Model or Scan?

[robinsoncr]

I'm struggling with this issue. My desire it to take better advantage of my cnc router to enhance my custom cabinetry business. The goal is to start manufacturing corbels, onlays and inlays to augment jobs.

The crux of my problem is this. Do I attempt to model corbels in Rhino or is it more logical to purchase a NextEngine laser scanner and scan examples and go from there?

I feel like with the addition of a plugin like Mecsoft's RhinoArt, I could easily apply onlay or inlay features to parts. I have downloaded the demo and have been playing with it. My biggest issue is learning how to go about modeling the complex shapes of the corbels.

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I should approach this? I've been through Tutorials 1&2. Last nite, I went through the tutorial on Rhino4's disc relating to taking 2d drawings and creating a 3d model.

But it seems that I could take the scanner and simply scan a part and then scale to the desired size and machine, thus skipping all of my personal shortcomings in solid modeling! Arrgghhhhh.

Please, have any of you done this or been in a similar situation? I don't want to end up purchasing a fun "toy" instead helping my bottom line.

As a sidenote, can anyone point me in the direction of a good manual c-axis indexer that I could mount to my x-y table?

Thanks,
Chris

[bclark6716]

I work as a reverse engineer processing point data all day long. Also a newby to CNC. I have found with the software available today, work directly from scan data. The file format is .stl from most scanners, and Rhino, meshcam, and vectic software will generate tool paths directly from this data. The scanner you mentioned seems OK, but there are service companies that will scan your part and work the data into a closed solid.

Hope this helps.

Brian

[turmite]

Chris I think a lot of your answer will depend on your experience with cad in general and with Rhino in particular. I am in much the same boat and am at a point that it is not profitable for me to make my own models.......and I think my stuff is much simpler than what you are wanting to do. I have about 2 good years of "self-teaching" on Rhino and I simply cannot practice on Rhino, model my parts, cam the program, make the parts etc and etc....and any of it justice. My problem boils down to money. I have so many parts I need models from that I could easily spend $30,000 just on additional programing. I don't really have $300 to spend but my intention is do one project at a time.

I have email enquiries from around 30-40 potential customers for one product. As soon as I can scrape the $$ together I'm going to have that model made and then use some of the income from it to finance the next and on down the line. I will be better off running my cnc machine 8 hrs a day than spending 6 hrs in front of the pc to make a model, only to find I did it wrong! Been there....done that.

Mike

ps I don't know if Brian is affilated with the company that posted in the product announcements or the employment forum but if he is.....they are good folks. If not.....that doesn't mean he isn't good folk too!

[robinsoncr]

Turmite,

I think we are both in the same boat with the same constraints. I spend alot of time on the computer now, designing custom kitchens for clients. But I use a dedicated cabinet design software that produces code for the cnc. But it seems to be a natural progression to learn more about modeling in Rhino.

I had contacted a few companies about digitizing parts but it's too expensive for the quantities I'm looking at right now. Plus, you are in a real niche with the custom gun stocks!

I found a Microscribe 3dx that was in new condition for sale for $1500. So, I grabbed it. My plan is to use it to capture the basic geometry of parts then I can add the carving detail I want within Rhino and something like RhinoArt.

I'll keep everyone posted!
Chris

[turmite]

Chris here is a link to a true wood and computer artist. I think you will find it interesting. I tried contacting him a few months ago to no avail. At one time he was interested in selling his business and he had several (100's) of Rhino models of exactly what you want to do.

See if you can get in touch with him. His training prices were not afforadable for me, but then it seems not much of anything is affordable to me!

Mike

[turmite]

Turmite,

I think we are both in the same boat with the same constraints. I spend alot of time on the computer now, designing custom kitchens for clients. But I use a dedicated cabinet design software that produces code for the cnc. But it seems to be a natural progression to learn more about modeling in Rhino.

I had contacted a few companies about digitizing parts but it's too expensive for the quantities I'm looking at right now. Plus, you are in a real niche with the custom gun stocks!

I found a Microscribe 3dx that was in new condition for sale for $1500. So, I grabbed it. My plan is to use it to capture the basic geometry of parts then I can add the carving detail I want within Rhino and something like RhinoArt.

I'll keep everyone posted!
Chris

Chris I didn't even see the part about you having a Microscribe. I was shocked at the "niche" statement about the gunstocks! The big thing now is diy in gunstocks in addition to having to try to compete against companies with 40-50 enployees and several million in cnc equipment. I feel like I'm in a knife fight and my opponent has a sword.....I have a pen knife!

The microscribe should give you a big advantage for making your models in Rhino. The guy I just gave you the link for used a microscribe or a Faro Arm to do his points. He said he took only the points he had to have to build the model.............and he was really good with Rhino.

Mike

[robinsoncr]

Turmite,

That shows you how much I know about guns these days! I used to do some gunsmithing back about 18 years ago. It seems then there were only a very few places to buy custom stocks.

I know what you mean about being small. Here's it just me and the wife! But we rely on technology to get a leg up on the competition. Everyone in my area is still building cabinets the old way. Tablesaw, face frames etc. You might say we're "Hi Tech Rednecks"!

I bought the Microscribe yesterday afternoon. I should have it in house by weeks end. But that's what I'm thinking. Get the points that I need to create the overall shape/contour and then use Rhino from there.

Turmite, do you have an automated c-axis on your machine or are you indexing manually? I'd like to find a good manual indexer if you have any ideas where to look.

Thanks,
Chris

[robinsoncr]

Turmite, you know, I was thinking. Maybe I need a cool handle for my "web persona"? What do you think, "woodbooger" or "redneckcncthologist"?

Chris

[bclark6716]

ps I don't know if Brian is affilated with the company that posted in the product announcements or the employment forum but if he is.....they are good folks. If not.....that doesn't mean he isn't good folk too!

Mike,
Not affiliated with any software company or scanning service. I have been using point data since 1984 to reverse engineer jet engine parts. Just knowing that someone is lacking 3D modeling skills and has the ability to program from stl files. This to me is the simple way of approching the problem.

Brian