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NEW iCarver 1520 Has Landed!

The vac is grounded, and so is the iCarver. :)
I got some mods done. I lengthened the wire that goes to the hand terminal, an I added a light.

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With the front brush removed looking in to the tool tip it is very hard to see.

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Flip the switch on the side of the machine and...

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... I can see clearly now :D

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I put an Aux plug on the back cover of the iCarver that the 12v adapter plugs into, I just took power from the main line into the iCarver to power the plug.

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Here you can see the LED light, freaking bright little sucker! The only problem I could see is if I was doing s really deep hole, the light might kiss the surface of the workpiece, but I doubt I'd work that deep.
Cheers!
 

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Some setbacks and a milestone!

First the setback, the sound proof box I built for the second Gen iCarver is a bit too small for the new machine. It will fit in the box, but I need more room around it to run it. The controls are in the wrong places for it sitting in a box with access to only one end. I will take this up with GeeTech, as I doubt many will have this machine just sitting out in the middle of their shop, it is noisy. I'm going to have to renovate my sound proof box. I might also buy some super heavy duty drawer slides to make a slide in and out platform for the iCarver.

Milestone, I used the ArtCam Express software to cut a circle in the Router mode...

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... I know it seems minor, but for me its a big first step. I actually did it correctly on the second try, the first try I was cutting too deep.

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I did this too, that is the name of the Sushi shop I deliver to, I hope to make them a large scale sign down the road, as their old sign was damaged in the last typhoon we had.

I have to learn the ArtCam stuff now!
 

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Seeing that sign is very cool Stu. As to enclosure for the new machine have you given thought to having some acrylic in the walls so as to be able to see its on track. That way you could check in its process without opening the door? Or if you so inclined stick a webcam inside and hook it up to your puter etc.

Is it my imagination or is this version of the machine a little more than just a carver and capable of some basic Cnc routing if one has a touch of patience? The price point retail makes it a very attractive level to get ones feet in the water on cnc.
 
I really like the LED light...will be "borrowing" that for my setup. ;)

Nice job on the signs. This is one machine that can be a source of income while you're busy doing other things.

My in-law's neighbor has a machine shop. He only bids and makes specific parts that fit his machine. He spends a day or so cutting bar stock to the right size and filling the in-feed bin, then sets the machine to run. It automatically calls/pages him if there is an error or it needs more stock, but it runs automatically for a day or two turning out parts one after another. He has part-time employees that come in from time to time to help him clean and package up parts, but no longer has a full time staff.
 
Rob Keeble said:
Seeing that sign is very cool Stu. As to enclosure for the new machine have you given thought to having some acrylic in the walls so as to be able to see its on track. That way you could check in its process without opening the door? Or if you so inclined stick a webcam inside and hook it up to your puter etc.

Is it my imagination or is this version of the machine a little more than just a carver and capable of some basic Cnc routing if one has a touch of patience? The price point retail makes it a very attractive level to get ones feet in the water on cnc.
Click to expand...

Yes Rob, they have certainly stepped up and made the machine much more user friendly and versatile. I know there were work arounds to using the machine in other ways, but it was not native, not it seems it is.
 
Darren Wright said:
I really like the LED light...will be "borrowing" that for my setup. ;)

Nice job on the signs. This is one machine that can be a source of income while you're busy doing other things.

My in-law's neighbor has a machine shop. He only bids and makes specific parts that fit his machine. He spends a day or so cutting bar stock to the right size and filling the in-feed bin, then sets the machine to run. It automatically calls/pages him if there is an error or it needs more stock, but it runs automatically for a day or two turning out parts one after another. He has part-time employees that come in from time to time to help him clean and package up parts, but no longer has a full time staff.
Click to expand...

My buddy Tim the photographer is really, REALLY interested in "printing" some of his pictures using the reverse engraving technique, I've started one today, it will take hours and hours as it is a a very detailed image and I've set it for some fine detail and several passes to carve it deep into the acrylic.

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I'll check back in a few hours and see how it looks!
I think this could really be a money maker, he tells me that some pics look really cool done like this but here in Tokyo there are only a few companies that do it and they want the huge mega bucks and it takes months to get the work done. Could be a place I can make some money in.

I've really got to learn the software, I guess every spare moment I have I'll be fooling with it and trying to do the tutorials.

Cheers!
 
I started this at noon, it is about 2:40PM and it says 33% done!!

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The acrylic is 15mm thick, I set a depth of 5mm with a max cut of 2mm per pass, maybe next time I'll do 2.5mm per pass to speed thing up. All in good time :D
 
OK, it's done....

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Here it is right on the machine all stopped, not much left for dust, easily cleaned up with some compressed air.

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Here is the back side, the carved side

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Here is the front side, the smooth side.

How long did it take you ask......?
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... and yes I have to talk to the guys at GeeTech about their choice of English.....

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Here is the picture it came from.

I think the picture has too much detail, on many spots the size of the end of the cutter, 0.5mm limits the detail. The piece is 13 cm x 20 cm or about 5" x 8" I think if I fool with the image a bit, maybe use some blur and make it twice as big, the detail would come out better, still not bad for a first try, I think....?
 
Man thats amazing. Stu what is typically done with the panel after this stage. I would presume its mounted in something to ensure light passing through or ????

Man the way you go through a learning curve blows me away.
 
Welcome Danny!

I'm assuming those pics are of some work you've done on something similar to Stu's Icarver?

Very nicely done :thumb:
 
I had to tear out and expand the soundproof box the iCarver is going to live in.
My Dungeon looks like a couple of hand grenades went off right now!!
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Tearing apart the old box


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The open space the new box will live in. I had to also take down the cabs on the left side

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The new base, the three runners will sit on rubber isolation pads which in turn sit on the black sound deadening material on the concrete.

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The new box

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The new box in place. It will have a cart in it that the iCarver sits on, this will have a fold up table that the whole cart will be able to roll out in to if I need to get at the machine, or if I wish to work on longer boards.

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The cart sits on six wheels that run in a track.

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All done except the wiring and the door.

Cheers!
 
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