Nothing too exotic here. I'm just showing some of my steps for prototyping. These also provide pieces for my wife to practice on for painting and gold leaf.
The initial cut was in MDF because I have tons of cutoffs and good quality MDF machines nicely. The Heart/Tulip design is from DesignAndMake.
The second prototype was cut in poplar from a big box hardware store. This is the full plaque and the 3D component is an on-lay that is set in slip-fit a pocket. I didn't bother to plane the board on the CNC so that is why the V-carved letters appear too deep. The border is just steps that are 0.125" deep and 0.26" wide. I then use a Vbit to chamfer the steps. I probably could have dome something interesting
The third prototype was cut in red oak from one of my local hardwood suppliers. This time I did plane it on the machine. I chose red oak because it will match the woodwork in the couple's home. Two issues I ran into with the 3D component in red oak are:
- a portion cracked, but it can be re-glued and would likely be invisible after the finish process
- I had a bit of chatter during the final cutout due to thin pieces and not enough tabs. Some double-sided tape in addition to clamps would help this situation.
This time I used a press-fit pocket for the 3D on-lay. Because of the chatter cutting out the 3D component there are still a few spots that would need glue and sawdust to fill around the design.
The letters will be glazed using a dark mahogany gel stain to improve contrast and improve readability.
