Hello fellow CNC'er

I am curious how many of you are woodworkers and got into CNC to expand your level of woodworking? Although I haven't finished my own CNC machine yet, I plan to use it alot in one of a kind pieces of furniture and perhaps sign making. If you made some interesting pieces, I would very much like to see it. (Post it por favor)
Here is my last project for someone on the office staff where I work.
I can't wait to add CNC designs to my projects, it opens a whole new chapter to my woodworking. :cheers:

It comes in handy for making curved things.

Hey Gerry, your profile mentions that you are a cabinetmaker. I was wondering if you incorporated cnc router work in your cabinetmaking?
On the internet, I have seen some really spectacular work by others and it has been a real motivation for me to build a cnc machine myself. I tried carving panels before using carving chisel but grew tired of it because it was so labor intensive. I wanted to use a cnc router for this type of relief work. I have a bunch of doors I wanted to add panels to.

Here is a sample of one carving I done but couldn't see myself carving all the time.

I work in a commercial cabinet shop programming a large CNC router and CNC saw. Here is a picture of the type of work we do. When I get to back to work I'll see if I can find a pictue of the framework of this round soffit on the ceiling. If I recall it's about 20ft diameter. I'll try to find a bigger picture, too.

I'm building (If I can ever find the time) a router to use in the stuff I build at home. I plan on using it a lot for 3D carving.

I made a piece of MDF cove moulding on our work machine for my fireplace mantel. I also routed a mating piece to use for a caul for veneering it. By wetting the veneer slightly, I was able to make about 1/8" radius bends. I'll take a picture in a second of a small cutoff.

Here you go

Wow, this is what I mean by spectacular stuff. I love the receptionist desk area. (It's things like this that got me into carpentry years ago) :)
So you use the CNC machine to mill out large pieces of crown? How is the surface after you mill it out? Does it require a little sanding to remove any residue ridges? Normally, if I need a large cove, I just mill it out on the tablesaw by passing the lumber above the spinning blade at a skewed angle. It works great but requires a lot of sanding to remove the saw marks.
I'd love to see this done with a CNC router. I imagine that not only can you mill out the large cove but also add design elements!!!
:D :banana:

Here is how I do it... for the moment! :D

Wow guys, some great stuff here, makes my radiator cabinet seem a bit lame! Would have taken forver without the aid of CNC though!

Your radiator cover is Great! It never occurred to me to make stuff like that. Not only is it beautiful, but marketable. There has got to be a million housewives out there that would want this radiator cover. You could put any design you want on that cover. By the way, is the panel 6mm thick?

Thanks! The panels are only 3mm hardboard, and the framework is 18mm MDF. It is fixed together with biscuits. Bugger to paint though.

So you use the CNC machine to mill out large pieces of crown? How is the surface after you mill it out? Does it require a little sanding to remove any residue ridges?

It's mdf, with veneer. I didn't have to sand it before I glued on the veneer. straight off the machine. I used a 1/4" core box bit, because the mating piece needed that size bit. The larger the bit you use, the smoother it will come out. Very little sanding should be required.

Hopefully I'll have a picture at work of the framework for the ceiling panels you see there. About 12 sheets of plywood parts, curved stringers and nothced ribs.

We just finished a solid surface top the other day, about 15ft diameter, 3" thick. Attached its a drawing of the profile. I made about 80 passes with a 1-1/2" care box bit, with each pass stepping down and over about 1/32. I wrote a lisp program in AutoCAD to generate the toolpaths. I just draw the first pass, and the program offsets and steps down the required amounts. Once I figure out what they need to be, it just takes a few seconds.

Is there anyone else out there that used a cnc router on a woodworking project? Please post a picture :)

I haven't done anything big like you guys yet but here is a clock I did. About 6" tall.

Marv

Nice clock Marv, I liked how the top is carved and the interesting tiered cutout on the side. Was it cut out of a 4 by 4 post? If it was, I'm amazed the end grain came out so well. Did you mill it wet or predampen the end grain before milling?

I think one of the first projects I will try will be a clock. Balsaman has done some nice clocks using mdf board. check out his thread
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=228

Patrick,
Thanks for the compliment. It was milled out of a piece of 3"x3" Cherry wood. The end grain milled pretty nice (dry) and is actually easier to mill than the side grain. Doesn't have any tendency to spinter at all unless you get near the edge. The top and the Double T were both done in Meshcam.

Marv

I love threads like this. Lots of pictures of ideas. Very inspiring.

I really must try doing some 3D sculptuing work.

At the moment all I do is cut frames for wall aquariums. Gtes kind of boring after youve done a few hundred.

A closer view.

One more

"At the moment all I do is cut frames for wall aquariums."

But what nice frames they are Benny. Really nice!

Marv

I am working on designing a wall fountain at the moment.
It will be similar to the silver aquarium but will be vertical.
It will be for internal use. It will have a cascade of water flowing down it, and recirculate the water.
There are some on the market already but they have an ugly catch tray at the bottom. Mine will look very sleek, and not have the ugly catch tray. It is causing a few difficulties with design so as to make it pleasing to the eye, not splash water, and be for internal use, but its getting there.

EDIT: I cant pretend this is my bussiness. I subcontract for these guys ( My friends) Theye were getting ripped off with cutting prices so I said surely it cant be that hard to build a router and cut them for a cheaper price. This is why I got into CNC.

wow benny, those wall aquariums are so cool. :D I've never seen a wall aquarium before. Did you make the tank yourself or buy it premade? How much does something like that weigh when it is filled with water? Do the fish live as long in such a narrow tank?
I noticed you used Alum frames on some of those tanks. Did you cut them out on your CNC machine? ignore this question, I just saw your edit

We get the tanks custom made.
The support bracket is out of site and is aluminium angle that attaches to wall studs.
I dont know the weight but they have worked well on hundreds of walls.

The fish thrive. The thinness doesnt worry them. They can still swim length wise for long distances.
The alum is a 1mm veneer on 10mm mdf board. Its a bugger to cut, but after lots of trial and effort I have worked out the right formula. Feed rate, cutting bit, etc.

These are old pics. We now have many more colours and shapes, shapes, etc.
Our high glossblack is now our biggest seller.
We also have tanks that are 2M wide.

While I am in picture mode, here is a pillar I made for one of our exhibitions. The letters are cut right through the material and plastic is glued onto the back. I put 4 flouro tubes behind it. The picture doesnt reflect how bright it really is.

Now that is a big sign! I have seen many signs cut out of wood, metal, corian and so on. My favorite have always been the sculptured wood signs. (my being a woodworker has nothing to do with it http://www.g4-hosting.net/~force198/ikonboard/emoticons/wink2.gif )

Anyway, keep those projects rolling in, particularly those related to woodworking
:banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: :banana: http://www.g4-hosting.net/~force198/ikonboard/emoticons/agree2.gif

Hey Gerry, I was curious if you found the pictures of the framework for that curved receptionist desk ? :)

I asked the guy to email them to me. I'll check again tomorrow.

Here you go, Patrick. This is the framework for the ceiling

And a closeup.

If someone quoted me on making that ceiling, I would feel that the price was a rip off.
When you see the skeleton, It makes you realize all the work and materials that went into it.

Does any one have any skeleton work for padded furniture, pictures? I have seen a few but cant remember where they were. They are inspiring too.

Very nice Gerry, an impressive piece of work. http://www.g4-hosting.net/~force198/ikonboard/emoticons/agree2.gif I can see how much help a CNC machine played in milling out the skeleton substructure. As Benny affirmed, most people don't realize how much work goes into creating a custom work (particularly curved work) such as what you did here.
If you would like to treat us to some more pieces aided by a cnc machine I would appreciate it. That also goes out to all you CNC'ers out there. :) :) :)

I do more than just a bit of cnc router work in my carving/cutting/digitizing shop.
Last year we did a full size italian sports car for a kit car manufacturer to pull molds from as well as several thousand 3-d human faces for another customer.
The longer you have a router in your shop the more uses ( and new markets) you will find for it.
Here is a sample from a recent custom job. This is the model the customer was presented with and the final cut product.
Good luck, Phill

Seeing as how I have no artistic talent, CNC helps me make things I wouldn't otherwise be able to (at least not as well). But, of course, now the wife has a list of things she wants me to make :rolleyes: .


http://www.cnczone.com/gallery/data/500/48endtable.jpg

Very nice work MetLHead !

Thanks Rob, I had forgotten all about this thread!

Hi Rob,

These are the CAD files in Rhino 3DM format.

Regards,
Scott

I dor custom and architectural turning. I am building a 4 axis mill capable of 24" by 12' columns. This is to replace the Legacy Ornimental mill I have which will only do 11" by 8'. See www.turningaround.org for some of my stuff. If the index page doesen'r grab your attention don't bither with rest of site.

Does anyone have any easy idea to engrave a cylindrical objects(wood in my case).My cnc is flat one and I ve been thinking to install a extra motor to improve my chances of getting a good outcame at all.

Thanks

Clave,

Sure do. I rigged a rotary table with a stepper and carved some pieces of wood, candles and engraved some ball point pens. Take a look at my photos here: http://www.cnczone.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/454/cat/500/ppuser/223/sl/m

I will dig up some photos of the pens I did also.

Marv

Keep us informed with your 4 axis mill. I'd have some jobs for it right away. Feel free to PM me if you wish when it is done.
Thanks!

I dor custom and architectural turning. I am building a 4 axis mill capable of 24" by 12' columns. This is to replace the Legacy Ornimental mill I have which will only do 11" by 8'. See www.turningaround.org for some of my stuff. If the index page doesen'r grab your attention don't bither with rest of site.

Clave,

Sure do. I rigged a rotary table with a stepper and carved some pieces of wood, candles and engraved some ball point pens. Take a look at my photos here: http://www.cnczone.com/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/454/cat/500/ppuser/223/sl/m

I will dig up some photos of the pens I did also.

Marv

Marvinstov,

Let me check if I get everything right,Should I keep the axial Y stopped and send the sign to another motor that would do the same,but now in a cylindrical way.If it so ,there is something that I cannot figure out is how the Z axis would follow the toolpath , as well.

Thanks
Clave

Clave,

Actually what I did was use the Y driver, I tricked the machine into thinking it was really cutting a flat surface. I plugged in the motor of the rotary table to the Y drive socket. I measured the circumfrence of the material (candle, wood or pen) then used regular G-code to run the file. It took some experimenting and math to get the rotary table to rotate one inch of surface travel the same as if it were rolled out flat but it worked like a charm. If I had more patience, I would have figured out how to set the Y axis (or my 4th driver) to do angular stuff. To do it flat, you need to figure out how many steps per inch then use that in relation to your material circumference. If the material is 2" in diameter then rolled out flat it would be 6.283" (the circumference) when flat. Just do your letters on a flat drawing and use that G-code. If your math is right on the steps for the rotary table it will come out perfect.

Marv

Clave,

Sorry but that was the X drive I used, not the Y. I forgot how I had my rotary table oriented.

Marv

Marv,

I saw your job and ti was great and also thanks for the tips .

Best
Clave

Clave,

Thanks for the compliment. If you need some help with it, let me know. I'll be glad to help you any way I can. I am thinking about dumping the rotary table and just using a stepper hooked up direct. It would work just fine for light work like engraving.

Marv

marv,

That's what I thought,when you finish the assigment let me see how you made all the service, if is possible, sure.

thanks
Clave

Guys, unfortunately I have not made anything yet via cnc yet. I have invested in cnc and have designed a few things too. Plan to start working this weekend. I am a programmer for a company and do my woodworking at the weekends.

I hope to post images very soon.

:withstupi Arggg...I can't believe it! About two weeks ago someone somewhere on the site was looking for something that I had seen on the zone before! I knew it was aquariums but couldn't remember where it was....ggrrr. It was post No.15 in this thread. But as you may have gathered, I have now forgotten the other thread and what the person wanted to see them for or who that person was......grrrr.......(chair)

Ok, now that I've vented! :) This thread is great, all of the art you guys make is fantastic. I say 'art' because even the commercial stuff that the customer might not consider art, still is. Im going to be carving my first gate hopefully not to far into the future, its just waiting for me to build the router, which I've just started the electronics on. Im sure it wont compare to any of your things, but I'll post it up when its done. L8rs.

After I got my machine working accurately I was able to start making hardwoodfloor medallions. This one is about 20".

Hi everybody,

I've been using arcam for couple of days and I alredy got some doubt of it, one of those are regarding scale.I recently vetorazed one job that cannot set to dimensions of my machine,is possible to reduce the whole job on artcam to suit well in my machine .I will appreciate any help.

best
Clavi