would you bid on this?

[knight_toolworks]

this is a knife handle in cocobolo. the texture looks like maybe a 1/16" ballnose bit. but what toolmarks there are shows this was done on a much higher end machine. I just can't see doing this in a reasonable amount of time.

http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/knighttoolworks/posting/b1fac557.jpg
http://i154.photobucket.com/albums/s266/knighttoolworks/posting/c062c0ef.jpg

[dlcw]

I don't think I would take the time to create the toolpaths to do this. For a one-off piece of work it would be way to much work (and way to expensive for the customer). I would tell the customer, if it was mine, to look for a gunsmith around the area that might have the contacts to make this type of piece more economically. IMO.

One-off's just aren't worth the effort for you or the customer.

[CNYDWW]

Such a small part, only way to do it efficiently is have a multiple z machine. Each part milled is spaced according to the space between each spindle.

[bruce_taylor]

How many hundred do they want ? I would ball park some figures to find out the interest. If they want it then yes. Only they can say what it is worth to them. I have done many small jobs that seemed pricey to me but the clients who wanted it was fine with the cost to have it done. I wouldn't spend a whole lot of time on it until I knew I had a client willing to pay what it cost.

[knight_toolworks]

not sure on quantities I talked to him awhile go but it could be hundreds. thats what makes me think I can't do them fast enough.

[don_roy]

can you supply some dimensions?
Don

[knight_toolworks]

5"x1.75 they would want in several woods and plastic. a mirrored pair cut both sides.

[bcondon]

Using a 1/16" ballnose, could you digitize the piece on a shopbot and then 3d cut it?

I HAVE NEVER USED THE DIGITIZER so this is really a question and an idea.


The only other way I see this being done is to send it to someone like Brady and have a 3D image, then into Aspire and cut it using
rough + finish cuts with a 1/16" ball cutter.

[nailzscott]

I did this for a friend of mine. Took his plastic grips (think his was an airsoft gun) probed them, and cut both sides from a piece of walnut. They turned out very good, but I found that you can buy them for $35. So it was not worth supplying the wood, making them, doing the final sanding, drilling the mounting holes, and finishing them.

[michael_schwartz]

"Could be hundreds" in my experience usually turns out to be 1 or 2. If you do bid this I would give him a price for one or two, and then a wholesale rate for 100+

If your billing out anything close to 40 hours each and every week, and you are going to regardless, its probably not worth your time to even think about this. If you have the time to spare, you never know. Might be worth it.

[knight_toolworks]

on the amount I agree I never quote much on quantities till it happens. They have 3d drawings but not sure if they have it all. the texture if done in 3d is very good crisper then could be done on a shopbot. It looks more like is done in 2d on the 3d surface.
I can always use the work but I just don't think I can do it fast enough. I will get the 3d files and see.

[michael_schwartz]

I agree that it looks like the texture was done as a 2D tool path, and projected onto the 3D surface. My thought is that it might not be much faster, but it would come out much crisper that way.