Help Creekers

[James Sweeney]

Hi guys. just want some information here. I have never looked into cnc machines before, but I have seen what they can do. I was wondering if it's possible for a cnc machine to make a 3d carving of a picture of a person or people. Also, does anyone on the forum know of a place or person that I can hire to do carvings in the Chicago Illinois area. I have seen nice results at my local Rockler with their cnc machine, but I am pretty sure they don't do work for hire. Any information is greatly appreciated. what I am trying to do is build a small blanket chest type container for my sister and have someone create a cnc carving of a picture of her kids on the lid for the chest. Please let me know if you think it can't be done or would be really hard to find someone to do the carving part.

[James Jaragosky]

Hi guys. just want some information here. I have never looked into cnc machines before, but I have seen what they can do. I was wondering if it's possible for a cnc machine to make a 3d carving of a picture of a person or people. Also, does anyone on the forum know of a place or person that I can hire to do carvings in the Chicago Illinois area. I have seen nice results at my local Rockler with their cnc machine, but I am pretty sure they don't do work for hire. Any information is greatly appreciated. what I am trying to do is build a small blanket chest type container for my sister and have someone create a cnc carving of a picture of her kids on the lid for the chest. Please let me know if you think it can't be done or would be really hard to find someone to do the carving part.

Yes, it can be done. The hard part is getting a 3d file made, once the file is made any decent cnc machine can cut it out. I would contact James Booth for a quote at http://www.vectorart3d.com/ he does some very nice files.

[Clarence Miller]

I wasn't aware that there were people who would create the file for a machine. I have a shop made machine with a cutting area of 50 x 55. I use DeskCNC for my dxf to g-code, where it does an admirable job. It also has an art mode for engraving and carving. The problem is topography. Solid black equals the maximum depth. I used my wedding photo for a test and since I wear a beard, I looked like the a member of a zombie movie cast with my jaw shot off. As for doing logo's the 3D function looks really nice but I need to upgrade my spindle. It seems that the standard DeWalt drywall cutting tool is not designed to run for 18 hours straight. For projects under 4 hours of machine time it runs well enough.
I have priced out some of the photo to code software and plan on buying one in the future. But the price tag is a little high for me at the moment.
As to the original post I would check for custom cabinet shops in the Chicago area. That would be your best chance bet to find someone who has a machine. Also if you leave your name with the guys at Rockler they may give your info to a person who has already purchased such a machine from them in the past.
Good luck in your endeavor.

[Jerome Stanek]

Take a look at Vectric Photovcarve and play around with it . You can cut their sample files and see if that would work for you.

[james mcgrew]

for a single file i had james booth at vectorart3d do our church, many of us can carve it it is the file we need, send him the picture and he will quote it for you.

jim

[James Sweeney]

Thanks for the replies guys. I will definitely contact the people you provided. I am going to Rockler today to see if they know of anyone also. I really apreciate the help!! Odly enough, my wife was saying, wow that's something you "should" buy. I almost fell to the floor, she has never said that. She thinks it could be a money maker. I told her the price I think starts around 2 - 3 grand, and it didn't even make her pause, the said it would pay for itself. Just can't justify it yet.

[james mcgrew]

kieth outten (sawmill creek) is going to speak on the business end and corian here in columbia may 14/15.

jim

[James Sweeney]

Hey Jim, looks like I should probably figure out who is going to do the work for me first so I can tell the guys at vectorart3d what kind of file format I need. Does that sound right? I don't want to get the file only to find out that the shop I go to can't read that format for their machines.

[james mcgrew]

they will prepare the file in .stl this will work. most all of us are vectric users and v3m v3d will work james will advise you

we all can work with .stl

jim

[James Sweeney]

Thanks Jim!!

[James Sweeney]

Hey James Mcgrew, I really like that church picture. amazing work. Do you mind me asking roughly how much the vector 3d guys charged for somethign like that. trying to find out if this is going to be worth doing financially.

[james mcgrew]

the church pic is pretty special!! thanks,

james has done a lot of models for me, as a commercial company i have over 1500 3d.stl files. whether i recieve a discount or not i do not know (never asked) i have paid as little as 30.00 and as much as 300.00 i know of some files james has charged more for depending on complexity. given my business relationship with them i prefer not to post prices. on some files james may be able to use them on his website and he has a price to prepare the file charge x amount then after a given time post them for sale on his site. these cost less, on the other hand for commercial propiety he has another price and the file is yours (which most all of mine are propietary) if you intend to do business fellows like james booth and guy mathews are first class at this!

jim