Finally got everything in my OX working at a fundamental level and had time to work on some REAL project(s).
1.) A house address sign for my son!
2.) A name plaque for my grandsons new bench
Design software: I used F-engrave to design the lettering and found it pretty easy to use and works quite well. OX driver /TinyG: Chillipepper Material(s): Fiber board for the “Zeke” and insulation Styrofoam for testing
I will be routing the sign in redwood today!
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I love routing this foam its a great practice material. I don’t recall where on the web I stole this idea but it works awesome and its pretty cheap ($10 for a 2 x 4 sheet).
I used 3/4" foam and routed a slot in the side for the work holding so that it eliminates interference with clamps at the surface.
I need to do some research as to how to glue and put a finish on this stuff as it would be low cost to ship for some applicable projects.
For those of you following my spindle controller caper. I put back the original (which has inaccurate speed control) so I can have some fun.
After modifying another RioRand controller and getting much better control I have decided to design a better version mostly from scratch.
Certainly wasn’t questioning your judgment. You are very methodical. I hadn’t done anything with foam and thought maybe Chip Clearing wasn’t very good. Is that just insulation Foam or something else? I want to play around with V-Carving and multi-stage carving and med to high density foam would be great. MDF is messy and not all that cheap anymore.
I’m still running my X-Carve until I can get an OX going. It’s belt-driven and seems to do pretty well. I need to tighten the router mount up to remove some play, but I was carving Maple/Cherry reliably at 20mm/sec with 3mm depth.
@Kelly_Burns , Don has it right on. This is the material that I will lay out things, that I want to spend time on. Things with multiple tool changes, including fine detail 2mm ball end work.
Highly advise it for your V-carving experience.
I want to find ways to use the foam as a final material because it is easy to use, lightweight for shipping and cuts so easily. However it comes in ugly colors; blue and pink.
In my mental que is the notion that I could glue, sand and paint it. Most paints melt Styrofoam if you spray like wood. So far I found out if you spray it from a distance (>12"), multiple light coats you can paint it with rattle can without melting.
@donkjr My friend who owns the maker space I work at purchased a denser type of foam to prototype a gun case. There are multiple types of foam with multiple types of densities wood workers use those to mimic wood qualities, apparently. Last he had used was off white, but it is paintable. Some are likely more costly, but what he was using was definitely lighter than most wood.
I asked him about the same thing about making signs, (which seemed reasonable to me since buildings use that foam in place of stucco), but he didn’t think it would make an ideal material for some reason. He may not have understood my comment or application.
