[jsantos]

Here is where I initially saw it:

Vectric Forum • View topic - Corian Color Lithophane Lamp

I had a buddy that is a professional bit manipulator for photos, who suggested doing something that gives the effect of the old died photos. More solid colors and such. I will have to fiddle with that too.

Okay. Just bought some corian from ebay. How do you machine corian? What bit do you use and what feeds/speeds?

Thanks.

[Arbo]

When I'm cutting lithos, I use a 1/16" ball end bit. For 1/4" corian I do not rough at all, it is just one finishing pass.

I set up the photo to be .16 deep from white to black. And a .04 offest from the bottom of the corian.

I set it for a 10% stepover, and run at 40ipm. On the first two passes I hit the feed speed adjust so it goes a little slower at first since it's cutting 100% width the first pass, and the corian packs up in that cut so the second pass clears it out. Then I reset it to programmed speed.

[jsantos]

I set up the photo to be .16 deep from white to black. And a .04 offest from the bottom of the corian.

Huh? What software are you using?

[Arbo]

Another way to put it is the depth map I set to .16 .. and set the Z so that you will leave a .04 thick section at the bottom (for the 'white')...

I started with cnc2bmp.

Which software do you have to generate a litho?

[Arbo]

Getting ready for several 'upgrades' to the machine. Just got done cleaning and tightening things.

Awaiting the arrival of:

Cable carrier for my Y axis,
12 and 5v power supplies,
super-PID.

When they arrive I'll be able to set up all the wiring to finish doing the magnetic home switches, fans by the steppers, and super-PID install and setup.

Itching to get it all going, it's gonna be sweet.

[ghostlx]

Finally putting together a new dust boot with brushes... epoxy setting up...

hay arbo where did you purchase the bristles to make your dust catcher from
thanks
ghostlx

[Arbo]

I found some at mcmaster/carr. But in the end I scrapped my own designs and bought a nice one.

[Dylwad]

KentCNC sells replacement brushes for his dust shoes KentCNC. Replacement Brush I used the metal backed brush stock from mcmaster, it was a pain to bend and keep flat!

[Arbo]

Quite happy with my machine. After re-squaring it and getting things aligned, just cut my biggest (ie longest) job for a customer.

A 12x24" litho, with a 1/16 BN bit, and 10% stepover. Took just shy of 20 hours. Over 2 million lines. Came out excellent. Can't show image as it is for an artist and thus proprietary work. But perhaps I'll get a picture of the done piece they are working on.

[CarveOne]

Quite happy with my machine. After re-squaring it and getting things aligned, just cut my biggest (ie longest) job for a customer.

A 12x24" litho, with a 1/16 BN bit, and 10% stepover. Took just shy of 20 hours. Over 2 million lines. Came out excellent. Can't show image as it is for an artist and thus proprietary work. But perhaps I'll get a picture of the done piece they are working on.

Wide awake mesmerized by the cutting for 20+ hours? I couldn't do it. I would be seeing weird things by then.

CarveOne

[Arbo]

Awake? No way. About 6 hours of down time in there.

[Arbo]

I have most everything for all my planed upgrades. Probably need a few odds and ends, but picked up an old tower PC from a friend today. Gutted it out completely. Plan to use it as my 'case' for the everything including the new power supplies and such. Will probably need to make a few custom covers for fans and such as well.

Now just need to fit the time to get it all done in there somewhere among the long list of other things...

[ramadihel]

hello im chilean i like you cnc, please i need plans for construction, thanks

[ramadihel]

Greetings, what kind of motor nema? I have for a cnc with a working area of 32 x-axis and Y axis 24 and 10 z-axis, and wooden supports, Recinos, aluminum, cilicona

[Arbo]

ramadihel,

There is a link to a .STEP file of the machine somewhere near the start of the thread, I can't remember where.

Using 23's...

[Arbo]

Finally took the first step in upgrades. I had ripped down a tower PC case to use as a base for everything. Added in my 5 and 12v power supplies on stand offs.

Need to pull the 48v and put that one in there, then start wiring it all up.

[ghostlx]

hay arbo , gerry and carveone,
let me ask some questions to help solve a problem. cut my longest project yesterday 10hrs total, have a couple of issues,
#! about 8 hrs into the project started to loose steps in x axis, i have r&p form nate at fine line and the motors came from arhen at cnc router, I have heard a lot of things about heat, so i have bought a thermal heat gun with laser,
i checked the heat on all the motors and the g540 through out the run,up in till the last 2 to 3 hrs the motor temp was 130 f and the gecko was a steady 121 f by the end of the project the motors were 160 f and the gecko was 121f when the motor temp reached 160 is when it stated to loose steps, you could hear the motors thump 1 and then the outher on the x axis like it does when you first start up when you turn on the machine and every thing becomes live, it acted like they were trying to catch up after the machine changed direction,
I know ahren places his resistor in the motor pig tail not at the gecko as directed could this be my problem with heat ? or is it some thing else ?
ghostlx

[ger21]

I know ahren places his resistor in the motor pig tail not at the gecko as directed could this be my problem with heat ? or is it some thing else ?

From what I've read, I'd check there first. Seems like some people have problems with the cables, but others don't.

[Arbo]

Yeah, I have the same heat issue with mine. I need to move the resistors. My G540 is placed where the fans keep it nice and cool to the touch, but the motors heat up.

My longest cut was around 20 hours, and I had fans on both sides of the machine that through the whole thing were blowing air over the steppers. I also turned off the heater out there and let the room cool down.

[CarveOne]

I'm with Arbo and Ger21. Move the resistors first, then see if the issue goes away before trying anything else. Once you move the resistors you probably don't need a fan on the motors but it won't hurt to have them for 20 hour runs, especially if your shop is at an elevated temperature during warmer months.

CarveOne