[harryn]

Thanks so much for the info - it is much appreciated. Wow - 6 ft long full of weaves. Will you cut that in one piece or in sections ?

[CarveOne]

Thanks so much for the info - it is much appreciated. Wow - 6 ft long full of weaves. Will you cut that in one piece or in sections ?

It will be cut in one piece. I'm still working on it. I lowered the weave height just a little and made sure that they are the same height. I noticed that one was slightly off from the other after I butt joined the vectors to make it this long. 0.005" (8%) step-over is recommended, but I will try one or two thousandth more and see if the simulation looks ok. These changes may get it down to something under 8 hours cut time and still look ok.

Later this evening I'll post a simulation image of it, and actual cutting won't happen for about two weeks. Going to James McGrew's Aspire Camp will take priority. THAT oughta swell my head something awful ... We'll be playing with gold leafing and drooling all over his brand new Camaster machine.

[CarveOne]

Harry,

Changing the step-over from 0.005" to 0.006" changed the total cut time from 8 hours 30 minutes to 7 hours 10 minutes. Changing it to 0.007" brought it down to 6 hours 20 minutes. This was done after I corrected the vector heights to match and recreating the new weave models. When I measure the top to bottom of the seven stacked weave models on screen and divide it by 0.005 it calculates to ~829 passes. Divide by 0.006 = ~691 passes. Divide by 0.007 = ~592 passes. Length of the weave models is 70.7".

The 3D Finish time for just the weaves is shown in Aspire as 6 hours 50 minutes at 150 ipm for the 0.006" step-over and that's where I'll leave it. If you want to do some math with these numbers be my guest. I expect the actual total cut time to be about 15 to 20 minutes less because the 1.4 scale factor I use is a little conservative. I can't set it any closer because different 3D models give differing results. (It makes me happy that it quits sooner than Aspire's prognostication.)

I still need to tweak the Vcarve borders around the hook base pockets. They are not quite centered for best cleanup of the oval surround edges.

[CarveOne]

I traveled to Columbia, SC on Wednesday to attend James McGrew's Aspire Camp 2013 on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday. I just can't say enough good things about the people I met there and the compliments I got on the projects I had on display. Meeting Michael Tyler was a real treat. He displayed nearly all of the Vectric monthly projects he has designed. Three Camaster CNC machines were there, and a smaller ShopBot with a rotary axis. The small Camaster Stinger with rotary axis was a really nice setup for a hobby size machine. James Booth flew in from the UK to present the new features in Vectric's Aspire v4, and Michael Tyler discussed some of the finer details of the Extrude and Weave tool also.

I hope to go back next year.

[George604]

I was able to figure it out with the stl, thanks.

[TrickyCNC]

Thanks Tricky,

I'm really enjoying the latest upgrade to Aspire. It seems like the Woodworking forums has become a ghost town since the new interface was implemented here. Hope it gets squared away soon.

yeah , changes usually alienate people for a while, but a good place to be, usually come back as a good place to be.

I've not been on here much lately, as I've been setting up a new business making craft shapes with my CNC machine !
It's going well, but need to make a second machine as fail safe for my only income

I keep you subscribed though just to keep in touch.

I see a 8x4 full sheet machine coming soon

Rich

[CarveOne]

yeah , changes usually alienate people for a while, but a good place to be, usually come back as a good place to be.

I've not been on here much lately, as I've been setting up a new business making craft shapes with my CNC machine !
It's going well, but need to make a second machine as fail safe for my only income

I keep you subscribed though just to keep in touch.

I see a 8x4 full sheet machine coming soon

Rich

Thanks for watching. It has been going pretty slow lately.

For you, or me? I can cut 49" x 11' 4" already. A Camaster machine could do it faster and smoother than mine though.

James Booth from Vectric Ltd. showed us the latest tricks in Aspire and had some info on the latest Vcarve Pro as well. James McGrew has posted a video of the camp here:

ASPIRE CAMP SHOW AND TELL !! - YouTube

[CarveOne]

Since last Sunday after I returned from the Aspire Camp I have been suffering from a bout with the Flu. No progress has been made on any projects, CNC related or not. Looks like I'll be mostly out of commission for a few more days. I am at least able to work on the 72" long 8 hook version of the basket weave coat rack. It's nearing completion and ready to create the seven long models using the two rail sweep tool. I tried using the extrude and weave tool but something funky happens and the model is created with half of each model flipped 180 degrees. Haven't found any reason for it so far, so I'll proceed with the two rail sweep and a 1/16" tapered ball nose cutter this time no matter how long it takes to cut it. I need to be finished with this one next week.

[SixOfOne]

This flu that is going around is wicked, it beat on me for 7-8 days. The older I get the harder they are to shake, or I just don't have the energy to muscle through it, lol.. I think the wife has caught it now also, so shes going to be a joy to live with. The last one I had that was worse was a few years back when the swine flu was going around, it lasted like 2 weeks and everyone in the house caught it. Get well.

[scedward]

I'll proceed with the two rail sweep and a 1/16" tapered ball nose cutter this time no matter how long it takes to cut it. I need to be finished with this one next week.

That's going to take awhile!

FYI, I would like to thank you C1 for sharing all your work, and for offering some of the vectric files you created for your projects. I made my first paradise box recently, and have started working on your basket weave version. For what its worth, I cut the front panel basket weave using an 1/8 ball nose from precise bits (I did do a roughing pass first), and it turned out beautifully. No sanding was needed once finished. I was using a piece of scrap oak, and have been trying different stain/finish techniques on it to see how it will look. I'm sort of curious how you finish yours? Do you do the same process you've done before of...apply stain/Poly to wood, then cut basket weave, then apply gel stain...?

Anyway, thanks again for sharing all you do with us.

-Scott

[CarveOne]

Thanks guys for the get well soon wishes. I'm expecting a continued tough time of it for a while.

Scott, I sand the project pieces with a block of wood with 80 grit sandpaper glued to it first, then apply liquid stain (usually MinWax Early American), then apply two heavy coats of brush-on clear satin polyurethane. When cured overnight I carve the project pieces. After carving I'll sand what needs it, round over the edges and sand off any cutter marks and any burn marks off that comes from using a belt sander. Then I use gel stain from General finishes to darken the cut areas. You can vary the darkness and color of the gel stain while you buff the gel stain off with an old T-shirt. For V groove cleanup borders around the basket weave I paint the dark gel stain (usually Java) into the V groove and leave it untouched. When the work is finished on each piece I let it dry and then spray on a couple of heavy coats of spray clear satin polyurethane as sealer coats.

If any of you are interested in the Aspire Camp Paradise Box, you can download the 18 Mb .zip file using this direct download link:

http://www.weebly.com/uploads/1/2/6/...radise_box.zip

A readme file is included that includes some notes.

[Mick Martin]

Since last Sunday after I returned from the Aspire Camp I have been suffering from a bout with the Flu. No progress has been made on any projects, CNC related or not. Looks like I'll be mostly out of commission for a few more days. I am at least able to work on the 72" long 8 hook version of the basket weave coat rack. It's nearing completion and ready to create the seven long models using the two rail sweep tool. I tried using the extrude and weave tool but something funky happens and the model is created with half of each model flipped 180 degrees. Haven't found any reason for it so far, so I'll proceed with the two rail sweep and a 1/16" tapered ball nose cutter this time no matter how long it takes to cut it. I need to be finished with this one next week.

I agree great meeting ..... it's always nice to see old friends and also make new ones

[CarveOne]

I agree great meeting ..... it's always nice to see old friends and also make new ones

Thanks Mick. I hope to go back next year. Having seen the Camaster machines in person just makes me jealous.

[CarveOne]

This week I've been working on the last of the Paradise boxes for the women in my family. Her birthday is May 29th. Tomorrow it will get a final touch-up coat of spray polyurethane if it needs it and it will be completed. This one is like a previous one that she liked so only the name has been changed. I had a little 7 year old helper in the shop today doing some touch-up staining on an area that needed sanding so the top panel would close properly. When the stain was dry she brushed on a coat of polyurethane to seal the stain. She has her own Paradise box that I made for her early last year.

My skydiver friend's daughter was helping me while her dad was outside working on their horse trailer restoration project. (An ongoing project for both of us.) There may be a couple of CNC projects related to this restoration effort by the time it is finished.

[Trotline]

Showing the little ones how is the most fun and fulfilling thing I ever do. Beautiful work, C1, as usual

Luke

[CarveOne]

Thanks Luke,

She wants to get involved with things like this now. I've made a few items for her in the past that she has really enjoyed. The butterfly puzzle I made is one she plays with a lot, but the angel fish puzzle is not one she takes apart yet. I have to repair or replace a broken part for the butterfly now and then. I'll have her making and painting her own craft stuff soon enough.

[CarveOne]

I started working on another Pbox for the work shop collection. This time I started with Aspire's Celtic Weave Creator Gadget and the Extrude and Weave tool to make the 3D models for the front, rear, and the side panels. Those files are completed and I have started working on the top panel. That part is on hold until I get the time and interest in finishing it. It will have a larger Celtic weave on it with a different centerpiece than I have done before. The centerpiece will be made up of 3D models and a couple of Vcarved cleanup borders. It is mostly laid out already but there are some issues with height positions and the way the models join each other that will take some time to figure out.

One limitation I found with the new Celtic Weave Creator is that I can't put the side angles on it before generating the final output vectors. For now, it just does square and rectangle shapes of any number of rows and columns. You can easily redirect the crossings to create modified layouts though. Maybe this gadget will get some new features in the future.

Note that each rectangular weave pattern is made of one closed vector "drive rail" for the weave pattern and one open "shape" vector that defines the width and shape of the 3D model that is created. There is an optional check box that defines whether the weave goes straight through or goes over and under at each crossing. There are a few options for the shape vector to use, but you can easily draw your own outside the Celtic Weave Creator Gadget.

Here are some simulation renders of the completed parts and a close-up of the weave details.

[Marcus4ar]

Here are some simulation renders of the completed parts and a close-up of the weave details.

[CarveOne]

The first top panel design is completed and will look like the simulation image below. There will be additional top panel layouts to come as I develop some new ones to go with the extruded weave theme on the sides. This first one is just for shop display and has more 3D modeling than I have done previously. The next top panel design will have more of the same weave pattern that is on the sides with an elliptical centerpiece similar to this one.

The text is a stick font that has been extruded to make it look round and it's mapped onto the surface of the domed elliptical centerpiece. The dome is about 0.2" high above the surrounding surface. I also extruded the elliptical vector that was used to form the perimeter of the dome. Estimated cut time for the top panel is approximately 3 hours at 150 IPM. It includes a roughing pass that I don't use with the basket weave. This carving is twice as deep as the basket weave and uses the same 0.0625" tapered ball nose cutter. The final finishing pass removes just 0.050" of material. I'm hoping to get good results with the cuts but chip-outs and loss of detail in the Celtic knot border top edges may result. For me this is new territory to explore. Fingers and eyes are crossed. I'll need to get some new wood tomorrow and start prepping it for cutting later in the week.

BTW, the Celtic knot border is one from Arbo. I changed it from Vcarve style vectors to a single line style that I can use with Aspire's Extrude and Weave tool. The shape of the cross section is determined by a shape vector that I drew.

[CarveOne]

Here's the top panel CAD model projected onto curly red oak. The curls are the vertical darker streaks that the camera never does justice to. The Celtic weave on the rear panel is tighter than I expected, but at least it was easy to "sand" with a small brass bristle utility brush. It cleaned off the fuzz on the humps with very little effort. No chip-outs. The Z axis looked like a stitching machine as it traveled end to end and only stepped over 0.007" with each pass.

The front and bottom panels are now finished. The northern edge of the hurricane is in my area now, so the side panels won't be cut until at least Saturday. The center should pass through here tomorrow. Hoping for minimal damage.