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

Saturday, November 14, 2015

Building the vehicles - part four

When we left off the vehicle was looking pretty good but now it was time to start in on the customization to make four different vehicles.


The vehicles would be a pickup, a long flatbed truck and a short flatbed cab over. Behind the bar were three round corner rectangles. I selected them and made them into a 1" tall relief.


For the pickup I stretched it vertically to just below the convertible cab.


Then I used the subtract tool to make a hole in the box and in the process a floor for the bed of the pickup.


For the cab-over (Stubby nose truck) I didn't stretch the back vertically as much.


 

 For the last truck I stretched the back vertically so it became the box for a delivery van.


For the motorcycle I first shortened the width of the base. Then I created two vectors - an oval and the other a sort of egg shape. The headlight is one off of the other vehicles. These were made into a relief using the dome tool.

 

The seat was also created using the dome tool.


I combined the two reliefs then nudged the seat into position vertically.


Then I merged highest.


I now had four vehicles .


 The vehicles next needed to be sliced vertically and EnRoute Slice tool made the job easy!


The slices were arranged and then sent off to the MultiCam to be routed from 1" thick 30 lb Precision Board.


After they were routed I stacked up the test pieces for a look. (the center car was a test piece done previously)