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CNC unobtanium parts

Discussion in 'The Hokey Ass Message Board' started by 59Apachegail, Apr 15, 2013.

  1. Nitrobaron
    Joined: Feb 3, 2007
    Posts: 65

    Nitrobaron
    Member

    The wood type panel routers (like the Craftsman that was availble for a while) use a software that maps a height to a grey scale image. light areas are flat, the darker the shade gets the more volume (height) is added.

    If you simplify what type of "part" you want to create from a clear photo, it can work.

    Some examples that may work well would be to re-create a club plate, or an onamental gauge panel, maybe carving a emblem on top of a part that the core geometry can be easily solid modeled, etc. Things where scale is not ultra critical.

    Maybe you have a plain fuel block and would like to add a Eddie Meyer logo to the top to match your rare intake? Use a good photo of the intake logo, run it through the software to create 3D volume, post out tool paths, then chuck the part in your CNC mill and mill away. Unobtanium?
    Yup, you can have the only one in existance!

    Some of these software packages are only about $150.00 and quite easy to use. Vectric Photo carve 3D is one example. The grey scale can be modified or enhanced with a free photo shop type program, GIMP come to mind. A design could actually be created from scratch if you are artiscically inclined. Overlay your design over a precise CAD drawn 2D part outline drawing (do a little layout work) and combine the two.

    The more i ponder the possibilities, the more great ideas come to mind.
    I have examples at work, I will save a few and post later after I get to the shop.

    And NO, you are not going to make precision reproduction parts with this method, but I think you expressed in you opening statements that you are thinking simple things.
     

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