Registering parts?

[myxpykalix]

I have an indexer, and from what i read the only advantage to having it with this software (since it doesn't drive the 4th axis) is to be able to rotate 90 degrees. Watching the tutorial of the porche (4 sided.exe) I don't understand how you would register or hold your part so that you can machine all four sides precisely either holding them in an indexer or on the table? Seems to me that after you machine 2 sides on the table you don't have a flat object. You have the machined left side of the porche on the table while it is machining the right side. How would you hold that so it would be precise? And the same question in regards to the indexer. It seems you would have tabs but i don't think they would be strong enough to hold the model in mid air. Am I just missing something obvious here? I have a tendency to overthink stuff like this and missing the obvious. Thanks!

[CRFultz]

The material surrounding the object is still intact, therefore a flat surface is still available even after the cut.
the tabs will keep in in place until after completion.

Chuck

[myxpykalix]

in the animated preview i thought it showed the outside material being cut away and i'm not sure how the sides would get cut by leaving the material around it (although i have seen a picture of what you are describing) have you used the software to cut a 4 sided object yet? If so, what is your opinion of the finished product? Does it look good?

As cool as this software looks is there anyone who could give suggestions on "real world" applications for it? I don't think i could pay for it making little wooden cars and all i need is a good reason to go ahead and buy it (you know SWMBO needs justification...not me)
Just saying its COOL is good enough for me.

[Rcnewcomb]

As cool as this software looks is there anyone who could give suggestions on "real world" applications for it?

What we are considering Cut3D for is as a service to shops that are doing architectural restorations. Up to this point we haven't considered doing things like corbels or balustrades but this software now at least opens the door to more complicated architectural embellishments. One could argue that these items could be made with V-Carve Pro and/or 3D Machinist if you just turn the material a few times, but Cut3D takes a lot of the guess work out with an excellent previewer so everyone knows what the output will look like even before any material has been cut.

We will take some samples around and get reactions to the possibilities that they demonstrate. The thing we have noticed is that, as we talk to varous shops, when we have real samples in hand, it may trigger ideas for them as a way to solve a problem they are struggling with. A recent example: they had a carved piece that they were trying to replicate but could not do it quickly and consistently (they needed 170 of these) whereas, with V-Carve Pro, we were able to do the design and cutting faster and better than they could. We are hoping that Cut3D enables up to solve a wider range of problems such as this and generate incremental revenue.

[CRFultz]

in the animated preview i thought it showed the outside material being cut away and i'm not sure how the sides would get cut by leaving the material around it (although i have seen a picture of what you are describing) have you used the software to cut a 4 sided object yet? If so, what is your opinion of the finished product? Does it look good?

As cool as this software looks is there anyone who could give suggestions on "real world" applications for it? I don't think i could pay for it making little wooden cars and all i need is a good reason to go ahead and buy it (you know SWMBO needs justification...not me)
Just saying its COOL is good enough for me.

My justification for buying it was the desire to learn. The ROI is not important to me.
When I bought VCP and PVC I had the same attidude, I'm not looking to get rich with this...it's my hobby
therefore I can do paying jobs when I want, or not...whatever suits me.
The litho's are still hot and the wood carvings sell easy.
I'll keep the money issues in the background...this allows more room for being creative.

One of my other woodworking hobbies is turning segmented bowls and vases...Doing the segmented
work is slow and tedius, so I'm thinking about cutting out the rings with this software
then finishing them up on the lathe.
By drawing up the vase and then slicing it up and then cutting it with Cut3d...then glue it up and
finish it on the lathe.....sounds like fun

here's a couple of pics of vases I did a while back

Chuck

[BrianM]

Chuck,

Both those vases are beautiful, but I really love the maple one, although that wasn't done with out software, one of the biggest 'kicks' from writing the software is seeing what craftsmen (or craftswomen if only there were more!) actually produce with it.

When I was a kid, the first career ambition I had was to be a carpenter, I had the toy woodworking kit and everything. Then I went to school and had wood working lessons and I was cr*p at it! I still love seeing what craftsmen can do with wood though!

Thanks for posting the images

Brian

[Peter Stenabaugh]

Hey guys, one of the ideas that I had for C3D was to make some candy dishes, or nut dishes etc about 12" x 8" x 1" or so, similar to the idea that we have with the sample 3D oak leaf or what ever it is. I plan on doing up some 3D cad files with solidworks later on this winter and once I have things that will work, I will post them for others to work with.

Think of something like one of those wooden condiment dishes with 4 or 5 sections to it rotating on a lazy susan. Now think of the same thing with some curved and swoopy lines instead of the straight segmented lines that you always see. Something put together along the line of a jig saw puzzle or something similar with interlocking curves........it only needs to be different, an item that someone else without a cnc machine could not make. There are endless ideas........

I also plan on some simple items like taking a piece of Paduk hardwood and inlaying a ceramic tile in it to use as a hot plate (trivet). The wood would be about 1" larger on the side than the tile (does not need to be square), and could have some swoopy engravings in it that could not be done by someone with a manual router........

All you need to do is look at what other guys are making, and then raise the bar to where they cannot compete with you on price, repeatablily, speed, accuracy, complexity etc.

The endless possibilities are up to us, just let your imagination run>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

Another idea, that I am going to do really soon for my local office.......you know the magnetic boards that most offices have with little stickers or magnets on them that tell you who is in and who is not.......

Well lets take that to the next level......I am going to make a bunch of personallized name tags/buttons what ever you want to call them. They will be some weird shape made from aluminum or brass, with the name of each person in my company engraved into it using VCP. I will make a matching female mould so I can hold it, then turn them all over and mill a pocket to glue in a rare earth magnet so it sticks to the board. This is just for fun - just because I can do it.........Cool eh?

How about you guys sharing some of your ideas and files, so the rest of use can capitolize on them, or give you ideas......thats what this forum is all about.......

I will post everything that I come up with, so hopefully everyone else will do the same.

Ok, back to getting my cnc mill conversion finished....

Pete

[CRFultz]

Think of something like one of those wooden condiment dishes with 4 or 5 sections to it rotating on a lazy susan. Now think of the same thing with some curved and swoopy lines instead of the straight segmented lines that you always see. Something put together along the line of a jig saw puzzle or something similar with interlocking curves........
Pete

Pete,
It's funny you should mention that....I want to make a round small parts tray mounted to a lazy susan that has a lid of somekind...
reason be...
my sisters and my mom are into crafts in a extreme way...they do alot of stuff that involves very small parts ...so...If I can cut them a assembly lazy susan with small (apx 2" sq) pockets that have swooped down sides...I'm sure they would luv it.
I'm thinking about 12" in dia...with maybe smaller pockets in the middle....and a lid that is flat so these trays can be stacked and a tight seal so the pieces don't get mixed up.
What 3D software would be the best to do this?
I have tried doing it in VCP but the bottom of the pockets are not curved enough.

I am also thinking along the lines of a small cabinet...that will hold about
10 of these and the lazy susan fixture is on top...they can take out the tray they want and set it on the top fixture and use it for a small table....

here's a very rough pic...im sure you get the ideal....

Think that would sell?...ladies crafts is big money...I know my wife spends a fortune on this stuff.

Chuck

[CRFultz]

This is a better depiction of what I'm talking about but with dished out regions

Chuck

[CRFultz]

I don't think AutoCad is the way to go with this.
I think I'll move on to some other project....something flat and simple

[Peter Stenabaugh]

Chuck, Autocad will do that project perfectly fine you, but you need to use AutoCAD 2006 or 2007 (I havent tried 2005). You need to model your part as a solid model. As such you can then use the regular 'fillet' command to round out the inside bottom corners of all you pockets. You can likely do them all with one command, although it is sometimes easier to do just one pocket and array it, once the fillets etc are completed. This file should only take about 10 or 15 minutes to complete in Autocad, or Solidworks.

The key though is to model this as a solid in Autocad. I can do it either way, although for myself I would use solidworks. In either case you then save the file off as an stl file (export it from autocad). The stl file should come right into C3D for you. You could also do this file with Vcarve and turn the part over and machine a fillet or a chamfer on the bottom outside edge. Just register the part using a pin or dowel the center as your 0,0 with some tabs around the outside. In Vcarve you would bring in your geometry as a dxf file, and cut the pockets out using the 'pocket' command in Vcarve and for a tool you would use a ball nose cutter or a bull nose cutter to clean out the pocket, dont try to carve it out with the 'Vcarve' command.

If you are having difficulty, then email me your autocad file to my home address pstenabaugh@shaw.ca and I will run it through solidworks and output your stl file for you. If I have the sizes and the geometry it will only take a few minutes with solidworks.

[leehound]

Think of something like one of those wooden condiment dishes with 4 or 5 sections to it rotating on a lazy susan. Now think of the same thing with some curved and swoopy lines instead of the straight segmented lines that you always see. Something put together along the line of a jig saw puzzle or something similar with interlocking curves........it only needs to be different, an item that someone else without a cnc machine could not make. There are endless ideas........

You got me to thinking! I have come up with a model you guys may be interested in. See attached images. I use Mastercam in my business and have become proficient at modeling. So I set out to model what you described. All the lids are separate. But I could easily redesign as a one piece lid. The lids are countoured to match the bottom of the dish - for stacking.




[/img]

[Kimon]

Very cool stuff.

[CRFultz]

Very nice Lee....does that come in a Cut3d compatable file?

Chuck

[Peter Stenabaugh]

Hye Lee, that is very cool, but it would be much better if the lids were all connected into one piece. That way the entire project could be done in 2 separate parts, double sided. If you can find the time to rework the lid, pretty much as it is now, but in one piece, that would be great. We would only need the two files exported as .stl files to be useable in C3D.

If these files are too large to post here, I would appreciate it if you could email them directly to me at <pstenabaugh@shaw.ca>.

Thanks for the effort. This is something that would certainly sell at local craft sales etc.

I had in mind to try laminating alternating strips of wood (two different types) such as walnut and maple, or maybe padauk and maple, that idea, into a plank to carve things like this. I would like to try it with strips of material, say 1/4" x 2" laminated at a 45 degree angle and then carve it out. I think that the swooping curved edges would give a terrific appearance with laminated strips.

Pete.