THE 3DWAXMILLER CLUB.

mattdzero · Joined: 15 Aug 2006 Posts: 461 Location: Tyler,Texas

Sweet!!! Well a buddy of mine has had his wax mill for probably 2 years now and I have had the chance to play with it a little and of course I myself am now hooked!! I have mine ordered and it could possibly be here by Friday.. I am so pumped to finally have the chance to join the forum and see how you guys are creating all these awesome pieces!! I hope that in the future I will be able to contribute a fourth as much as you guys have..Great job..

It looks like I have a ton of stuff to read before really getting to dive into all this..I do have a question that hopefully you guys can help with!!
I am trying to build a ring for a friend that is a sort of cathedral type mounting.I was having trouble getting the smooth curve at the top of my shank until Jeff shed some light on the problem for me and it worked..Now my problem is that when I view it in Rhino and bend it to make it round, the upward curve is gone of course..I am assuming that it will mill just as I am looking at it in Rhino?? Anyone have any ideas on how I might get that curve back into it? I will attach a pic of the ring I am trying to duplicate as well as my 3D Engrave file..Thanks in advance!!

Matt

Jwlrymkr · Joined: 30 May 2004 Posts: 851 Location: Waco, Texas

Welcome Matt!
Are you getting the jwx-10? If not, why are you trying to bend it in rhino?
If your using the 10, why not design it as a whole ring in rhino?
Just a thought...
Anyway, glad to have you aboard!

Regards,
Ken

mattdzero · Joined: 15 Aug 2006 Posts: 461 Location: Tyler,Texas

I wish!!! No, I am getting the MDX 15 I believe. Any tips? Thanks for the welcome!!

Colin Creed · Posted: Wed Aug 16, 2006 11:15 pm Post subject:

Welcome Matt,

I'm guessing that you're also getting Jeff's Rotary with the MDX-15?

Sounds & looks like you're already up to speed with the designing side of things, Well done!!

At this point, the only thing that I'd be changing within your design would be the rotary support bars.
They need to come out past the edges of your Relief.
The opening for the setting will actually end up with a "V" shape formed from the way the rotary mills things.
Whether it will be enough for the angle of the setting that you'll use, only milling it will tell?

I look forward to seeing the finished piece.

regards Colin

mattdzero · Joined: 15 Aug 2006 Posts: 461 Location: Tyler,Texas

Oh yes, Jeffs rotary is what sold me on the whole deal!! Thanks for the tip on the support bars..I didn't know about that. As far as the opening for the Mq. peg head, I am not too worried about that.I can make that fit.My main concern is if I will lose the nice upward curves toward the center on both sides from milling? I guess only milling it will tell for sure. If that doesn't work, I guess I could mill the shank flat and cut the ribbs by hand after in the wax..I just wanted nice clean smooth perfect lines that the mill provides so well..

Winstone · Joined: 25 Feb 2004 Posts: 690 Location: Dallas,Texas

Welcome Matt,
I know you will do well with the MDX-15. I have two of them and love them. One at home and the other at the shop. My wife complained that she was becomming a MDX Widow, so I solved the problem with a unit at home!
Several things you should do as a start.

a] Get a zippered 3 ring binder for programs and backups, as well as notes for creations.

b] buy some CD-disk 3 ring binder storage sheets, so as you work and save projects to CD-rom disks you will have a chrolological record of works done. We use a numbersystem that you may find helpful, you can modify it to fit your own needs. We also use a security code for clients so that in the event that a disk is lost, stolen, or destroyed, the disk is of little use to the finder.

Example WS 01 06 a = winston studio - project 01- year 2006 - modification a [since there are 27 letters in the alphabet, this gives us
a code that can be expanded. Also if you are using common dos for titles
which limits you to 8 characters and an extension, this can prove important if you decide to use Linux Cad CAm or Rhino, or Art Cam, or similar programs on other OS systems besides the one you are currently using. We went to Frys and bought Lindows or Lindshire computers removed the Linux packets and reinstalled Windows 95, or Windows 98, or Windows Me or Windows 2000 progessional. We stripped out the sound board, modem, and use the $200 computer to only cut designs with the Roland packet, lean mean cutting machines. No network, but very efficient machines that hum and produce, produce, and produce.

Matt you should consider making the ring shank and later adding the findings. Die struck findings are much better than cast findings.

-----
Lastly read the posts, work the examples, keep notes, and a sketchbook,
sign each page with copyright symbol, date and your signature, it could be important later if someone tries to rip you off. It could be important evidence of original authorship. I am not an attorney, so you will need to
seek legal advise from your attorney. I am a trained Texas paralegal, I worked for a Dallas County Civil District Judge for over 7 years, take this suggestion for what it is worth, as you paid nothing for it, .....

-------
Welcome aboard, each of us has a talent and a value. The group is diminished when one leaves or decides to leave the trade. We can all benefit from each other. When some leave, I pray that they will still contribute ideas, becasue it is far more imporant to have a fresh flow of ideas than production. We all gain from others insights.
------
Matt, the MDX-15 will open doors, we are trail blazers, the book is being created on this forum with experiments, ideas, and impur from owners. It will be a great help.
------
Hope that this helps, welcome to the Ward, you will soon catch MDXia
and start to dream about projects, mumble in your sleep, make milling noises as Mass, and look for better bits that sometimes end up in the offering plate, see projects everywhere, on the road on the way to work,
going home from the studio, when the dog wags her tail, or when the postman brings another bundle of how to disks, or Rhino, or Art Cam, or
more Roland toys..... in short your life will change, then alas, you will get old like me and your kids will start looking for a nursing home. I found the perfect location. A Roland dealership with a MDX-20, etc. on display.... heavean at last..... Welcome......from Winstone

mattdzero · Joined: 15 Aug 2006 Posts: 461 Location: Tyler,Texas

Thank you Winstone for the great ideas..I will definitely use these..

and as far as "MDXia" I believe that has already begun.. I can't stop thinking about ideas and endless possiblities!! Can't wait to get started!! Thanks again