WELCOME!

It is hard to believe that it was almost ten years ago I witnessed a CNC router in action for the very first time. I was fascinated and simply had to have one! Although I had been in the creative end of the three dimensional sign business for most of my life I didn't really know what I would do with one of these machines - but I just knew it could do fantastic stuff.

Along with the CNC router I discovered the wonderful material called Precision Board and the glues, primers and other companion products they offer. Since then we have gone through many tons of the material using it in most signs and projects we tackle. This journal will chronicle our many adventures both past, present and future. I'll talk from the perspective of someone who pushes these products to the creative limit on a daily basis. I'll be adding to the stories two or three times each week. -dan

Sunday, July 18, 2010

Endless pieces!

This post does not feature Precision Board or Coastal Enterprises product. But read on for they will certainly be a part of this project before we are done! 
When we bought our MultiCam router I was determined not to use it just as a jigsaw. Over the last five years the CNC has been used for dimensional work almost exclusively. Today for the first time I put flat stock MDF on the table and cut shapes exclusively on multiple sheets. While the end result will be a very dimensional project the bulk of the room is to be made up of flat panels cut to shape and then glued up and assembled later.
As always I built the files in Enroute. This was one of the few times where every measurement was critical in order to fit perfectly into a room already built. Our material arrived late in the day but I threw sheet after sheet onto the router and let the machine do it's magic. I had hoped I could assemble the pieces as they came off the machine. Fat chance of that! I was working up a pretty good sweat just keeping the machine fed as it churned out the intricate pieces. I was cutting out 3/4" MDF - heavy stuff!
When the last piece was cut I had only managed to put together three of the fifteen beams needed. I had churned through 12 sheets of 3/4" MDF. I was tempted to continue but it was suppertime and I needed a shower. Tomorrow is another day!
-dan