"Fox in a Log" in a Branch (proto/playing)

[scottp55]

Feel like playing today, and found one more small Walnut branch I cut into shorter than normal sections to play with carving end grain.
New "Fox in a Log" model may work;

Probably be making mistakes wholesale, so should be a couple laughs for people:)
Starting totally from scratch, so probably try cutting first on the wet Maple on left to get a feel for the model AND wet Maple, Then maybe Walnut if time allows.
Orienting the Walnut I think will be key.
Will probably try a few ways, as None of the candidates look like the right outer profile.

Out to play today, as thunderstorms tomorrow supposedly.
Just feel like cutting today, and maybe some of my mistakes will help somebody

[SteveNelson46]

Pretty cool Scott. Looking forward to seeing the completed cut.

[scottp55]

Going to make my mistakes on this piece of wet, kinda bias cut Sugar Maple first, as it has cracks.

Surfaced down a bit,

and I'm saying "Where's my Suction!!"
When surfacing a bunch of branches and logs.....CHECK your cyclone bin!!

So far most time has been recalcing a 20X res file Steve.
Should have taken a pic for my App Data folder...but just winging it.
Model is now .74" depth, and wood is 1.7".

Cheated Z up .5" and using a Finish toolpath with a 3" long 1mm Tapered Ball Nose, and then will Nudge Z down in .25"(?) increments until all features show.

Then cut the Real Finish toolpath with the 3" long .25mmTBN.....

Could wind up with a really nice Maple CHIA PET cutting wet Maple end grain
Recalc must be finished now.....rastering along the gantry, as Offset toolpath was Plunging ALL over the place

Thanks Steve!

[scottp55]

OOPSIE again.
After getting Model sized so it appeared right, and making the Boundary for it......
I SHOULD have made a Profile of the boundary and done an Air Cut!!
It was cutting over the existing bark on the Maple.....MIGHT have worked, But!
Just shrunk the Fox 5% again! Recalcing.

[scottp55]

Could have shrunk model a hair more.
Been soaking with my pine resin mix on between .25" Z Nudges.....and end grain is sucking it up so much I haven't seen any untreated wood.
Cutting WAY cleaner than I thought as the wood was WET,

but cleaning bit with Bladecoat and brass brush between 25 minute cuts...and mix is helping the cut I think(as well as making cotton candy of the chips, AND keeping them together:)

Full depth pass with the 1mm TBN is cutting now at what would be the original toolpaths Finishing depth.

Then swap to .25mm TBN and reduce stepover...MAY try Linseed/Beewax wet coating surface to create slurry to press in cracks(?).
Not sure how that will work on this one, but works great on dry wood.
Not as If I didn't know the cracks were there.....that's why this was the test piece:)

Putzing is Fun:)

[scottp55]

Last pass 8% stepover with the 1 mm TBN.

Calculating the .25mm TBN now with a 2% stepover for all the details.....Nudged Z-zero down .015" and gave it another penetrating resin/oil/citrus coating.
!/4 the stepover, 1/4 the radius....calc and cut take awhile.

[mark-s]

Nice, like the look of carved things in a log.
Good job Scott.
mark-s

[WNC_Ed]

Wow, that's some good looking "firewood"

[scottp55]

Thanks Mark:) Need to look for more Oak branches for you

Actually Ed....That Maple branch would just have become a brushpile, as no woodstove.
Recalc is driving me crazy...3 different allowances...first one was too big...second one was too small.....Hoping the one that's working now will be the "Goldilocks" one.

IF I had Aspire, I imagine I could tweak the model's "Wood" and match it to the App Data vector from a pic.
Top vector looks too straight...and not about to Node Edit it at this point.

Also maybe should have saved my saw marks on the outer edge? Easy enough to palm chisel a little, but might have looked like chainsaw marks and tree just left in the woods.
WISH I could use a longer piece so it LOOKED like a log.....but I'm pushing my 5.5" Z pretty close as is the way I did it.

Back to shop...and THANKS!

[scottp55]

The .25mm TBN could get into all the "Fur" and details the 1mmTBN could not and just skimmed over....so Multiplier was off, and spindle didn't shut down till 9:55pm.
Left machine on all night, as when spindle shut off I was NOT getting out of bed to blurrily blow out/brush/and inspect the cut.

It had on close inspection those STUBBORN velvet like Fuzzies that so plague my "Wet Birch Wolves" Paper Birch 3D that need Exacto blade scraping to satisfactorily remove. PITA!

Trying a page from Ted's experience, and gave it a quick coat of Pine resin mix, and then parked spindle over it so fan during warm up routine will quicken fuzz drying.

Made a 3 hour 5% stepover file, and Nudged my Z-zero up .003" so I can creep up on exact skimming of the surface fuzzies.
Lots of stuff in shop to do for 3 hours at the moment....and thunderstorms at 2pm(?)
Hope this works!

OH...Did NOT get the effect wanted with .02" Allowance...it got rid of the 1mmTBN's ridge marks from 8%stepover...BUT I don't like the deep cut on the edge.
NEXT time.....Negative allowance on the 1mmTBN to stay well on the model edge, and THEN us a positive .02" Allowance on the .25mm

[scottp55]

Lousy pics as in a rush unplugging stuff to beat thunder(actual tornado watch too?).

Fox after his shave and a haircut is much better, but even the .25mmTBN couldn't get all the "Fur" detail at this size.

This one wound up at .745" deep, so I wouldn't have been able to use a 30*engraving bit anyways...next one will either be in a larger diameter "Log" so I can make it bigger, OR if in smaller diameter Walnut branches....reduce the depth below .48" so I can get the engraving bit in there.

Maple really isn't showing much contrast yet....we'll see if one of my darker Linseed/Beeswax butters helps(No LinWax on it yet at all, just VERY light resin/thinner coat as a mild sealer until tomorrow)....
if not, then it's a good candidate for my mini-torch, OR playing with glazing....which I've only tried a couple times.

Good learning experience....LOT'S of room for improvement though!
scott

OH....Started with Z-zero nudge Up .01".......ran the beginning of file several times, Nudging Z-zero down incrementally, until I was actually -.006" below original Z.
JUST skimming the VERY slightest bit...don't think there were more than 2 thimbles full of shavings in the whole thing.

Apologize for pics...only had the large motion light on, and it's getting pretty dark..and flash washed out the details even more)

[scottp55]

Was looking at that from first light for a bit....going to need some work, and only giving it a coat of Linseed /wax is something I'm positive of.
WELL.....NOT cutting wet wood into 3D is another thing

But was thinking of mark-s's love of Oak...and a different Owl model that was stolen from Mom's woodpile 4 yrs ago.
Been sitting here, at least I can do some wood prep work(already trimmed total junk off the ends).
Prep work is EASY
Turning it into an Owl...well.......

at least I'm positive I can make THIS look better

NOT going to start a thread from scratch this time, as a little disappointed with the first fox...I WILL try again:)
Off to belt sand the bottom nubbin off, and Jig this sucker:)

[scottp55]

Jigging reminds me of the time in Manset, that a wood Yawl got struck by some drunk kids while moored.
We dragged her into the boat lift before she sunk, but NONE of our boat cradles was even CLOSE.
Our diver and 2 guys in hip boots are calling out wood sizes, and us 3 with sawzalls were cutting timbers to beat the band so we could lift her out a couple more feet.
IF I ever MADE a cradle like this...I would have been FIRED!!


Can you say "LIGHT PASSES"
I'll be the guy behind the plexiglas:)
She doesn't wiggle by hand, BUT..........

What's that saying "Do NOT try this at home!"

[scottp55]

Wound up taking .02" passes after testing(2minute passes).....Jig DID vibrate SLIGHTLY loose at .45" depth. I'd BEEN watching the wedges....BUT the thing to watch is the cut!
Noticed first indication on one end (yes Dwayne..the solid Cherry wedges! Only wedges that fit...need to cut more BBPly wedges!) that resembled a tramming ridge.

Turned out fairly well. Thick spalted (slightly punky in sections) layer will need several coats to stiffen after cleaning the remaining bark.
MAY not be an Owl at a glance....need to look at other models, as it appears the 3/4" dead branch goes at about a 30 degree angle almost all the way to base.