Pure magic in four axis

I love curves, textures and fancy bits, especially if they take a good design over the top. The fourth axis opens up a whole world f possibilities that weren’t easy previously. It is pretty exciting.
In the last post I showed how we built a file of the twisted and fluted post with a beautiful taper. Now it was time to let the machine do the work. As I build more files and experiment with the tool pathing I am slowly getting more familiar and comfortable with it. I learn best by repetition and experimentation – both of which take time.
Here’s a short movie of the process…
Stay tuned for more…
-dan

Published with permission from precisionboard.blogspot.com. Source.

Never Say Never: Service and Quality Win Back Signetics

 

Founded in 1971, Signetics, located near Dayton, OH, is a full-service sign manufacturer serving the United States and the World. Originally targeting the golf industry in the form of interior and exterior signage, Signetics grew quickly based on reputation of quality and craftsmanship. Today, over 5,000 golf courses and businesses worldwide have signage crafted from their facility.

It’s the attention to detail that led Signetics’ President, Jeff Mize, to again use Precision Board Plus for their routed and sand carved high-density urethane signage. “After using Precision Board long ago and not sold on the quality, I vowed never to use it again. I never would use the word ‘never’ again,” says Jeff.

 

Getting a call from Coastal Enterprises in 2008, he reluctantly tried a sample of the new Precision Board Plus. Jeff adds, “I immediately knew they’d made a product I had to start using again. Sandblasting is the lifeblood of our facility and our craftsmen take great pride in producing the highest quality blast possible and Precision Board Plus helps us achieve that. Plus, I missed the customer service only Coastal Enterprises gives us because I know when I have a question – I get an answer.”

You can contact Signetics for your high-quality sandblasted and routed signage needs at (800)776-4152 or at www.signetics1.com.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

LEED Certification – Why It’s Important

Many of you are probably already familiar with LEED certification, but for those who aren’t we want to share some insight into exactly what it is, and how to achieve it.

LEED or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design is a certification developed by the U.S. Green Building Council in 2000, and is aimed at promoting practical and measurable “green” building design, construction, operations and maintenance solutions. A LEED certification provides independent, third-party verification that a building, home or community was designed and built using strategies aimed at achieving high performance in key areas of human and environmental health: sustainable site development, water savings, energy efficiency, materials selection, and indoor environmental quality.

The benefits offered by a LEED certified building include lower operating costs, waste reduction, water conservation, greenhouse gas emission reduction and a healthy and safer building. Many cities offer very beneficial tax rebates, zoning allowances and other incentives to companies that choose to achieve a LEED certification.

Certification is given by the Green Building Certification Institute using the LEED rating system. Buildings are issued a certain amount of LEED points and the total number of points decides which of the four certification levels are granted. All of the points are awarded depending on how the buildings strategies will impact CO2 emissions and also energy efficiency.

While the USGBC does not certify or endorse any specific product, Precision Board Plus assists in meeting LEED requirements for obtaining USGBC and ICC 700 building credits. The ICC 700-2008 National Green Building Standard is a similar standard for rating the environmental performance of residential buildings. Green signage and tooling is becoming more and more of a requirement instead of an option for many customers, and Precision Board Plus, with a rapidly renewable resource content increased from 18.9% to 23.9% and certified Carbon Footprint of 3:1, ensures that our customers will be using the greenest signage and tooling substrate available. Visit our Green Facts page for more info.

The Hearst Tower in New York City, New York is a Gold LEED Certified Building, with over 90% of the structural steel used containing recycled materials.

 

A weird shaped block

This whole fourth axis routing thing is forcing me to think in brand new ways. Being all new means I really have to work at getting it right. I’m sure that over time it will become familiar and quicker. Knowing EnRoute means I don’t have to learn much as far as the program itself. But this was using EnRoute in a whole new way. 
The first thing I had to determine was how I would glue up the blocks with the maximum usage of my material. 
I decided to cut the blocks to shape in the top view as well. While it wouldn’t save much materials it would save a bunch of sawdust on the floor as I routed and perhaps a little wear and tear on the machine. I would cut a rounded center slot in the two center pieces to accommodate the steel pipe I would glue in there and use as a centerpiece to clamp to. This steel would also provide structure to the sign post. The center slot was created as an inset relief. The balance of the routing would be simple offset cuts. The MultiCam made quick work of this project. Each piece would be cut twice.
Once the MultiCam was done it was time to start gluing up the 30 lb Precision Board. I used Coastal Enterprises PB240 – a one part glue activated by a spritz of water. It expands as it cures so lots of secure clamps are necessary.
 
We are almost ready to kick the lathe into gear. Stay tuned…
-dan

Published with permission from precisionboard.blogspot.com. Source.

Details, details and more details

We are down to the final bits and pieces for the pub project. As they begin to operate for real in the renovated facility the need for an abundance of operational signs immediately became apparent. For these signs we opted for a faux copper look. The signs do what they are supposed to but blend into the scenery.
The files are simple but effective – still dimensional but not overly so. The signs are simple flat reliefs with a subtle texture (from the TEXTURE MAGIC collection) 
 The washroom sign reliefs were all built separately and then merged (highest) as a separate step. The front and back of the sign were build in separate pieces and glued tougher after routing. The eye bolts were welded to a steel rod which was laminated into the center for strength.
The lettering was added as a last step as a slightly domed relief.
The pieces were routed from 1″ thick 30 lb Precision Board. The signs were roughed out with a 3/8″ ball nose bit and the find pass on the MultiCam was done with a 1/8″ ball nose bit.
I sculpted the hand using Abracadabra Sculpting epoxy. It was all painted with metallic acrylic paints, then aged with dome dark brown glaze.
There were lots more of these small signs throughout the facility and the list seems to be getting longer all the time.
We also hung the Keep Calm sign today. It looks at home in its final place.
-dan

Published with permission from precisionboard.blogspot.com. Source.