Our client wanted to show 3 models for the Commission of Fine Arts presentation. One would be the existing site, and the two options.

I thought using CNC’s I could mill out the site from MDF. At the scale I wanted to show them, I’d need 1.5″ of travel in the Z direction. The typical MDF thickness is 3/4″ so I could glue two of them together, but you’d see that glue seam in the model and that would be very distracting. I was able to find a 4×8 sheet of 1.5″ thick MDF at a specialty cabinet shop. It cost about 250$, and was very heavy.

I cut the MDF down to size and started experimenting with the CNC’s. This was my first time using these Shopbots, and the software I was using was no where near as precise as RhinoCam. These CNC’s were not a vacuum bed, so I ran screws through the MDF to hold it in place.

I went through a few tests on these. With new software you always have to figure out the work arounds to get the machine to do what you want it to. The first 2 tests I did came out pretty bad.

Luckily I had the 4×8 sheet, so I could make a handful of mistakes.

I set up 3 different bit passes. This one is the rough out. It just takes out a bunch of material quickly.

After thats done I switch it over to a 1/4 ball to get some detail

Then at the end switch to a 1/8″ flat to carve out the stairs and stuff

These photos are a mix of the three different models.

When they were all milled out, I cut the extra MDF off on the table saw, and built wooden frames for them. I laser etched the project name on the frames. I thought it was a nice detail.

Each model took 6.5 hours to mill out.

Turned out pretty nice.

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On the topic of CNC’s.

I was also working on another site for a job we were pursuing.

I ordered some really expensive tooling foam for this one. It was 4″ thick and 20#pf. This stuff is awesome. I have since purchased a 4’x8’x4″ and 4’x8’x2″ sheet of this stuff. together those sheets weight 450 lbs.

I altered the file to so that you could  count the stepped topography. This also gave it a really cool look. I only used a 1/2″ flat mill on this one. One pass only, 3.5 hours.

So I set up the Canon.

Of course I filmed a time lapse.

 

Here is the final output.

Fun Stuff!