Venture into Lithos
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- Vectric Craftsman
- Posts: 115
- Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 8:03 am
- Model of CNC Machine: Home built
- Location: Tasmania Australia
Venture into Lithos
Hi,
Have just completed one of my first Lithos,(could get hooked on this )...It is a gift for a friend, for his baptism.
I have done it using Aspire.
I would like feed back on my proceedure...not sure if I am producing it the best way.
I opened the picture of the Dove in Photoshop Elements 2.0, cropped then turned to greyscale, then inverted.
Brought into Aspire scaled it to the size required and then Create a component from a selected bitmap and then scaled z height (2.5mm).
Cut with 2mm Ball nose... Time 55mins.
Panel 165mm x 140mm x 12mm Corian type material.... Machined a pocket in the back leaving approx 2mm thickness of litho.
Are ball nose bits the preferred use or are V bits used?
Sorry the pic's are not the best.
Cheers,
Kym
Have just completed one of my first Lithos,(could get hooked on this )...It is a gift for a friend, for his baptism.
I have done it using Aspire.
I would like feed back on my proceedure...not sure if I am producing it the best way.
I opened the picture of the Dove in Photoshop Elements 2.0, cropped then turned to greyscale, then inverted.
Brought into Aspire scaled it to the size required and then Create a component from a selected bitmap and then scaled z height (2.5mm).
Cut with 2mm Ball nose... Time 55mins.
Panel 165mm x 140mm x 12mm Corian type material.... Machined a pocket in the back leaving approx 2mm thickness of litho.
Are ball nose bits the preferred use or are V bits used?
Sorry the pic's are not the best.
Cheers,
Kym
- Alan Male
- Vectric Craftsman
- Posts: 173
- Joined: Sat Feb 23, 2013 11:31 pm
- Model of CNC Machine: heiz 400T
- Location: Stevenage - UK
Re: Venture into Lithos
Hi Kym,
It really looks nice and clean.
I'm no expert yet but I tend to use 6mm Corian and cut leaving 1mm material ( no need to pocket the back then).
Like you, I turn my image to greyscale but I don't invert it, I tick the box to 'invert' in PhotoVCarve.
It is addictive though.
Well done.
Alan
It really looks nice and clean.
I'm no expert yet but I tend to use 6mm Corian and cut leaving 1mm material ( no need to pocket the back then).
Like you, I turn my image to greyscale but I don't invert it, I tick the box to 'invert' in PhotoVCarve.
It is addictive though.
Well done.
Alan
CNC m/c - Heiz 400T
Software - Aspire, VCarve Pro, Photo VCarve, WinPC-NC
CAD - Catia V5
Software - Aspire, VCarve Pro, Photo VCarve, WinPC-NC
CAD - Catia V5
Re: Venture into Lithos
Hallo Kym
Your Litho looks so nice, smooth and I like the wax look to it, what did you apply to the carved surface to protect it from finger marks?
Also no pro but I would love to share the way do it and this is what I have read on the forum.
For me I don’t use photo editing programs, to dumb for that, I ask a friend,
I do not invert or change the picture to greyscale in other programs, Aspire sort that out for me
I prefer to use 6mm Corian and it I get hold of 12mm then I first mill it down to 6mm
I use the scale function in Aspire to scale the photo to fit my prefer carving size,
Create the vector boundary for carving parameter or even the odd shape I want the litho to be.
For tool-path calculation I select a 1.5mm ball-end with a 10% step-over but the tool that I use to carve is a 60deg V cutter, ( with the V cutter the surface is not so nice and smooth like your carving but instead it show fine wormy markings but you need to look real up-close for that, I do not use a roughing tool-path – direct Finishing tool-path.
I have never tried a ball end for litho’s, I am the type that stay with what works for me
Happy carving!
Your Litho looks so nice, smooth and I like the wax look to it, what did you apply to the carved surface to protect it from finger marks?
Also no pro but I would love to share the way do it and this is what I have read on the forum.
For me I don’t use photo editing programs, to dumb for that, I ask a friend,
I do not invert or change the picture to greyscale in other programs, Aspire sort that out for me
I prefer to use 6mm Corian and it I get hold of 12mm then I first mill it down to 6mm
I use the scale function in Aspire to scale the photo to fit my prefer carving size,
Create the vector boundary for carving parameter or even the odd shape I want the litho to be.
For tool-path calculation I select a 1.5mm ball-end with a 10% step-over but the tool that I use to carve is a 60deg V cutter, ( with the V cutter the surface is not so nice and smooth like your carving but instead it show fine wormy markings but you need to look real up-close for that, I do not use a roughing tool-path – direct Finishing tool-path.
I have never tried a ball end for litho’s, I am the type that stay with what works for me
Happy carving!
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- Vectric Craftsman
- Posts: 115
- Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 8:03 am
- Model of CNC Machine: Home built
- Location: Tasmania Australia
Re: Venture into Lithos
Hello Kaartman,
Thank you for your reply....I do not have any finish on the corian, it is just sanded.
I have only been able to get 12mm offcuts, so I pocket out the back leaving approx 1.5 - 2mm after model is cut.
I have been scaling the z height of model to 2mm...what is your preference?
What tool do you use in Aspire to achieve the invert?
Do you have a picture of one of your works done with the V bit method?
Cheers,
Kym
Thank you for your reply....I do not have any finish on the corian, it is just sanded.
I have only been able to get 12mm offcuts, so I pocket out the back leaving approx 1.5 - 2mm after model is cut.
I have been scaling the z height of model to 2mm...what is your preference?
What tool do you use in Aspire to achieve the invert?
Do you have a picture of one of your works done with the V bit method?
Cheers,
Kym
Re: Venture into Lithos
Hi Kym
At the component settings you need to select U this invert (subtract) the component and if you then look at the imported picture it reverts to greyscale
Z height - my settings range from 2.5- 3.5mm depending on how much concentration of Black is in the picture if the picture
The gap below the model I set from 1.5 to 2 mm,if the picture has allot of bright white, then prefer to set it at 2mm
As a protective cover I prefer to use PU Clear finish that I apply very thin layer with a brush, I do not use the aerosol type because I could never get it on evenly and end up with distinctive spray lines
At the component settings you need to select U this invert (subtract) the component and if you then look at the imported picture it reverts to greyscale
Z height - my settings range from 2.5- 3.5mm depending on how much concentration of Black is in the picture if the picture
The gap below the model I set from 1.5 to 2 mm,if the picture has allot of bright white, then prefer to set it at 2mm
As a protective cover I prefer to use PU Clear finish that I apply very thin layer with a brush, I do not use the aerosol type because I could never get it on evenly and end up with distinctive spray lines
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- Vectric Craftsman
- Posts: 115
- Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 8:03 am
- Model of CNC Machine: Home built
- Location: Tasmania Australia
Re: Venture into Lithos
Hello Kaartman,
Thank you for showing me the invert instruction....saves me going into photoshop.
The sample of your work is amazing ...was it machined with a 60 deg V bit?...what size is the panel?
Is it the light scource behind that is giving it the brown colouring?
Kym
Thank you for showing me the invert instruction....saves me going into photoshop.
The sample of your work is amazing ...was it machined with a 60 deg V bit?...what size is the panel?
Is it the light scource behind that is giving it the brown colouring?
Kym
- zeeway
- Vectric Wizard
- Posts: 3157
- Joined: Thu Feb 11, 2010 9:24 pm
- Model of CNC Machine: Self-built
- Location: SC, USA
Re: Venture into Lithos
Very pretty work, Kym.
Angie
Angie
Re: Venture into Lithos
Hallo Kym
the back light in the above carving is provided by LED enclosed in a light box, the light of the carving with the men enjoying tee is by fluorescent tubes, note the change in colour with exact same material and carving settings. Yes I use 60 deg V bit here is the link to the type http://www.cmtutensili.com/show_items.a ... ~7/8/958~2
The size of the panel is about 75cm x 58cm, feedrate 40mm/sec, average carving time is 24hr`s per carving, I have carved 6 Litho`s of this size for the customer with various scenes
The detail is amazing, if you zoom in on the man pouring the tee you can notice the decor on the tee-cup and the fraying of the other man`s head dress, ( this is better visable on larger format picture)
Happy carving
the back light in the above carving is provided by LED enclosed in a light box, the light of the carving with the men enjoying tee is by fluorescent tubes, note the change in colour with exact same material and carving settings. Yes I use 60 deg V bit here is the link to the type http://www.cmtutensili.com/show_items.a ... ~7/8/958~2
The size of the panel is about 75cm x 58cm, feedrate 40mm/sec, average carving time is 24hr`s per carving, I have carved 6 Litho`s of this size for the customer with various scenes
The detail is amazing, if you zoom in on the man pouring the tee you can notice the decor on the tee-cup and the fraying of the other man`s head dress, ( this is better visable on larger format picture)
Happy carving
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- Vectric Craftsman
- Posts: 115
- Joined: Mon Sep 22, 2008 8:03 am
- Model of CNC Machine: Home built
- Location: Tasmania Australia
Re: Venture into Lithos
Hello Kaartman,
This will be my next learning curve, how to back light the lithos...do you use a light diffuser on the back of the box to project the light onto the litho?
I guess with the clear PU finish that you use, it gives the carving a sharper shiny look.
If you are using 6mm thick panel and your carving is around the 2mm Z height this would leave approx 4mm....Have you experimented with thinner material left for the light to get thru?
I have one of those CMT 60 deg V bits....I am also using engraving bits, they work very nicely for engraving fonts. I have also now used a 60deg V engraving bit on a litho using your settings and it machines beautifully.
I buy them on Ebay...link- http://stores.ebay.com/Supermario-Blade ... 2426005017
I have just ordered some 30deg bits to try, as I have noticed that one of the other members reccommends that size for lithos.
Kym
This will be my next learning curve, how to back light the lithos...do you use a light diffuser on the back of the box to project the light onto the litho?
I guess with the clear PU finish that you use, it gives the carving a sharper shiny look.
If you are using 6mm thick panel and your carving is around the 2mm Z height this would leave approx 4mm....Have you experimented with thinner material left for the light to get thru?
I have one of those CMT 60 deg V bits....I am also using engraving bits, they work very nicely for engraving fonts. I have also now used a 60deg V engraving bit on a litho using your settings and it machines beautifully.
I buy them on Ebay...link- http://stores.ebay.com/Supermario-Blade ... 2426005017
I have just ordered some 30deg bits to try, as I have noticed that one of the other members reccommends that size for lithos.
Kym
Re: Venture into Lithos
Hi Kym
For the light diffuser - i just paint the complete box white on the inside, the PU that i use is matt or satin finish this has no shine to the surface. I guess the sharper the angel of the cutter the crispier the detail, on small lithos i may leave 1mm material but for biger panels in increase the material leftover. I had a oops before by cutting through the material on a large panel
Have funn with the carving
For the light diffuser - i just paint the complete box white on the inside, the PU that i use is matt or satin finish this has no shine to the surface. I guess the sharper the angel of the cutter the crispier the detail, on small lithos i may leave 1mm material but for biger panels in increase the material leftover. I had a oops before by cutting through the material on a large panel
Have funn with the carving
Re: Venture into Lithos
Hello Kaartman,
I was looking at the size and time of carving of the 75mm tea litho, and was wondering how much step over you used for the carving with the V bit?
Roy
I was looking at the size and time of carving of the 75mm tea litho, and was wondering how much step over you used for the carving with the V bit?
Roy
Re: Venture into Lithos
Hi Roy
It is 75 centimeter, my settings is the same as mentioned in the above post
10%
Kaartman
It is 75 centimeter, my settings is the same as mentioned in the above post
10%
Kaartman
Re: Venture into Lithos
Hi kaartman
You said that the Litho carving took 24hrs ..did you mean 24hrs ?
Do you leave the machine running then .... is it safe to do that ?
I always sit next to the machine in case of problems ...I like to watch the magic of things appearing as well
Cheers
Roy
You said that the Litho carving took 24hrs ..did you mean 24hrs ?
Do you leave the machine running then .... is it safe to do that ?
I always sit next to the machine in case of problems ...I like to watch the magic of things appearing as well
Cheers
Roy