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Visited my buddy Bill's shop right before the government shut us all down and he gave me a nice little piece of Walnut with bark on it that was too small for him to use for anything. He told me that if I couldn't use it to just burn it in my wood stove. So I made him the deer jumping plaque as an experiment now that I have time to play a bit. I used a 1/16" tapered ballnose and cut my step to 6% so that there would be no sanding required. A little scary using something that tiny on a piece of hardwood - especially when the bit is that expensive - but it worked just fine and he loved it!
So he shows up at the house a few days later with another slab, slightly bigger but still not very useful to a guy who makes cabinets. And check out that fantastic curl in the background (almost a tiger maple look to it). I always wanted to cut this image and this seemed like the perfect opportunity!
I'm spending my time learning how to do things that I have had on my list for quite a while! Dug out my 3D scanner and will be installing it on a laptop to make it portable.

Also working with Blender and ZBrushCore - 2 3D design programs that I have been meaning to master (Blender is a freebie with a fairly steep learning curve but much potential. Core is an inexpensive version of Zbrush that allows you to model on-screen using a virtual clay-like substance. Very intuitive and fun!)

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Those are fantastic Mike! I wish I had a CNC to carve with every time you post this kind of stuff :) Of course having it and being able to use it are different things…
 

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Beautiful result mikeacg. People poo-poo CNC and laser work, however, they don't really appreciate the front-end work before it hits the machine. Not what a lot would refer to as purish, however, the results speak for themselves… These mechanical creations make a briliant adittion to "traditional" woodworkinhg creations.

Like Hokie, I'd love to have the room to put a CNC in my workshop. Unfortunately they're not as mess free as a laser which I can run out of a spare bedroom.
 

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Wow! Nice finish and a perfect use for some firewood. That figured walnut is something special. A 1/16th BN with 6% step over must have taken a while.

I've just begun learning how to use the CNC I bought at a garage sale last year. It has been fun. The cost of the software is turning out to be the hardest part to swallow for me because I am cheap. I would love to have Aspire but $1600 to upgrade from Vcarve is a bit hard to swallow . I've been meaning to check out Blender but have not taken the time yet.
 

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Nice work, Mike. The sky is the limit with a CNC !!

Cheers, Jim
 

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Beautiful piece of work, Mike. The deer is pretty, but have to say the st. Michael trumps it.
 

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very beautiful deer and st. mike but i know where there is a better one LOL GREAT JOB :<))
 

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Magnificent work.

I like that you declare it to be cnc work too, and not try to pawn it off as hand carved!
 

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Thanks guys!
LBD, If I was closer to you I would make you an offer for your laser! Mine is slowly fading - but I've had it for 15 years. Tried to cut some 1/4" for some hokie fellow but the laser kept starting a fire on the surface and bubbling up the edges. The CNC didn't like it either so it might have just been some real soft plexi (got it out of the scrap bin at the lumberyard on the last day they were open). Now I can't buy any more unless I pay shipping from someplace!
Replaced one laser unit already (for about $1500) but not sure I would spend the money again as this thing is only a 25 watt with a 12×24 cut area. I'd step it up a few watts and add inches if I had enough work to support it.
Nathan, It probably added 40 minutes to the cut but it meant I didn't have to spend hours sanding and cleaning it up. I'm willing to let the machine do more of my work for me! Aspire is worth the money to me - and don't forget that the regular upgrades cost about $400 as well so that $1600 grows as you go…
Tony, You're going to make me blush… Ha ha ha!
 

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Beautiful pieces Mike!
 

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AS a traditional (hand tool) woodcarver, I'm impressed with the results you're achieving with your CNC carving. Keep it up!
 

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it certainly shows the detail and its nice to know no sanding was required as somebody pinched the sander I donated , bloody scumbags cannot get a lead on the offense from anybody, oh well that's life I guess.

I made a box and a table top from some chuck out floorboards when I was really keen.

Your Jumping deer certainly sells the advantages of CNC work.
 

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Do you ever anything turn into firewood…If yes, it's a shame…great work here…
 

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Magnificent work.
I like that you declare it to be cnc work too, and not try to pawn it off as hand carved!
- ralbuck
I believe in being honest! It's not that I can't carve but at my age I'd rather not spend the rest of my life doing it when I can design it and move on to the next piece.


This 6 foot piece was carved by hand before I had the CNC machines and took me weeks.

Thanks Mike! Those running horses I sent you were done with a 1/16" tapered ball-nose…

Phil - I haven't given up hard carving completely! I still enjoy losing myself in a fun piece now and again. Some stuff doesn't lend itself well to the machine. The machine doesn't do any undercarving so even pieces that are CNC cut sometimes need some tweaking to add those kind of details. Some one-off pieces would take longer to program than is practical. Digital images lend themselves well to multiple copies or different sized copies.

Time has become a precious commodity and I don't want to waste too much!

Rob - If we find out who stole my sander, there will be repercussions!!!

Ivan - Sometimes wood has to go in the woodstove or I would freeze to death!
 

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Thanks guys!
..... but I ve had it for 15 years. Tried to cut some 1/4" for some hokie fellow but the laser kept starting a fire on the surface and bubbling up the edges…..
- mikeacg
Probably saying the obvious (especially if you've been using it for 15 years), but I always found a quick lens and mirror clean adds that extra mm to depth of cut…
Again, not trying to teach you how to suck eggs, with perspex/acryli, there is so much hidden diversity that I usually do a test cut and often have to tweak the power/speed settings. I cut a 15mm diameter circle in one of the corners (usually out of the way) until I get a clean cut. However, this is a CNC blog, not laser.
 

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.... Time has become a precious commodity and I don t want to waste too much!
- mikeacg
Hell mikeag, I've been spruiking that since my baptism to LJ's. It's always been precious, however, as we get older it grows exponentially. One must put a decent hourly rate on their time when evaluating cost of projects… in inflate it with each passing year.

It's bloody nice to hear someone else preach that sentiment.

Keep well and long.
 

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I appreciate the effort that goes into designing a CNC project like this and nice job. I also appreciate the skills to do it by hand.

The CNC is here to stay and will be interesting to watch how people create with it. There was a post a couple of days ago where a guy created Moses and the Burning Bush Intarsia with CNC. Also amazing.
 

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All great work, very nice. Especially the Deer Plaque with the Bark still on it.
Nice one.
Regards
anthm
 

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Mike, I am a big fan of your CNC work. It just looks so good! I too am on the list of "I want one". Beautiful work.
 

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Beautiful Mike! What did you use to cut it with CNC?
- James E McIntyre
Not sure what your question is James…

I used my Camaster Stinger for both of these. I do really small, tight stuff on a Roland Modela 20 and for the spinny stuff I use a Sidewinder lathe/milling machine.

I took Mama into the ER at 5 pm for chest pains. They'll be keeping her for a few days i'm guessing…
We had a pretty good day going. I played a lot of her favorite songs at church this morning and she really enjoyed that!
 
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