NEW iCarver 1520 Has Landed!

[Stuart Ablett]

The problem with cutting either metal or aluminum sheet is keeping it flat on the sacrificial board under the sheet. I certainly thought about getting some 1mm thick (thin?) plexiglas and getting the iCarver to cut out the parts, for this small unit.

Cheers!

[Darren Wright]

Nice work on the cyclone Stu. Any chance you'll post your cut files and plans?

I saw a room remodel the other day that made me think of your plastic impressions. They had a plaster wall that had a wildlife scene carved into it. Made me wonder if using one of your relief carvings would be able to produce a similar effect when a release agent was applied to the impression and left to setup.

Have you considered making a small vacuum table to add to help hold work in place?

[Jason Beam]

The problem with cutting either metal or aluminum sheet is keeping it flat on the sacrificial board under the sheet. I certainly thought about getting some 1mm thick (thin?) plexiglas and getting the iCarver to cut out the parts, for this small unit.

Having only cut a few parts on my machine, I'm probably speaking beyond my wisdom but I've found that double stick carpet tape holds well. I used it the other day to cut out some polycarbonate parts for a dust shoe i'm working on. Using a spiral downcut bit is also something I've heard good things about as long as you're taking a light cut so it doesn't load up the kerf with chips too badly.

[Stuart Ablett]

Nice work on the cyclone Stu. Any chance you'll post your cut files and plans?

I saw a room remodel the other day that made me think of your plastic impressions. They had a plaster wall that had a wildlife scene carved into it. Made me wonder if using one of your relief carvings would be able to produce a similar effect when a release agent was applied to the impression and left to setup.

Have you considered making a small vacuum table to add to help hold work in place?

My files for cutting out pieces are so bad, I'd not post them, they are just kind of hacked together, I've not really studied the software enough, yet

I think that you could make a mold for stuff with this machine, I do not see why not.

Funny you should mention the vacuum table, I was thinking today about how to go about building one of those as I have a very large strong vacuum pump I use on the lathe, right next to the iCarver!

[Stuart Ablett]

Having only cut a few parts on my machine, I'm probably speaking beyond my wisdom but I've found that double stick carpet tape holds well. I used it the other day to cut out some polycarbonate parts for a dust shoe i'm working on. Using a spiral downcut bit is also something I've heard good things about as long as you're taking a light cut so it doesn't load up the kerf with chips too badly.

Certainly the carpet tape works great, but it gets expensive! I also like to use the thick CA glue, just a few spots here and there in the waste areas of a cut out work very well indeed, think of the CA glue as nails or pins, you only need say four, one in each corner of a square if you are cutting out a circle, and once done, just slip a chisel between the two pieces and the CA glue pops right off, usually with little or no damage to the plywood.

Cheers!

[Stuart Ablett]

Figuring things out more and more on the new iCarver 1520.

Here is a very short video cutting out some parts for my mini cyclone.....

... I have to say this is one very cool machine, with lots and lots of possibilities!

The more I learn, the more I get excited about things I should be able to do, once I learn more on how to drive the software.

Cheers!

[Art Mulder]

cool video. It's amazing how clean it is.

One question I would have for the geetech guys, is why does it pick up and go back to the start for the second cut. It would seem to me to be just as easy (in terms of software) for it to backtrack over the cut. On a large piece, all those pauses to backup would add up to a fair bit of wasted time, don't you think?

[Ed Thomas]

... why does it pick up and go back to the start for the second cut.

If it's like our Laguna, you call for either a 'normal' cut, or a climb cut. Usually climb cut.

[Stuart Ablett]

cool video. It's amazing how clean it is.

One question I would have for the geetech guys, is why does it pick up and go back to the start for the second cut. It would seem to me to be just as easy (in terms of software) for it to backtrack over the cut. On a large piece, all those pauses to backup would add up to a fair bit of wasted time, don't you think?

Yeah, I do think Art, but that is more to do with me learning how to drive the software. I have to learn how to link up toolpaths into one, I've not yet taken that chapter so to speak

[Jason Beam]

Certainly the carpet tape works great, but it gets expensive! I also like to use the thick CA glue, just a few spots here and there in the waste areas of a cut out work very well indeed, think of the CA glue as nails or pins, you only need say four, one in each corner of a square if you are cutting out a circle, and once done, just slip a chisel between the two pieces and the CA glue pops right off, usually with little or no damage to the plywood.

Cheers!

The CA glue is a good idea I hadn't thought of. I wish I could be around it - but CA gives me cold-like symptoms for 3 days. After 5-10 seconds of exposure! It's frustrating. Though I've heard some guys use hot melt glue, but I'm not sure I'd trust it without some more experience.

I think this is really cool - we're all at various stages of learning this new CNC thing. It's a movement, I think. Someday a CNC in a hobby shop will be like having a bandsaw