Why I upgraded to Aspire

[jfederer]

On 1 July 2018 (Canada Day) I made my first investment in Vectric products - VCarve Desktop. I learned a lot on a small machine. When I upgraded to my current machine I also upgraded to VCarve Pro, which opened up a whole new world of projects. I've since made the large desk I'm sitting at, a smaller version of the same desk, 3 jewellery boxes, many maze puzzles using Tailmaker's software, and countless other projects. The last 2 were dipping my toes into 3D - my "photo-kinetic" sculptures of the Lunar South Pole - https://fabrikisto.com/updates-blog/. All those projects were well within the capabilities of VCarve.

But I had a full 3D project in mind. So I downloaded the Aspire Trial. I re-watched almost every training video, some several times. I "attended" every UGM session. Then I started modelling from scratch. I am in awe of the work of forum member Gocarter, as shown in a recent post. I’m maybe 1% of the way to that level! But for this project the basic Modelling tools got me what I wanted. All I used were the "Create Shape from Vector Outlines" and Sculpting tools. Once I was satisfied with the mounting bosses for the components I sliced the model into 5, then created toolpaths for both the Model and for the mounting structures. There was just 1 problem: the Trial of course doesn't permit GCode generation! So I emptied the annual holiday slush fund. I'm not going anywhere this year anyway, so may as well put it to good use.

The result is a "Thermo-Kinetic" sculpture I call "Erbschaft/Nahrung". The basic idea of using environmental changes to intentionally induce motion in a wooden structure came from Clayton Boyer's "Woodworker's Hygrometer", which I built last year. In this case though, I'm using temperature changes as the force behind differential expansion of an Acrylic rod against the wooden base. I did no advance calculations for the displacement. As is my usual practice, I made it up as the project progressed. The result is that the spacing between the shafts changes at the top by about 1 mm per Celsius degree. It's visible from the house about 15 m from the shop.

What did I learn from this project? First, that Aspire is far more feature-rich and capable than I’ll probably ever use. But that’s true of most software these days. Second, that once you understand the basics, doing even moderately difficult things isn’t hard. I’m sure doing the hard things will remain hard! Third, the “Project toolpath onto 3D model” works great. The programming wizards at Vectric have done an astounding job on this. A single click turned something I was scared of into a perfect result on the first try. And Fourth, that I can now probably do almost any project I can imagine in Aspire and my CNC. I think I just saved the investment in a Prusa 3D printer!

The work history of this project is at https://fabrikisto.com/erbschaft-nahrung/

Many thanks to ScottP55 for the ongoing encouragement and suggestion of making this post.

[mtylerfl]

Well, Joe! That’s fantastic - you’ve got my vote for one of the most innovative projects I’ve ever seen! Wonderful work!

[Nox Ferocia]

I love physical mechanistic approaches to common task/devices, and yours is a beautiful execution.

Tthanks to you I had an enjoyable slide down a bit of rabbit hole after reading your post, looking into physical weather devices, and found Weather Houses which are basically humidity displays. It's given me ideas for future projects, so many thanks for sharing.

[scottp55]

Hey Joe:)
REALLY like how that came out!!
What species are the wagon shafts that you mentioned in that wonderful link??
Excellent "Heritage" project/Reminder!
That was fun reading!
LIKE your "Scrap" last minute Stand as well!!

Really sent me down a rabbit hole for a few days after I thought a bit.
I was 10 before I called my Father's Mother an American.....
"I AM a CANADIAN!!!!"
And as a 10yr old sci-fi reader, I was taken aback that my Gram was a "Resident Alien"
(AND when asked what she'd do if we went to war(stupid except for history)
"I'd shoot your Grandfather, and run like He** for the Border!"
A bit much for me at that moment until Dad explained a week later.

Gramp was cattle judging up near the border the next year, and for the first time Gram wanted to
go to her birthplace/land close by in Perth-Andover(she'd never gone back since age 17(?))
I heard a lot on the way about a "Wolf"(Wolfe:) and "free land on the St. John"
And then "Sergeants got 600 acres with tiny bottomland....officers over There(Andover) got 1,200!!)
As she got her bearings, as the TransCan had gone through, and farm houses moved/leveled to make it.
Didn't Quite believe her until she stopped at a couple farms to find family names,
but then she went back to an old dirt road,found remains of outbuilding, closed her eyes...
and the unerringly went up the field to the treeline, directly to a granite springhouse!
"Your Grandfather's Grandfather blasted this spring, and used the rubble and hole to make the COLDEST springhouse in town...TASTE that water!" (DARN Cold:)
Then explained that spring was piped down the hill to the Icehouse(to mold ice(not cut ice))...
and then into the house kitchen, so they never had to haul water.

So trying to think of "Heritage" project there, but may be easier than I thought,
as my Grandfather's Grandfather used to be Maine guide for "Rich "Sports"" from down South
that would pick him and his bird dogs up at the coast, and then sail up to Baddeck,NS to hunt
near A G Bell's estate.
Gramp's prize possession was a side by side Parker 20 gauge given to his Grandfather by a "Swell"
who said he needed a "Ladies" gun now that women were getting so "Sporting",
that his Grandfather gave HIM at 10. And it skipped another generation when I reached 10 yrs old.
(Dad was Ticked that the Parker skipped Another generation:)
And it's now about 10' from me as I type.

SO, a Lot of Canadian connections AND ideas!!
A "Canadian" gun rack springs to mind and is going to take some thought!!

So thanks a LOT for your Heritage piece...I Love it!!:)
(Sorry for Rambling:(

Well Done Joe!
scott

Now you just have to add a hygrometer/barometer/wind gauge for a total weather station.

[jfederer]

What species are the wagon shafts that you mentioned in that wonderful link??

I have no idea. They were quite thoroughly weathered but still completely sound. I did a fairly light sanding to bring out the wood colour, then applied 2 coats of clear epoxy. Since I don't know their history, I can only guess. But my guess would be Oak. I know it bends fairly well and will maintain the set. They would be a domestic wood from Southern Ontario. My grandfather only used horses and harness for the tobacco harvest, and they were rented for the 6 weeks required. So I'm pretty sure these shafts were kept as spares but never used.

I suppose there is an extremely small chance that they came from Yugoslavia. We have a picture of the horse and wagon that got my maternal family out of post-war Yugoslavia when the Communists took over. But I just can't see it being possible that these are the same. They would have been worth a lot in post-war Germany so my grandfather, being the survivor that he was, would have sold them or traded them for food. Maybe he bought this set in Canada once things eased up, as a reminder of their journey. I don't know.

[scottp55]

Thanks Joe!

Especially for getting me out of a funk, and turning a "Heritage" piece of my own and getting my 3 brain cells working again:)

NOT thanking you for sending me down several rabbit holes!
Thought of a Topo of Gram's old land, but all the old/new moved farmhouses she used for orientation
have now disappeared on GoogleEarth and look to have been sold off for clearcutting.
Families probably cut off from their Bottomland by the Trans-Can and eventually moved.

DID remember a mid 70's hitchHIKING summer in Cape Breton, where I wandered up a drive to buy
meat pies and bread offered on a driveway sign in Cheticamp...
Lady was doing a petit point Canadian flag I LOVED, but she wouldn't sell it to an American!!
I said "Does being 1/4 Canadian count??" and told her my Gram's story...
stayed there 2 extra days while she finished it, and then sewed it on my Kelty D4.
Transferred it to my new North Face pack before hitching from Maine to Victoria and back the next year.
Several times when Youth Hostel people were stretched out a half mile on Trans-Can in the am,
I was one of the first people picked up..and when asked "Why me?"...
They said it was the pack and especially the flag....So I owe Gram for That one!!
(JUST dragged that pack down yesterday, and taking the petit point off to add to my project:)

More "Heritage" reminders should be made before younger generations totally forget!!
Thanks for the Inspiration Joe!
scott

[sharkcutup]

Thought there was something unusual about you! Seeing your work and reading your posts!
CANADIAN!!!

hhhmmmm! My Mother is from Canada (Wallace Clan) and is now an American Citizen!!!

Enjoyed reading your RAMBLING!!!

Sharkcutup