Tiny text relief carving, any advice

This forum is for general discussion about Aspire
User avatar
Nice Carvings
Vectric Craftsman
Posts: 189
Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2008 5:46 pm
Model of CNC Machine: Hytek Tools Sign Master HT4896
Location: Central Minnesota
Contact:

Tiny text relief carving, any advice

Post by Nice Carvings »

Hi all.

We are making a replica of the journalist creed plaque. It's a ton of tiny lettering. It looks like I will have to get a 1/16" end mill bit.

Any advice on a project like like this?

The cut files look huge (time consuming even with sign foam) as I really don't trust my machine to go over 2.5 ips on this :shock: :shock:

Thanks for any help!
Attachments
Graphic2.jpg

User avatar
metalworkz
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 2463
Joined: Mon Mar 31, 2008 3:26 am
Model of CNC Machine: SX3 CNC, DIY 24x20 & 48x60 routers
Location: Modesto, California 95358 USA

Re: Tiny text relief carving, any advice

Post by metalworkz »

Hello,
What material will you use for this replica and how will you cut the text? Is the text going to be carved into the plaque or will it be raised above like in the picture? Either way the text is probably going to be very small and require a tiny bit. You probably should try and get the font drawn to the actual scale to be used and then you can measure the smallest/closest vectors of the text to see what size bit will be needed in those areas.

When you do the toolpaths for the text there is an option to 'break text into lines' and this may help you toolpath the text in sections to help work around the length of time involved with the cutting of the text etc. I hope something here helps you, and we will be looking for updates on your progress and finished pictures.
Best regards,
Wes
wes.spence@comcast.net
Gingery Machines:
Lathe, Horiz. Mill, Shaper, Leaf Brake

User avatar
Rcnewcomb
Vectric Archimage
Posts: 5886
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 5:54 am
Model of CNC Machine: 24x36 GCnC/WinCNC with ATC
Location: San Jose, California, USA
Contact:

Re: Tiny text relief carving, any advice

Post by Rcnewcomb »

An alternate approach is to V-carve it with a bit with a small angle -- 30 or 45, perhaps as large as 60 degrees. Set a shallow flat depth such as 0.1 or 0.05. The V-carve strategy will do a nice job on the raised letters.
- Randall Newcomb
10 fingers in, 10 fingers out, another good day in the shop

gravirozo
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 1978
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 12:38 am

Re: Tiny text relief carving, any advice

Post by gravirozo »

hello

i made some plates with lettering... the flatendmill not a good choice due to letters are more fragile... i used 50 full deg halfround bits... still i have one picture...
you can see in the cut2d > General forum... misery the post name...

i used depth around what randall already suggested... 2.5-3mm ..... pending on the letter size..
the 3d method won't work on small letter like 3/8 and under....


also a suggestion break down 3-4 or more part large quantity of text...
what you posted picture that might need four...

when you convert text to curves, just thinking on one letter already a complex shape...


thanks
viktor


just one more suggestion, before you start t cut this plate sure just try on boards... like 3/4 thick cutoffs... also the holddown is a real issue... it need to be really paralell with the tool movement... otherwise a little different gives "sharpened" or "flattened" letters...
the sample i posted in cut2d section, i milled off the top before i started...

User avatar
Nice Carvings
Vectric Craftsman
Posts: 189
Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2008 5:46 pm
Model of CNC Machine: Hytek Tools Sign Master HT4896
Location: Central Minnesota
Contact:

Re: Tiny text relief carving, any advice

Post by Nice Carvings »

Thanks for all of that advice, it's very very helpful. I had thought of breaking up the cut files, I will now do that for sure. Now to find a 1/16" bit today! (Live in the boondocks)

Randall- I would love to v-carve it, but this has to be a duplicate of the original, or as close as we can get anyway.


I have attached a screenshot of another problem. It doesn't appear to be completely clearing out between the letters. I understand why it's not clearing out the "A" holes and stuff...but what's with all the long lines between the letters?
Attachments
leaving stuff behind.jpg

DanielBEE
Vectric Craftsman
Posts: 185
Joined: Thu May 21, 2009 7:49 pm
Model of CNC Machine: n/a
Location: Richardson, TX

Re: Tiny text relief carving, any advice

Post by DanielBEE »

Do you know how thick the right sides of some of those letters are going to be?

The reason I ask, is I ran a sign the other day using a font that bolded one side of the letters and thinned out the other side (a shadow type font) and I ended up blowing out the thin walls of some of the letters.

Hmm, sorry can't seem to find a picture of what I'm talking about, I hope you understand.
Aspire 2.0
Biesse Rover A 3.30
Biessworks
PC/Mac Draft
AutoCad
AutoDesk Inventor
Trumpf

tmerrill
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 4797
Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 3:24 pm
Model of CNC Machine: ShopBot
Location: North Carolina

Re: Tiny text relief carving, any advice

Post by tmerrill »

It could be a couple of things. Either your bit is too large to fit in these areas or you're not set up correctly to completely clear the area around the letters. Any chance of posting your .crv3D file.

Tim

User avatar
Rcnewcomb
Vectric Archimage
Posts: 5886
Joined: Fri Nov 04, 2005 5:54 am
Model of CNC Machine: 24x36 GCnC/WinCNC with ATC
Location: San Jose, California, USA
Contact:

Re: Tiny text relief carving, any advice

Post by Rcnewcomb »

Randall- I would love to v-carve it, but this has to be a duplicate of the original, or as close as we can get anyway.
Try previewing it with a 45 degree bit with raised letters and I believe you will be surprised how closely it matched the original.
- Randall Newcomb
10 fingers in, 10 fingers out, another good day in the shop

gravirozo
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 1978
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 12:38 am

Re: Tiny text relief carving, any advice

Post by gravirozo »

hello

your preview shows your bit too large for these letters,,,


thanks
viktor


for bit, i could suggest you bitsbits.net... they manufacturer of engraving bits... and their price is really affordable...
also a suggestion, if it is a casted plate the letter's side is beveled... casting can not be with "vertical" sides...

zlmark
Vectric Craftsman
Posts: 198
Joined: Tue May 20, 2008 5:18 pm
Location: Frisco, Colorado USA

Re: Tiny text relief carving, any advice

Post by zlmark »

Mjind,
I have a hard time imagining pulling this off with Signfoam 18# or otherwise.
Your letters could easily be 1/2" tall. I think I would do this as a sandblast
project using a thinner mask and prepainting. My guess is you would get to
something like the dot on an 'i' and the dot would go flying. Start over.
Anchor Continental style 128 an 18 mil. mask could do the trick.

Mark
Mark Summers
The Sign Shoppe of Summit County
http://www.SignShoppe.co

User avatar
Nice Carvings
Vectric Craftsman
Posts: 189
Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2008 5:46 pm
Model of CNC Machine: Hytek Tools Sign Master HT4896
Location: Central Minnesota
Contact:

Re: Tiny text relief carving, any advice

Post by Nice Carvings »

Thanks for all of the help fellas. Would have given up by now, or had a disaster down the road if not for you. :wink:

So far I like Randall's idea of 45 degree vbit. Though I don't own 45 I do own a 60 and it appears to be great in the preview! :)

Now I'm trying to figure out that texture of the area that will be cleared. The original looks to have a rough leather look to it...actually it looks like rows and rows of small round bumps.

tmerrill
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 4797
Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 3:24 pm
Model of CNC Machine: ShopBot
Location: North Carolina

Re: Tiny text relief carving, any advice

Post by tmerrill »

Can you use the texture feature of Aspire to do that with a 3D toolpath?

User avatar
Nice Carvings
Vectric Craftsman
Posts: 189
Joined: Thu Oct 16, 2008 5:46 pm
Model of CNC Machine: Hytek Tools Sign Master HT4896
Location: Central Minnesota
Contact:

Re: Tiny text relief carving, any advice

Post by Nice Carvings »

tmerrill wrote:Can you use the texture feature of Aspire to do that with a 3D toolpath?
Thanks T. It seems kinda difficult around all that lettering though. We're thinking of trying some of that textured paint for the background, wipe off the tops of the letters right away, let that dry and then roll on some paint to the letters with a foam roller.

tmerrill
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 4797
Joined: Thu May 18, 2006 3:24 pm
Model of CNC Machine: ShopBot
Location: North Carolina

Re: Tiny text relief carving, any advice

Post by tmerrill »

That sounds like it will work.

Keep us posted.

Tim

gravirozo
Vectric Wizard
Posts: 1978
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 12:38 am

Re: Tiny text relief carving, any advice

Post by gravirozo »

hello


monday i have to take this plate to a local company... i made before several...
i suggest you really, before you say price on or make contract sure you cut at least 50 letter...as a test to see how it is going...
i made this with 30 full degree and 0.25 mm tip, the cleaner bit was 1/8 endmill...
what you posted that might keep a day long... i'm not sure you can run up yourrouter 100-300 ipm...


thanks
viktor


the oval logo size 5x2.25 inch
Attachments
mikesplate.jpg

Post Reply