Letters on a curved surface???

[RobieMo]

I have been asked many times to engrave something on a curved surface (Axe Handle's mostly). Without the 4th Axis, is this possible? Wondering if using the touch probe and Cut 3D might work??? By the way, I have neither of those...YET

Any thoughts or help would be appreaciated.

Rob

[milo30]

Look at warp driver. It is free and MIGHT do what you need it to do

[Eagle55]

You might want to take a look at "Bob's Super Simple 4th Axis" threads here on the forum. I'm kind of wondering if the real 4th axis will ever come out and when it does it is going to be priced out of the range of most of us. Bob developed a way to adapt a jig that he made (on the shark). It is a neat way to get some 4th axis performance without the $1000 price tag associated with the 4th axis.
http://cncsharktalk.com/viewtopic.php?f ... axis#p7997

I haven't tried this yet but I think several have, and Bob supplied all of the CRV file so that you can make your own.

Roger

[BillK]

You really don't need any electro-mechanical add ons to accomplish this if you have the software tools. If you can create a 3d model of the object you won't to carve onto, you can project lettering onto that surface with the software of Aspire.

Here are two examples. I created the shape of the curved wood in a 3d program, then projected the lettering and carving onto it. You would probably want to run the lettering in the other direction for an axe handle, but this is the same principle and will work the same way.

[RobieMo]

Thanks for the input and suggestions.

Roger, Bob makes everything look super simple. Heck I am still trying to make a cribbage board as nice as his Milo, I tried looking up warp drivers and all I am coming up with is stuff for outer space??? Bill, those look great and I think is very close to what I am trying to do. Like you said, I would be going down the lenght of the handle but the same concept. If you don't mind me asking, what 3D software are you using?

Again, thanks for the input.

Rob

[BillK]

I use a program called viaCAD with a Mac for my 3D models. But the more I use Aspire, the more I see it has some powerful tools you can use.

If I was doing an axe handle what I would do is take a picture of it against a dark background. I would then bring it into Aspire and convert bitmap to vectors to get the shape right. You will then have to scale it to a known measurement to get the size right. You could gauge the cross section shape of the handle, basically a flat with a radius on either side, draw the shape, then use your vectors to do a two rail sweep. Now you would have a 2 1/2 D model that you could add the lettering to. Clamp it and cut it.

[milo30]

http://PaulRowntree.weebly.com/warpdriver.html

Try that link. The guy who wrote the program is on the vectric site and will help you. It is a free program. I have never tried it