heya guys.. Need help on a project

[dray]

I have a square 24"X24" acrylic. 3/16 thick. I split it up into 96 lines..

In the center I am starting out at .15 and I need to go outward each way from .15 to 0 48 lines each way, so is there a formula or a way to use artcam to make the depth of 48 lines go from .15 - 0?

for example middle line = x then next line = .003 etc etc for some reason the math does not work out for me.

results will look like this.


DM6rBvWK384 iZAtfFmBsI4


BTW long time no see.

[myxpykalix]

I'm not sure i exactly understand what you want to do but try your math by overlapping the beginning center line and or the ouside lines and see if you can get an even number of lines that way. It would be like making 2 squares of equal sizes to fill your space but the inside lines have to lay overtop of each other.
I hope that makes sense, not sure if it is correct.:confused:

btw good to see you back here.....hows the bike business going?

[CNYDWW]

Basically you want a stepped pocket radiating out from the center. Someone else will have to chime in, i'm not familiar with artcam.

Regards
Randy

[Brady Watson]

Make a relief with a 2-rail sweep and then alter your 3D relief machining stepover distance to give you the line effect you want.

-B

[dray]

I will play around with 2 rail sweep this afternoon.

I ended up doing it the hard way by subtracting .003 from each line using 3/16" Acrylic total of 96 lines and started cutting at .15-0 Depth on each side starting from the center out as well as separating the lines from center out starting at .125-.25.

I still don't know how to use the 3D in Artcam.

I will take some photos this afternoon. I have been working on this for a few days. This pic only has 12 lines each way close in the middle and spreading out further apart from the center to the edges where the LED's are.

After cutting the 96 lines it still did not work out. Then on a separate piece I simply ran a 60 deg v-bit with router off at .003 just scratching the surface and it worked like a charm.

I have been running different patterns each day for 3-4 days.

This is the goal with diffuser on top.
http://ampedbikes.com/shopbot/bright.jpg



Process.

http://ampedbikes.com/shopbot/pattern.jpg


First attempt. Not nearly enough lines and too deep. My final test (ill post pics later today) yesterday was 24" wide with a total of 96 lines scratched .003 deep

http://ampedbikes.com/shopbot/IMG_0554.JPG


Similar to what I did yesterday, but I only scratched horizontal lines to only be lit from 2 sides.

http://ampedbikes.com/shopbot/scratch.jpg

[dray]

Final outcome. This is a project for a friend that needed to light an onyx countertop. This was the final test on my bot. Scratched it at 500 ipm .006" deep with router off 1/4" collet for a dremel bit to be sure I was not damaging my bearings. Matrix squares are .01".

The final countertops will be +/- 12'X24" and 2 bathrooms with extruded sinks approx 8' X 24"



http://ampedbikes.com/1matrix.jpg



http://ampedbikes.com/1matrixa.jpg


http://ampedbikes.com/1matrixb.jpg

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3203/5860774403_68714b0d42.jpg

[bleeth]

There is a product called "Ceelight" which is perfect for backlighting Onyx.
Basically it is a low voltage sheet of plastic that glows when lit. I have some samples and it is outstanding.

[dray]

Heya Dave I saw a version of that but they are expensive and my buddy got in over his head so we are having to do it on the cheap. We are actually going to mill the mesh off of the back of the onyx and laminate it to the diffuser and edge lit panel.

There are special slabs of thin 3/8" onyx laminated to glass to make this easy but the granite is already fabricated.

[bleeth]

Well Danny: That's the first time I have ever seen the words "cheap" and "Onyx" used in the context of 1 project!!

[dray]

Yeah me too. The lioght panels I made cost about $200 per sq foot if you have a company come out to do it.

My buddy does not do the tops he just built the cabinets and rough top and was asked to do the lighting and of course he had to say sure I can do it without knowing how.

Which lead me on a week long Google searching session on different ways to edge light Acrylic, the different films, the grid size, spacing, depth etc.

Besides the edge lit light panels are new and really cool. They are using them to replace the fluorescent in in t-bar ceilings bar tops there is some really cool things you can do with them.

The Led's stay cool the amp draw is 1/10 of a fluorescent and they have a 50,000 hour lifespan.

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Some interesting links on them and uses.

http://img.diytrade.com/cdimg/364686/7181399/0/1263182810/LED_Panel_Light_300x600.jpg



http://i00.i.aliimg.com/img/pb/475/657/426/426657475_880.jpg

[feinddj]

If you go to theatrical supplier, you will find sheets of gel diffusion. They come in many different strengths. a sheet or two of that might save you a lot of time.

D

[dray]

Both Daves..

Reg piece of $180 +/- 3/8 acrylic. 2 sheets of 1/8 diffuser I bought the LED's and small transformer off of ebay for $9 for 16' of LED's (5050 very bright but stays cool) and the 12V transformer $9 (on the bottom I simply put a piece of the white 1/9" panel that goes in T-Bar ceiling to cover the fluorescent bulbs)).

Total cost $200 and 4 hours. I need to do one more today but the granite guy wanted $6k I thought it was $5k but it was $6k for 2 bathroom Pullmans.

After a week of homework on Google I finally got it nailed down. Nut now I can do it. I made a tungsten ( think its tungsten anyways, it took an hour to shape it, cool it in water etc. I just put it in a screw gun and rolled it on my grinder so it was round) very sharp bit out of an old broken 1/4" bit
that had broke.

This edge lighting is pretty incredible in my opinion. It can be used instead if any fluorescent light-boxes, if you think about it there are literally hundreds of uses.

For natural lighting there is a thin film that is inexpensive to be used as a diffuser for reg light applications.

Incredibly surprising how evenly lit is across 67" X 27" (27 at the sink area)


Pic below with no lighting.
http://www.ampedbikes.com/light5.jpg


Pic below is with lights on.
http://www.ampedbikes.com/light3.jpg

Pic below in the dark
http://www.ampedbikes.com/light1.jpg


Final test piece with lights on and off.
http://www.ampedbikes.com/light4.jpg