IKEA cubicle door hack, 3D oval dragon in leopardwood

[carolinasmith]

My first 3D project, making an IKEA cubicle door (13x13 inches) inset for a family member who loves dragons. The cheap IKEA door had minor chipping from the profiling operation, so I made the inset a bit larger and then rabbeted (on my router table) the underside so it would 'overhang' the chipping/cover it up.

Done in an ~ 8 inch wide leopardwood board (I thought the spots had a reptile look) 0.87 thick

Finished with polywipe and paste wax with all the attendant brushing/buffings

Almost a shame to put exotic wood in the IKEA osb door, but the door is 'turnkey' for his cubicle system, and I'm still a beginner in woodworking (1 year) and CNC (a few months). Even solving all the problems was fun, pia moments notwithstanding.

The photo was taken in sunlight, hence the shadow cast from 9 o'clock to 2 o'clock onto the IKEA door

[tri4sale]

looks great!

[carolinasmith]

Thank you!

[dmidkiff]

Looks good!! It's no longer a cheap IKEA door.

[myxpykalix]

Excellent job.....
"Even solving all the problems was fun, pia moments notwithstanding."

THAT ​is how you learn..."experience is the best teacher" good luck!

[chiloquinruss]

Very nicely done. I love dragons too!

The cheap IKEA door had minor chipping from the profiling operation As a sidebar on a job last summer I was having chip out issues doing inserts and with a tip from here I got it done. What I did was take a utility knife and score the outline of the area to be recessed. Pretty old school but it works for me. I tried doing it on the machine and well . . Back to the utility knife! :D Anyhow love dem' dragons! Russ

[carolinasmith]

Thank you Dave, Jack, and Russ

Yes, no longer cheap, heh heh, leopardwood was ~ 15/bf. In my recent visit to the candy store (a major lumber store in Seattle), all the leopardwood boards were only 4-6 inches wide and I had bought this 8 inch wide board on a prior visit. So now if I visit it and see a special wide board, I'll make that my 'special buy' cuz it likely won't be there next time, at least that's how I rationalized my purchase of a 14 inch wide padauk board for some future use. Plus I currently save almost all scraps, cuz I see pen blanks in them :) And plus, like the MasterCard ads, the recipient response and happiness is priceless :)

Thanks for the utility knife tip. I did recently get a plotter pen and think it would be well used here to trace the outline, and then follow with the utility knife without removing the piece from the CNC bed (so I don't risk losing registration) Great tip!

[chiloquinruss]

I don't have a plotter pen setup but I did try and use my brad point bit once and that seemed to work OK but it worked better to just mark the corners by just touching the substrate. When I tried routing with it, it too still had some chip out. Russ

http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=29508&stc=1

[scottp55]

Looks great Carolina:)
(Russ, chipout even with a downcut?)
Keep up the good work Carolina!
scott

[guitarwes]

Looks really really nice. Did you go with or cross the grain when carving? How bad were the "fuzzies" after carving? I love leopardwood.

[carolinasmith]

Thanks, Scott.
Wes, The mill traveled across the grain, no fuzzies. I didn't know one could change the axis until I viewed another Vectric tutorial , and I didn't know one could clean up fuzzies until Bleeth mentioned the ZZ command, I lucked out. Yes, will buy another leopardwood board if it I chance upon a wide one!

[chiloquinruss]

"(Russ, chipout even with a downcut?)" I have not had good luck with veneers or thin wood sheets. My assumption is that it is my hold down methods that may allow the material to 'flap' a little. That's why I use the utility knife method which works for me.

I have done the drawings for making a vacuum system and that should help a lot. On solid hardwoods and the like I don't seem to have the same issues.

In my model making I use mostly sintra plastic which is very stable and of course has no grain! :D The larger live steam models I use cabinet grade plywoods and so again not an issue. Russ

[scottp55]

Ah...I forgot how thin some of your stuff is for the models. I can see how vibration could get into the act easily and screw up the edge:( Thanks!
Oh, Carolina...I and a few others cut against the grain on 3D's and have found we like the finish on denser hardwoods...a lot seems to be up to the species, but with the 2.5" DC inlet, roughing against the grain really prevents clogging of the hose inlet with the long strips that sometimes happen with roughing with the grain.
After considerable testing on my tiny 3D stuff, my go to is finishing against the grain for any first cut with a new hardwood or exotic.
scott

[carolinasmith]

Thanks Scott, its interesting to know why I lucked out (going against/across the grain). I am still so fascinated with watching the CNC that I admit I still follow the bit with a hose vac in my hand. I just recently put up the acrylic sides to reduce the mess. And only recently could tear myself away from watching the CNC at work, to being a few steps nearby or even leaving it for a few minutes after I was confident it was in the midst of a long routine. I sometimes wonder if vacuuming the chips during the routing really helps, as I can't tell any difference if I have walked away (with no vacuum on). My ShopBot is still on the ground, as the original Maker Crate was damaged, and I only recently received a replacement, still have to put a finish on the new crate before the Desktop MAX goes up on the Crate, that's why I have put off hooking up a vac to it. And I like to see the mill bit at work, so I haven't used the brush boot either. Sigh.

[scottp55]

:) My Dad still can't be in the same room and not watch the Desktop cutting:)
After a couple of years, I can leave it alone and do other stuff once a one of has started correctly and is cutting decent chips for the bit, but I'm usually within 6' and ready to rush to the spacebar if I hear anything funky.
IF you can't tell the difference, then I wouldn't chase it with the vac hose, as a fair amount of people have had static discharge doing that.
GOOD that the new Crate is almost finished so you can get off the floor, and get the DC hooked up(DON'T forget grounding with bare braided wire on interior of hose without touching the Max).
I didn't know any better when I was testing my mini 3D's(buttons) so as well as 3 different feeds/speeds, I tossed an against the grain in for kicks and giggles. and to my surprise it cut the best, and finish was better with one pass, than 2 passes with the grain in Bloodwood test piece.
One other 'Botter mucked up once and set his blank down 90 degrees to his usual with the grain, and was surprised to get his best finish ever. I just recently read on Vectric forum that on Black Walnut he now always goes against the grain and "Fuzzies are now a thing of the past", but again a lot depends on the species and figure of the wood.
I now set my file up for 3D's with a 2" safe Z height in SB3(if I can with wood thickness/bit length), and watch the first few passes without the dust boot to see cut quality, and then do a spacebar pause, and it retracts enough to put the dust foot on, and do a Resume. By changing safe Z in SB3, I can keep my Vectric Z1 and Z2 at .2" and .02" for faster cutting. (spacebar pause reverts the Vectric file to SB3 settings,and Resume puts it back into Vectric settings).
I need to get back into G's Fingermaker!
Glad you're having fun:)
scott