3D work in progress

[joe]

A good way to learn 3D, is detailed mono-grams and historical shields. I stumbled into this work as a concrete manufacturer need some shield for the entrance to a housing addition. I learned so much with these. My good friend James Booth and I were talking the other day and he agreed the're an excellent way to get up to speed. The reason being, there are lots of parts to be creative with in the Shape Editor. What ever James says is always good information.

This one was detailed enough I had to employee Gary Beckwith's assistance. It's still only about half way completed, as you can see.

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This isn't a flat piece. The whole thing has a curved surface and ends up at about 1.5" deep. I may take her to 2" just for fun. Gary suggests we go up to 20lb in order to cary the deliclate details. We've used 15lb Precision Board.

There are lots of jewel like details in the helmet and shoulder guard which aren't there yet.
This was done in ArtCam 8. The file was first reduced out with 1/4" ball nose. That took about one hour. No need to much step over ath this point. To do the clean up Gary suggest a 1/16" bit for the deliclate areas only.

This is an inset piece going into a 3'X8' rough cedar sign for Phi Delta Theta fraternity.

[bill1]

Very nice, I like it well done.

[garyb]

Just a quick correction to Joes info was that I did the file in ArtCam 2008 not version 8
This was a fun project and look forward to Joes magic touch for the finished project.

[joe]

Yep,

Gary's correct it's 2008. I look forward to even further corrctions when Raymond gets on. He's such a good friend. Even takes valuable time out of his day to do so.

Joe

It's 100 degrees and I need a summer nap.

[joewino]

Joe....that's just showing off.

No suggestions or corrections from here....you're way beyond me.

What is ArtCam 2008? I have ArtCam Pro 9.

James Booth is a great guy. His mind works on a completely different level than mine. We are working on a project together now.

[joe]

Acording to professor Beckwith, Artcam 2008 is this years version. Next year it will be 2009. I know this is deep stuff, but stay with me on this. In prior years the versions were identified with single digits. ArtCam Pro 9 is out of date by one year.

Why don't you show us what your doing for James? The mystery is killing me. Sneaky little comments like "We are working on a project together now."

It's Naptime

[joewino]

Since my ArtCam Pro 9 is out of date, it fits me perfectly. It seems like if it's "9" it should be next year's version. I'm so confused.

I can't show you what James and I are working on yet because I haven't designed it yet. But you will be one of the first to see it, Joe.

I'm not sneaky...just lazy.

[joe]

It's just about finished.

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This is such a easy project for a CNC. The rough cedar was area for lettering. I then cut the letters from black DiaBond and ploped them in place. Silicone adhesive.

The Coat of Arms was primed with High Build Primer.


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The finishing was so easy. I coated the shield with "Sculpt Nouveau Steel" B solution, and immediately atomised with their "Light Green"acid spray. This is a water based material. You just slop it on with a disposable brush. Less painting technique and experience is better.

Over night its a dead ringer for a 200 year piece of old steel.

Sheee, don't tell anyone. It's a secret.


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[joewino]

Very nice, Joe. You're always coming up with new ideas.

[donchapman]

Kudos, Joe, but you got one thing wrong: The frat guy's arm should be holding a beer, not a spear!

[pfulghum]

Joe,
You said ...
"The whole thing has a curved surface and ends up at about 1.5" deep. I may take her to 2" just for fun"...

When you do this, do you buy 2" Precision board or do you just laminate boards to 2" thickness.

What does a sheet of 2" Precision board cost? $500+

-- pat fulghum

[joe]

Either way Pat,

There isn't any reason you can't laminate a couple of 1" pieces together.

A couple of months ago, I posted my hold down technique using a foam adhesive. It's like the door crack filler you get at the hardware, except you buy the dispencer and use it over and over. That stuff is like Gorilla glue only as a foam. It's my favorite for welding HDU together.

It only takes a very small amount, a silver dollar size, squeegie out to almost nothing. Plop your HDU on top and clamp it down. I purchased a refill can today, at the lumber yard, for $10.00 It should be enough for six months.

I may run a series entitled "Dump the Vacuum" It would be dedicated to Hold Down and methods to secure parts for the little guy. No noisey vacuum or plenum stuff. Arg, I despise Vacuum Hold Downs. I built one. It took a week to construct and fiddle around. A month later it was scraped. That was years ago but I still have some of the valves and gates. I keep them to remind me how they were of no use.

I've been making all sort of signs, letters, decorative panels for years. All have held in place using mechanical methods. They are cheap, fast and more secure than any Vacuum. Perhaps you could cut some .75" aluminum letters with a vacuum but the best way is screws, brackets, or mechanical hold downs.

I know: The Vac Heads will be on the war path.

Lets do some fun creative stuff.

Joe

[joe]

Thanks to the Chapmans for their encourageing words.

We need more people posting photo's of their signs. Photo's seem to come in lumps. We'll see lots of pictures posted for a while, then there's a drough.

It might the conjunction of the planets and stars.

[ernie_balch]

Great 3D project, Joe

I turned down some work involving the carving of a shield and crest last fall, next time I'll send the work your way.

ernie

[joe]

Thanks Ernie,

Take it in and lets work together on it. More sign artists should work on projects together.

Joe

[george_brooks]

Good work on the shield Joe. I've been wanting to try that Sculpt Nouveau for some time. I've made a couple of Greek crests, but I only cut out the individual pieces and layer them on so I don't have to paint the crest by hand if it has several different colors.
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[joe]

Good looking Shield.

I like doing this kind of work. It's fun and pays good too. As mentioned earlier, router techniques can be developed through experimentation.

Your technique, cutting out parts, paint, and then assembly is a smart one. The scrolls on this Coat of Arms could be made to look 3D easily with a tiney round over bit. Let me know if you are interested in this technique.

If you order from Sculpt Nouveau try the Iron and Brass. I like the Copper also. Their products are childs play to use. Start out with "B". It's waterbased.

Keep up the good work and keep posting. We all learn that way.

[joewino]

Good idea about sign folks working together, Joe. You do the work and I'll cash the check. Sounds like a deal to me. Is this a great country or what?

But first I have to take a nap.

[george_brooks]

Thanks Joe for the choice on the Sculpt Nouveau.

I was thinking of using a Point Cutting or Plunge Point Round Over bit to get the 3D look. Or maybe trying the 1/8" Shank Round Over bit.

http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/shopsite_sc/store/html/smarthtml/pages/marvel_3in1_router.html#1_8_shank_bits_anchor

I would be grateful to know your technigue to make the scroll part 3D looking. I was going to have James Booth design a couple of parts on the crest like the helmet and the bottom ribbon in 3D. This would show some 3D work without having to do the whole crest in 3D. Note that most of the pieces are Sintra so I don't have to sand and paint those parts.

[joe]

George,

I’ve had some luck rounding over letters and scrolls using small round over bits. You might look at WWW.woodline.com (http://WWW.woodline.com). In the search box, type in 1317. That’s one of my favorite little bits.


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Select your type, or scroll and tell the router software you are using a ¼” strait bit but install the little round over. Now you will need to determine how deep to go. On a 2" letter, try a Z of -.25. You’ll be looking at the serifs or thinnest parts.

Once you’ve found the right z depth and routed all the letters, install a ¼” strait bit and run the file again. Your Finished

I’m getting ready to make three sets of letters for a housing addition. I could send a few pix if you like. Or if you send me a DXF of your scroll, I’ll make you a sample.

Joe

[george_brooks]

Thanks Joe for the offer, I'm going to order a couple of those small round over bits to play around with. The scroll part of the crest is made from only 3mm thick Sintra and I think it won't have the same effect unless the material had more depth.


6222

Last year I made a sign for a good friend of mine who was opening a cigar shop and I could have used your round over technique on the letters. I v-carved the letters and then cut them out around an offset of the v-carved letter. I never made a outdoor sign before, but wanted to give the letters some kind of 3D look. Your round over technique gives a more true 3D look that you sign guys know more about. My friend liked the sign, but his knowledge about signs was about as much as mine. I'm just interested in how long the sign will last having little experience with outdoor signs.


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[joe]

George,

Thanks for posting the photo’s. They look very good.

Your cigar sign looks to be made from HDU which is an excellent choice. I really like your Merchem Pipes. I wish I had a sign to make with cigars or pipes. That would be fun. Your sign should last for years, providing your paint holds up. I like your technique of pocketing letters. It allows for a host of textured backgrounds. Those textures don’t have to be made with a router. Just think of all the materials that can be applied to the background.

One consideration with HDU: If the paint fails, and exposes the HDU to UV the sign won’t last very long.

Since the price of these little round over bits is so friendly, you may want to try the ½” and the ¾”. Larger sizes come in handy for shaping big scrolls and larger letters.

I agree with regard to the 1/8” scrolls being too flat for shaping. My experience with rounding over anything, the materials need to be at least ½” thick. For me that means Trupan and HDU. Even V carving looks best on the thicker materials.

Keep up the good work,

Joe

[joe]

George I'm starting a new topic heading for this work.

"Rounding Over Letters"