I did this back in 2004(my how time flies)by laminating two thicknesses of 1.5" 15# HDU and then roughing out the shape with a coarse wood rasp. I then sanded it smooth, painted it green, then sandblasted the "ocean". The 'cross' is two pieces of HDU sandblasted through my home-made grain frame and lap jointed together. The "spikes" are HDU and the "blood" is epoxy with a little lettering enamel mixed in. The clients have since given both pieces to another church and want even larger ones to replace them.
They have since remodeled the sanctuary and want the new ones to match but, this time they want the 'ocean' smooth.I thought about making a 3D model in Aspire, then letting the router cut it all. But it seems like it would be easier to get it glass-smooth by doing it the old way and an adding appliques. How would you do it?
[ February 07, 2013, 02:28 PM: Message edited by: Wayne Webb ]
Posted by Bruce Bowers (Member # 892) on :
I would order a globe shape from Gemini. I would paint it and use layers of sandblast mask for the continent shapes.
Just the first thought that came to my feeble little signman brain...
Posted by Wayne Webb (Member # 1124) on :
Interesting idea.
Posted by Dale Feicke (Member # 767) on :
I guess my first question would be 'how big is what they're wanting'?
The Gemini idea is good, but how big can they make, or how costly would it be?
Posted by Wayne Webb (Member # 1124) on :
The first ones I did were 3' diameter, 3" thick. The new ones will be 4' diameter and 3" thick
Posted by Michael Clanton (Member # 2419) on :
I would let the router cut most of it, then come back and "finish" it by hand- unless you liked the other process...
Posted by Michael Clanton (Member # 2419) on :
I would still do it in pieces, though
Posted by Wayne Webb (Member # 1124) on :
OK..... Am I reading it right? The software estimates 44 HOURS and 28 minutes cutting time with a .5'' roundnose bit at a feed rate of 100 in/min? That's over 4.2 miles of tool path. I could cut it faster by hand.
[ February 12, 2013, 04:57 PM: Message edited by: Wayne Webb ]
Posted by Guy H. J. Hilliard (Member # 2529) on :
What is your stepover? If you make it bigger then the cutting time will decline. Make it too big and you are in for a LOT of sanding.
Posted by Wayne Webb (Member # 1124) on :
Stepover was .04 I think. I reset it to .125 then rest the feed rate to 250 ipm and it reduced the time to 2 hours 58 minuteds
