Images Milled on Plastic/Acrylic Sheet

[High Seas]

Help!
I have been messing around a bit and misplaced my notes on how to:

Determine step-over for x and y axis when making a photo-engrave on plastic. (in raster format)

Seems like it was 5-10 percent of the bit (endmill) diameter - or have I got that all wrong?

There must also be a relationship of image size to tool/bit size too.

Any good ideas?
I'd like to try make something about 25mm diameter (ok--an inch) and have reasonable detail-- but not necessarily "currency/coinage" quality. Depth of cut doesn't have to be too much, a few mm up to 1/8 inch or less. Kinda like a small mold for making toy coins or such.

I went looking for the well imaged "timber wolf and the "eagle" and had no luck - thought maybe I'd find info there - but no joy so I cry, " Help- Please" Thanks - Jim

PS- if you have a good example, showing all the above - I'd love to see it.

[kong]

Whiteriver made those engravings, they are in his photo gallery. They also feature in a thread in the liberty routers section, but I don't know which thread although I know it is looong!
There we go, I am now subscribed so I can steal the info too

[High Seas]

Kong
Man - 42 pages of threads at 25 threads per page - and little luck so far
BUT, I haven't given up yet. May just run some experiments - relating pixel size to bit and step over. I've got AcmeProfiler and a few others that CAN do the work.
But, what I'm looking for is:
1. a quick import of an image into MACH2, (this is pretty straight forward)
2. set the x/y step based on image size, set the depth of pass, (here it gets confusing)
3. then select the tool so I don't wipe out the image!
TIA - Jim
Back to the grind.

[kong]

Unbelievable, I just went to cnczone homepage, and one of whiterivers works of art was staring at me! Anyhow, here is the link to his user gallery - http://www.cnczone.com/gallery/showg...00&ppuser=1498
And now off to find the thread........

Here you go!
Router pics
Phew

[High Seas]

Kong -- Thanks for That!!!
I've found the MACH2 data on the yahoo as well - took a while - but Art has some great tips - will cook it all down and post my results in a bit!
Jim

[Mac T. Knife]

Originally Posted by High Seas Kong -- Thanks for That!!! I've found the MACH2 data on the yahoo as well - took a while - but Art has some great tips - will cook it all down and post my results in a bit! Jim

Is it done yet??

[mcmmach]

Hi,

According to a old cnc engraving program I have each pin on an IBM Graphics dot matrix printer is 1/72" diameter (.01389).

I have had good results using a 1/32" ball end mill cutting up to .035 deep using a .020 stepover to engrave images in pine and MDF.

A 8" x 10" (close to normal picture size) can take up to 6 hours to cut.

Thanks, Dean