this is great information about the table play, and the hold downs, Thank you. Have you ever mirrored an item so that you can glue the 2 pieces together? I want to make my wife a humming bird, but not sure about the mirroring.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 21, 2015 4:50:42 GMT -8
Gregory: Have you ever mirrored an item so that you can glue the 2 pieces together? I want to make my wife a humming bird, but not sure about the mirroring. I am not sure what you mean totally, if by mirroring you mean to produce two pieces and then glue the two together to make a piece larger than the carve limits of the machine I have not done that. Problem is, you will always see that glue line no matter how good of joint you have. On the other hand if you want to carve two images and glue them together back to back so the image is on both sides, that is what I did to make this fireman's cross vase. Carved one piece, then flipped the image from side to side so the it would be the same things opposite each other; The hydrant etc. is the same on both sides instead of being opposite. Here is a hummingbird flipped in that manner:
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