Astrolabe

[giltzow]

Hi All
I found an Astrolabe generator at "The Astrolabe Project" http://www.astrolabeproject.com/
I used the files to make an astrolabe for my latitude (Boise, Idaho)

[TomWS]

Wow! What a beautiful instrument! I have no idea what that would be used for, but the workmanship would guarantee a place in anyone's display case!

[scottp55]

Wow! +1
VERY impressed with your attention to detail and craftsmanship!!
Very well done!
My congrats.
scott

[garylmast]

Very Impressive. How did you do the print?

Gary

[giltzow]

The letters and numbers are engraved on wood and plastic. The plastic has a layer of color apx .004" thick. The engraving bit cuts through that layer to white or black plastic beneath. The wood is engraved and then painted over with black paint and excess sanded off.

[AboveCreations]

I am in agreement... that is some mighty fine craftmanship, indeed. Thanks for the explanation on the engraving process. I assume that wood is oak or something very hard?

[garylmast]

The letters and numbers are engraved on wood and plastic. The plastic has a layer of color apx .004" thick. The engraving bit cuts through that layer to white or black plastic beneath. The wood is engraved and then painted over with black paint and excess sanded off.

I know what material you were using. I made and donated plaques for Eighty-Eight Universities across the nation for the Sigma Lambda Chi Honor Society for Construction Management. However I used the Laser Engraver rather than the CNC machine. The metal insignia I modeled in Aspire and had them casted in metal by a supplier out of China.

Gary

[giltzow]

I am in agreement... that is some mighty fine craftmanship, indeed. Thanks for the explanation on the engraving process. I assume that wood is oak or something very hard?

I used a piece of ply (thin veneer on front and back with an MDF center). Not sure what the thin veneer is as I got the piece from a friend, who got it from a friend........ the stand (pictured below) is European Beech. I used a Precise Bits engraver (30 degree) and set the depth for .009" using the engraving tool in VCarve Pro with fill option.

[giltzow]

The letters and numbers are engraved on wood and plastic. The plastic has a layer of color apx .004" thick. The engraving bit cuts through that layer to white or black plastic beneath. The wood is engraved and then painted over with black paint and excess sanded off.

I know what material you were using. I made and donated plaques for Eighty-Eight Universities across the nation for the Sigma Lambda Chi Honor Society for Construction Management. However I used the Laser Engraver rather than the CNC machine. The metal insignia I modeled in Aspire and had them casted in metal by a supplier out of China.

Gary

Very nice Gary. Can you tell us the company in China that cast the metal part?

[garylmast]

Very nice Gary. Can you tell us the company in China that cast the metal part?

Sorry, it's been over three-years since I've did these and I don't remember the name of the company. After google search, I remember getting a couple of quotes from companies in the U.S. and for a minimum of 100 it was somewhere around $5,000. The company in China ended up be under $1000 for a hundred of them.

Gary

[Luvtocarve]

This piece is amazing! Thanks for sharing.