My First BIG 3D

[Ken Sully]

I used Aspen wood and learned if you cut to deep you get wood movement.
Lesson learned!
Finished with Modern Masters Metal Effects.
Going to make a few more of these.

[gc3]

thicker blank and cut a pocket backside same depth as face helps with the movement...balance the stress

[Brady Watson]

Ken - Looks great!

FYI - Aspen isn't the best wood for that type of work. Try cutting some hard woods (like maple, cherry, oak, walnut etc) to see the difference. They are also less hairy. Avoid pine unless you are just v-carving.

Wood will most certainly move around as stresses are relieved AND as the part absorbs heat from cutting. Try to machine all in one go without pausing overnight to stay ahead of any warping that may occur. Gene mentions a great trick to balance the warpage.

-B

[shilala]

Looks awesome, Ken.
It'd look sweet in quartersawn oak. Zero sanding and would be a really nice effect.
I like the modern masters idea, that's a cool finish.

[Ken Sully]

Thanks for the feed back. I used Aspen as my prototype and plan the final on Bloodwood for the local Church.
The Masters paint allows some very unusual results. The person at the store told me lots of the Cool stuff in Vegas is just "Painted to look like"

I think the cut depth for the Bloodwood will be .25 instead of .42. I don't think it will impact the detail

[Brady Watson]

Just do a partial test cut by drawing a rectangle around an area of interest on the 3D model & use that as your machining boundary. This way you can see how much detail there is @ the shallower depth before you get into the bloodwood.

-B

[bleeth]

If you are going to finish it with a MM or anyone else's metallic you might as well use MDF. I assume your bloodwood would be finished with oil or clear varnish. That's a very hard wood and should give you some fabulous looking results.

[shilala]

Chirping Brady's comment, just wanted to add that less depth causes a pretty good loss of shadows, and that's what really makes a piece resolute. Especially at a distance.
You got great shadow effect from the paint. I get it from stain. But if I were going to use bloodwood, I sure wouldn't stain it, and I highly doubt that lacquer or poly would darken the endgrain on the 3D parts enough to give you the shadow you want.
I'd probably go so far as to try a section on a small piece of bloodwood and see how it looks without any sealer, then with.

You're probably thinking about getting too deep into the material and having the piece cup or curl on you. It will if you get deep. It may if you get down .42 into .75 material, which I'm guessing you're using?
I'd frame out the back. All around the outside, then make a good number of crossbraces.
You could paint the back and the edge black, not painting the bloodwood, and use some other hardwood for the frame and crossbraces so the cost doesn't make you want to throw up.
It'll last for a million years, my man. I can't wait to see the finished project.
Here's a pic of a bracing that I'm talking about...

http://i925.photobucket.com/albums/ad96/scottshilala/null_zps0f81697d.jpg