Messages

1

Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: A golden anniversary wedding gift

« on: March 27, 2011, 04:43:08 PM »

Was your Lucky Lady completely WOWED? Did she know you were doing it? Lovely work, I see the Love in it!
Fred

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Machining Damascus Steel Questions

« on: March 18, 2011, 09:17:50 PM »

Damascus steel looks like strands of cable. In a gun barrel it was twisted around a mandrel and blacksmith welded. Is it the Look of it you are after or just the legendary properties?
Fred

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General Mach Discussion / Re: Machining Damascus Steel Questions

« on: March 18, 2011, 10:00:32 AM »

Just to share a little knowledge and opinion. Damascus steel conjures images of Elmer Fudd and Bugs Bunny ( the exploded gun barrel, Mythbusters never did get it right). By design Damascus is very hard in spots and softish/flexible in others. Originally forged to shape then polished and honed with abrasives. Wet grinding might work better than cutting. If it is not revealing too much what is your goal?
Fred

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G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Cad Software!!!

« on: March 18, 2011, 09:40:24 AM »

Hey, from the mountains of North Carolina,
I will start down your list.
I looked at Google Sketchup. Some easy, some fun, I got it to import my photo, stepped around up to the "click open button" step.........What open button? where??? I worked at it for too long, got a headache then numbed my brain to sleep with David Attenburough narrating a nature special (best sleep aid in the world!!).
Dave (my programmer in Arizona) said his raster to CAD gave him a fuzzy picture that he had to draw over then erase the fuzzy. Is that the state of our technology? I should not complain....Like I should not TELL you that your program plunged in the wrong spot. I should have asked or better yet keep my mouth shut while I am being lead through the darkness to the light.
Thanks,
Fred

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G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Cad Software!!!

« on: March 15, 2011, 01:22:56 PM »

I would like to put a jpg of a pencil drawing into a CAD program that would turn into a CAD drawing ( 3D ) , that I could put in LazyCAM, then Mach3 and carve components for a Christmas tree ornament (I owe you one, this may be #2). I'll send pix to your email. I looked around the forum and we should keep it here for the benefit of all.
Thanks,
Fred

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G-Code, CAD, and CAM discussions / Re: Cad Software!!!

« on: March 15, 2011, 12:20:29 PM »

Super Kitty! He's everywhere! He's everywhere!! ( Thank goodness! )
There is Tweakie sorta answering my question too. I am learning and relearning stuff. I am realizing I need a CAD program to put my photo in, turn it into a drawing, then to LazyCAM, then Mach, then reality (or a version thereof). Oh yeah I like free too. So where do I find a free CAD program that will do this?
Thanks,
Fred

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Show"N"Tell ( What you have made with your CNC machine.) / Re: RC Gyrocopter

« on: March 15, 2011, 09:17:57 AM »

So Sweet I feel a sugar rush. So many things I see here I want want want! Just got my CNC working thanks to Tweakie. Quick question here since you mentioned paper to CAD conversion, I have an original drawing that I need to convert. I had AutoCAD some years ago but I need to get up on LazyCAM and make chips and pretty things. Can someone steer me toward the light?
Fred

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Mach4 General Discussion / Re: New people welcome !! Come in here and introduce your self!

« on: March 14, 2011, 08:52:13 PM »

"new" to this, I have been around machining since I was a pup. Dad owned a machine shop with a power shaft down each side of the building. Did a lot of precision grinding on ceramics a few years ago. Had Autocad in college at the tender age of 40. Didn't use it much in the ceramics job. I bought a Zen toolworks 7X7 mill. Clamped a Dremel in it and thanks to Mach3 and this forum I am making chips. I make wooden Christmas tree ornaments for family and friends. I started with what are called tablesaw snowflakes and I have "progressed?" to the point of needing digital help. I hope to utilize Lazy CAM and Mach3 to progress on into total madness, I am hooked already!!  Fred