Hand tools

In the last post I talked about the large tools you would need but there are hand tools that are indispensable.
You could live without a table saw or a bandsaw but you must have hand tools..

First is a hand drill, and don't go cordless.  If you leave a plug on it it works so much better..  I use mine to screw my work down to my table..

Second a Skill Saw..  This will make short work of those boards that are too long to fit in your shop.  It also works for cutting down pallets..

Third one is a router..  A hand router, this should be the same size as the one in your CNC and works with your bits...

Fourth is a Saber-Saw.. Jig Saw,  a Jitterbug Saw..  To get those little parts that need to be trimmed cut and nipped..

Fifth is a Dremmel, this little work horse gets the screws that are too long down to size as well as sanding in the tight little spaces...

The Sixth is a palm sander..  Get a good set of shock gloves with this too,  It really saves your hands.

The Seventh tool isn't really a tool but a bright shop light..  The brighter the better...  I think it would be difficult to have too much light..

The Eighth is a catch all computer accessories...  Digital camera, Thumb drive and a wireless keyboard and mouse..

Hardware You Might Need.

Ok my CNC is one of the most powerful machine you can get for your home shop but it can't do it all..

Ok it can but it isn't the easiest or fastest machine to use..

There are 4 floor tools and 6 hand tools that you should have in your shop if you really want to do production with your CNC..

The first tool is

Table Saw..  This tool you should have even if you don't have a CNC, but this allows you to cut large pieces to fit on your work surface..  Get a couple of extras to help out... One is a out-feed roller, then a better miter gage..

The second tool is one I have wanted for some time..  A drill press..  Not really needed but this could speed up production..  It takes the CNC 45 sec just to mill one .25 hole .5 deep..  You compare that to a drill press that can blow out the same hole in under 8 sec..  and it is round..  I have been fighting a wobble with the CNC holes..

Third tool is a Joiner..  This will allow you to easily glue board together to get some great effects...  You can do butcher block carving or stripes of alternating colors and carve them as one block because the edges are true and easy to glue..

The forth and final floor tool is the bandsaw..  This allows you to do a couple of tricks.. One is re-sawing boards thiner so you can get more projects out the same amour of wood.  Another trick is be able to cut out your parts after you mill them out..

I hope this link helps you make a dream list for your wood shop..  Happy Holidays 2010.

Software Update

I got a software update the other day and it has been installed..  Aspire is the driving program I purchased to build 3d shapes that I can carve..  It has been working fine but there are a few things that I would change  I would like to see..

One I would love to set some milling patterns..  Right now the system goes back and forth or around and around..  Some other patterns I think would be nice is wave, bubble, square, and spiral.

The second thing I wanted to see was the "sculpting" tool simplified.

I didn't get the first but I did get the second.. Then they also included something I didn't even know I needed.  They eliminated the need to make a "working model" and allow you to use only one model and don't require you to shift everything over to one form then back to another to adjust your 3d model..

If you would like to see the newest updates check out this link..

Fish Art 4

Sometimes revising is more difficult than creating the original.  Especially when you see that the comments on the first proof are correct.  That is what happend with this peice..  I wanted to get the flow and movement of fish swimming.. 

People don't normal see fish from the side swimming nature... We see fish swimming from the top looking down..   I have only seen the "wild" side view a couple of times my self.. Aquariums and fish-tanks help but most of the time it looks like the fish are just sitting there if viewed from the side.. 

From the top it is another story so now I am trying to get movement you see looking down on fish from the side out of wood a stiff unyielding stuff.  and make it look natural...  Who said this job isn't fun?

It took more tricks than I could think of in one go so I made several false starts at it but I got proof 2 to show to the client...

The background color is just there to illustrate the different levels of the mounting wood... The fish will be attached on top by something...

FishArt 3

 After the proof is OK-ed I begin on the workup by laying the elements I need right on top of the proof to size.  I find it is easier to work in the computer at 100% size this is one less step I have to work with later as well as eliminating one more mistake I could make..  That doesn't mean that adjustments don't happen.. after I presented the client with this design she changed her mind and wanted a different layout for some of the fish..  Ah well that is why computers have a alt Z...

Fish Art 2

It is easier to play with the drawings than working up a real model.. but as with anything that is faster and easier it has it's flaws.. With this form of proof one has to use some imagination to see the final project.  One thing that jumped out at the client and I was that fact that being 8' long was just too big for the space..  So we scaled it down to 74" This made the H of the background at 12"  I don't know how these things work them selves out.  Most of the time I have to cheat them to make them fit.  Ah I will never spit on luck...

Fish Art 1

I have started a art installation for above a fireplace. This started with the fish test and now has moved on to the conceptual sketches, then the the visualize mock-up...  The sketch was the first step I made to scale on graph paper. Sometimes it is faster for me to fall back on the old ways..  Things I tried to remember was keep odd numbers of subjects break the edges, and overlap....  Some technical aspects I tried to keep in mind as well are the limits of my bench and the restrictions of my equipment...   I need it to break apart at the 4' mark for easy shipping.

Photos of fish carving.

This is the first of several fish I am going to cut for a fireplace mantel.  I think I will experiment in cutting patterns to see whether or not I can get the look I want.. I could etch in actual scales or I could simulate scales with a pattern of millings...

Fish Carving

Here are the uTube videos of the fish carving.  I started carving with a .25 spiral up to rough cut then a .125 round nose for a finishing.  The .125 round nose bit is offset so it leaves a wavy pattern.

Stain Stain Stain

The finishing of the gun handle has begun.. I thought a good color was Gunstock..  A little foam brush rubber gloves and 4 to 6 hours of drying time..

Simulating the cut

The working model can and does have a lot more detail than the final cut.  So I simulated what final would look like.  Aspire is like having 2 programs in one..  The first side builds the model the second generates the cutting paths and simulates tool cuts..  It is a mind-bending right brain left brain thing..  One thing I wish Aspire could do is have custom paths you could cut in..  Right now it just has spiral and in a straight line.  I would like to be able to enter in a wave or helix pattern to leave the cutting witness in the work when I am done..  It would add one more level of texture to the work..

I ran 6 cuts over the same part.  First a spiral v bit cut then 5 round bit cuts
First at 0 deg
2nd at 90
3rd at 60
4th at 30
and the
5th spiral again but this time it had a round nose.

I don't think this is practical in real life.  You can spend 3 to 4 hours cutting and get the same results as 20 min with a bit of sandpaper. I might be forced to stick with 2 path runs and 1 tool change.

Gun Handel Milling

 People like to watch the movies of the beast cutting but to me it feels like the old dot matrix printers slow but it gets the job done..

Working up the design

After I measured and entered the size for the pipe stone the fun started..  I traced the horse and ported the rough lines into Aspire..  The sculpting tool was quite useful
(I can see how you can lose lots of time fussing around with it.)
This is one of the few times I have ever read the directions on how to use a program.  I don't think it is because I am getting old, it must be the drive to succeed..  That must be it... Ha.

This is the working model  The smudge tool works for the maine

New Materials Smaller Size

A Alaska friend of mine wants me to try out some new materials Ivory Ebony and Pipe Stone, at a much smaller size than I am use to working.. Well we shall see how it all turns out.

Doing some art

I was trying to do these fish when the machine pulled it's wires..  This is what it is going to look like when I get it cut..  I hope I can hold the resolution to keep the detail of the scales.

Trying Something Other Than Wood.

This week after I got the beast moving again I started cutting something other than wood..  This stuff is called DieBond.. A substrate for outdoor signs that is reported easy to cut and shape..  My first pass was great, however each progressive sign the edges got nastier and uglier.. Some of this is because new tools are supper sharp but I think most of the problem is the feed-rate and spindle speed..  It could be the different material.  Each manufacture has different quality standards and cause the cut to go poor..

When CNC goes wrong

I didn't know what happened but the Z went haywire on me.  Little did I know the term Haywire was closer to the truth than I knew.  I thought it was maniacal at first, but as I checked the screws and bolts I knew this was not the fault..  So I jumped to the conclusion that the motor was bad..  I went on line to order a new one at 50$ I didn't want to jump in and buy a new one right away..  So I slept on it.  All things come to me in dreams..  In robot wars most of frequent cause of dead robots was faulty wiring..  So I checked the wiring and BINGO!  It works and is running fine now.

The Second Video

I switched bits to my .125 round nose 15 deg bit.  It is a great bit but expensive!  So I try to remove all the wood I can then I get the delux bit out and hit it...

Up on UTube

A lot of friends and family want to see the machine running.  For me it is like watching paint dry but it is fun to see the design lift out of the wood.  This is the first pass with a .25 roughing bit.

Starting the "Big Sign"

 I started a full size proof today.  It will be carved out of Philippinen Mahogany and should last a very long time.  This is a two sided sign.  I need to carve both side separate then glue them together with Gorilla Glue.  Then cap the top with copper or lead flashing to keep the rain from getting into the seam.

I need to know when to quit...

I think I went too far in the carving of this one  If I would have stopped half way I think it would have been a better sign.. Ah live and learn..  This is so much fun..

What do with the scraps

This machine of mine eats wood like a termite hoard..  So I have been looking for a endless source of wood, but until then I will be using scraps.  If you look closely you will see the inside of the speaker stands.

Look it draws on eggs..

Every now and again I find a cool tool I wish I had..  I am into wood and wood carving but that doesn't preclude me from getting excited about this.. Egg Bot

It was a busy day..

I found a new place in town..  Called Cross Cuts.  It isn't cheep but they have the wood I needed..  It is hard to find anything in the larger stores, but once you find the local guys you end up with a better product and a larger selection.  This might seem counter intuitive, a large store should have everything, but they can't make the profit on the odd items...  So support the small stores and the local guys..

Here is what they look like

I delivered the finished signs last night.  They will go around her house so customers don't park in her driveway and she can go home at night.  I also got measurements for there new outdoor sign.  It should be a great project..  Stay tuned for more updates..

All with a coat of finish

The edges need a coat of red and the back needs to be weatherized.  The poly makes even the Poplar look good..

The top will be ripped down so the sign will be 12x18 then I will round the corners with my little belt sander.  I don't know why they don't make boards 12" wide not just 11.25

Stuffing in the paint

I have found the easy way to paint the letters is to just stuff the paint into the letters and sand of the excess.  It looks like a mess now but it all needs to be sanded anyway.

I switched Bits

I am using my second favorite bit the 60 deg. V cut bit..  It leaves such a nice cut letter..  I have heard of people free hand signs with this bit but I use my machine..

First Cut

I cleared out the center with my .25 bit then did a bit of milling for the letters.

Pretty Signs

Mt.Angle has a cute little restaurant called Bavarian Haus  The owner asked for a couple of cute little no parking signs.  I enjoy doing this kind of stuff.

All Finnished

It is nice to see a good coat of finish and the speakers in.  There is a rumor of v2 but no date for it yet.

After the Parts Were Cut

I think he was quite happy with my work.  The machine performed fantastically and his project is assembled now.

A Paying Gig

I started out with a .eps file.  I set the file with my Aspire program..  After a bit of work I got the program to get it's cut time down to just a hour.

Who Knew..

Ok so last Saturday or was it Sunday I posted how I made the iPad case on Instructables..  and now I got over 6000 hits.  It is nice to cut through the static..

Do you want to build a iPad Case your self?

If you want to build a case to fit your iPad you can follow the link below.... However if you want me to build you a custom one just email me-

Blackdogcarving@yahoo.com


How to build your own iPad case. - More DIY How To Projects

Fake Wood?

I know a lot of us look down on fiber wood or wood pulp ground up and spit out into planks or sheets..
I got some leftover "fake" wood flooring and decided to put it to the test.. So far it has been great as a background for the train table.  I also used it under my carving table to level it.  Then whenI thought that was all I could use it for I put a few wood screws through it and made a paint drying board.  Thats when it hit me.  It's may be green on the inside but it works hard just like real wood.

Step 6 Embossing the Cover

I learned this trick in art school.. We had all kinds of ways to fake embossing, from glueing a extra sheet of paper on top to pushing the image in with a spoon.. This leather is so soft it pushes in with the cap from a ball point. I am sure it will look better over time with more pushing and adjustments. But it looks really nice now. There are times I surprise my self.

Go To Blackdog Carvings Web Page

Step 5 The Coat

I got a leather coat from good will, and it feels soft and butter like.. That and the walnut, makes me wonder why I use anything else. It takes a long time to strip all the seams and get a useable panel but it glues down fine. I think good will is going to be my source for stuff.. It beats buying it new.. I think my next experiment will be a dress jacket. A plaid or tweed, they were on sale for 12$ each and it is a nice wool.

To Black Dogs Web Page

Step 5 Starting on the Cover

A great place to pick up thin plywood is your local hobby store. I got some aircraft grade plywood for 7$ I know it seems a little pricy considering I got my walnut for 3$ but it is the thickness I need and the size that will work for the front and the back.

I cut holes in the cover for the speakers. It doesn't muffle the sound much.. I think it works out nicely

To Blackdogs Web Page

Step 4 My New, Best Bit

I got a .25 round nose bit and it cuts Great. It is leaving a soft wave pattern at the bottom of the cut. This will look great with the finish. This is where the blank being too thin is starting to cut through around the center block. It's all working out fine though. The Pirate fabric goes with the theme of the case

To the Web Page

Step 3 Now The Next Bit.

I hogged out the rest with a .25 or 1/4 fishtail bit. I have a downward twist bit.. It is not the best to remove large amounts of wood.. Until I come up with a bit more cash I will have to work with what I have... This walnut cuts like cholate or frozen butter.. I like milling it. This is lots of fun. I will have to get some more walnut for future projects.

To Blackdogs Web Page

Step 2

It got a little thiner than I wanted it but this should look nice.. I started with milling the top flat with my 1/2 quad bit. I don't think I needed to do this but it will put less stress on the smaller bits for the next steps. I like the pattern it put into the surface.

Back to Web Page

The Start Of A NEW PROJECT!

Weather is nice and I got a lot of scrap wood... It is time to start Cutting. I am going to make a new case for my iBook. I know that new electronic computer changes names faster than a High School band but I think iBook will be the name that will stick

This blank is Walnut (I think) and Cherry. The Walnut could be something more exotic because I got it from the scrap bin.

Back to Blackdog Carving Home Site

Back to the Background

Cutting and glueing complete on the first part shows a small flaw in the design.. It is a little difficult to play in the table with all 4 sides on.. So I think I will remove one side to make play easer.. Sometimes design has to be sacrificed for playability.

The Train Table Gets A Up Date...

After I finished painting the train table I realized that it wasn't a table. It was just a board on the ground..
It also needed background scenery.. For those of you who do not know I made a poster a couple years back and thought that would make a great background.

Step one was cutting the old leftover flooring to match the profiles of the poster. It is a great help to have the original files.

The inside of wood flooring is green. Green wood who would have thunk it... Hehe

iPad.. Thoughts and Ideas

Ok I got a iPad.. I am changing it's name to iTab. Ha there I feel much better. I am using it for a portfolio. and it is a lot easer than hauling around 70 lb. of wood.. Now I come to my second issue. Electronics are fragile and I am none to gentle with such things. I need a case however they are a little pricey and without working with a case I don't know if they will work well for me.

So I decided to make one for my self. Now that I have a Cnc I doubt I will buy anything again.

The bamboo ring is out of my leftover flooring and took only a afternoon to cut out. The cover took longer..

Train Part 3

It is so great to have the beast up and running agin. I took the down time to improve a couple of things on it.. The nuts and bolts vibrate off over time so it was time to tighten them back up again. Went to Ace Hardware to get lock tight and cut down on that chore. I got the train table off and started painting. The next couple of steps are to put table legs on and some scenery...

Reprograming

When you lose a hard drive you can get it all back however it takes time, and work and effort.
It would be easer if I kept a backup of the files I need.. The installation video said to back up your files.. They said it more than once.. Did I listen, No.. I will this time.. in a bit, it is on the list of things to do. I just noticed that it is on the list from the first time I installed this Whoops.

New Hard Drive

Ok I got a new hard-drive and got it installed hopefully this will fix my little problem.. Now there was some dust in the computer but not as much as I thought there would be. It takes a long time to install windows, but now I got to put all the numbers back. This is where I ran into trouble the first time when I couldn't get this beast to live... The fun just doesn't stop.

I got the train table primed and it is starting to look like a train table...

Dust and Disaster

Ok things haven't gone so well.. The used computer died.. Well the hard drive did and now all the settings are gone. So there it sits on the table not moving until I get the thing fixed.. Argh..

Train Part 2

Step three Design. Lay out and measuring is the key The little round balls at the end of the track were a challenge but I got it done.

Step 4 Cutting. I had to put this on hold.. My machine would only cut smallish things at first because of the track and the wiring and the other gremlins in the works. So it is off to killing gremlins I go.

Step 5 Cutting. Gremlins Dead I got the board strapped down to the table now and I am ready to start cutting.. This beast is going to take 4 bit changes and has 19 steps. I hope I got every thing right..

Toy Train

Now it is time for the biggest thing I have ever cut.. My boys train table He loves toy wood trains. I don't know many two year olds that don't. So I set out to make him a toy train table.

Step one research. I looked at all the toy train tables out there... Not that I had much choice because he dragged me to every one.

Step two Size. The car is small and I can fit a 2' by 4' sheet of ply in there so there you are.

Toy Giraffe

I wanted to do something for my boy.. After all he is my son.. He also likes the Giraffes at the Zoo.. It is a bit of a hike they are all the way in the back and I end up carring him a lot of the way.. So I was going to make him a wood one..

I started with a simple photo that I took then I traced it using Illustrator.. (a great program) I then took it over to the "other computer" and worked out all the layers I would need to make it 3d..

It took me 2 tries but I am inspired now I can see how I am going to do a full sized wood horse..

The bad news is the tail is to fragile for him to play with.. The next thing I carve will be for him.

The Cross

My Father got a request from one of the people at the church to do a conformation cross. She needed it the next day... So dad called me up and asked what I could do.. I went down to the hardware store picked up some Cherry and started cutting.. He had a photo of the cross behind the alter and I just matched that..

I learned that thin slivers of wood don't work so well I will have to change that in the future.. But I got it done..

Up to full Speed

Now it was time to ramp things up and go into production.. If you can call 4 boards production..

There was still a lot of work to do with the cutting and sanding and painting and making sure everything was all lined up.

It is easer than using a chisel and cutting everything out by hand. I think they look nicer than wood burning the work in too but it still takes time and I found my self with one ear open all the time waiting for it to stop so I could load the next one..

My wife is still upset about all the sawdust I was making..

What I learned

I learned a lot from the sample.

First My depth of cut was going to be a problem on wood.
Second Simpler logo.
Third I would have to make a "Shoe" to fit the boards in to keep them in there place and lined up from one sample to the other..

Even with all of that I ended up blowing a few of her cheese boards before I got it right.