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Anyone interested in my Roland MDX-40 milling machine story?
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Stomper
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Joined: 01 Oct 2005
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Location: Woodburn, Oregon USA

PostPosted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 7:02 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

LOL.... That is a client of mine (lives in Mexico) and those are a photo of the hovi-speakers I make.


B&W version next to the all black version



All black version



I also make them w/o the speakers.




These and my various blasters have made me almost as famous as Jim.... Laughing
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Tony Krewson
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CrazyFool
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 9:23 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Cool. Why do people want a different kind? I'm not sure I understand. Do they cost a lot for you to make or something?
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ahillworks
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Joined: 18 Nov 2007
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Location: Orlando FL

PostPosted: Wed Oct 01, 2008 2:39 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

The fan blade looks awesome man. I think that is so cool. I really need one of these machines.
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CrazyFool
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 12:19 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks dude. I know what you mean. I wanted a machine for three or four years before I was finally able to pony up and buy one. Never thought I would get one quite this nice though. It's like a gift from God. Course, I did work and save a long time so maybe my job was a gift? Or both? Awe, heck. Just glad I got it!

This 3D model is terrible so far, but I mean to document the journey so here is a screen shot. Looks like I'm going with the auto lube store bobble head doll first. The stores are just barely breaking even right now and I'd like to try to help them. I felt that little bobble heads might make a great promo item.



Not much to show at this point obviously, but I'll just keep chipp'n away. Barely know how to use my 3D program (LightWave 3D) so it's like 'read a page', 'click', 'read a page', 'click'. Rolling Eyes

CF
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jegner
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Joined: 30 May 2003
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Location: Texas, USA

PostPosted: Sat Oct 04, 2008 7:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

CrazyFool wrote:
Cool. Why do people want a different kind? I'm not sure I understand. Do they cost a lot for you to make or something?


Well, here's the issue. There are only a handful of authentic real Hovi-mix mic tips. Tony, I believe has one, and has done a fantastic job making a silicone mold and casts resin copies of it. His resin castings are bubble free!

Having an alternative original sculpt to the real thing just means having more options. You won't we recasting anyone's work, but offering a totally new, modern alternative, from a brand new master. You can still cast these as Tony does, and have it as an option. Just my opinion, I could be wrong.

Jim
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CrazyFool
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 3:24 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I wasn't getting anywhere with the oil can character ("Otto J. Filter") so I decided to try a practice project from one of my LightWave 3D books. It's a giraffe. Hopefully, by the time I complete the tutorial I will be able to sculpt Otto without any problems. I'm actually amazed at how intricate the giraffe is after only a few hours. But it's a lot easier to follow a tutorial than it is to whip up something from scratch. 3D programs can be a bear for beginners. Shocked



Quote:
Having an alternative original sculpt to the real thing just means having more options.

Okay. I think I understand now. Thanks

CF
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ahillworks
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 7:50 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Wow I give you some major credit CrazyFool. I did Cad in High School overseas in England and it was a load of info to intake. With software now a days I can just imagine what is needed to make what your your drawing in cad now. So I think its awesome what your doing.
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CrazyFool
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 09, 2008 6:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks man! I know what you mean. I tried to learn LightWave 3D a few times over the years and got frustrated because it seemed so difficult. But now I have a compelling reason to hang in there. If I can't sculpt anything in 3D then I can't sculpt anything on my $$$ milling machine! Even this time it's been frustrating though. But... I've noticed that if you really concentrate and follow the tutorials exactly you find yourself looking at the model more and more and less at the program and its buttons. That's neat - to sculpt for 15 minutes and suddenly realize you haven't thought once about which button to click! I wouldn't say it's 'fun' just yet, but there have been moments when I discovered I was actually enjoying myself. Cool

Getting there...


May need to do one more practice project after this. There are two basic forms of 3D sculpting (modeling). The giraffe is an example of organic, smooth edged modeling. But if you want to model a machine gear you would use a different method called 'hard edged modeling'. Or you can combine the two methods. In the case of the auto lube character I may need to know both. Most 3D software programs like LightWave 3D will allow you to do both methods.
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ahillworks
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 10, 2008 11:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Silly question but may make your job seem interesting. Have you thought about drawing the object and then scanning it??????? And this is kinda cool now I want one lol. Oh course my wife would hate it lol. Unless I made her something useful. =)
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CrazyFool
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 1:36 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I hear you about making something useful. Although I plan to make some 'just for fun' stuff, mainly I hope to use the machine for real world items that can be sold online or in stores.

You can draw something, scan the drawing into your computer, and put the image in the background of your 3D software program. Then you can use the image as a reference while you painstakingly draw a 3D object by hand. But to actually 'convert' a 2D drawing directly into a 3D object with a few mouse clicks is nearly impossible unless the design is very simple. For example, you might be able to convert a 2D drawing of a text logo into a 3D object with a few clicks... but it is virtually unthinkable to convert a 2D drawing of an M1A1 Abrams Main Battle Tank into a 3D object. You would have to sculpt the tank by hand over many, many hours.

There don't seem to be any shortcuts unfortunately. If you want to mill a 3D object you do need to learn how to sculpt in a 3D software program.
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Stomper
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Joined: 01 Oct 2005
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Location: Woodburn, Oregon USA

PostPosted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 9:01 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

WOW.... the notion of having to learn a complex software program like that is sending me off looking for my Costco-sized bottle of Advil!!! Shocked

I have been a computer geek since mmm... 1995. I thought computers were lame until I started my own heating company and needed one for keeping books... a Packard Bell system w/100Mhz Pentium, 8Mb of "fast page" ram, with an Epson printer that could print out an "o.k." 4x6 photo in about 5 mins..... SMOKING FAST!!! Laughing It cost me $950 (in 1995 dollars mind you) Rolling Eyes

I cut my "geek teeth" on Win95 and got pretty good at tweaking "under the hood" and/or troubleshooting the stupid thing. That got me through WinME (worst OS...EVER!!), Win98(SE). I've used Win2KPro with a HAL patch to use hardware acceleration, and now I'm in WinXP and the wife's Dell Lappie has Vista... I've never had to plunder and pillage the registry, or copy and paste missing DLL files for Win2K onwards.

Almost ALL modern HVAC equipement is controlled by sophisticated PCB computers of one sort or another, and the large commercial buildings are a big pile of specialized netowrks that control everything from climate control, lighting and alarms, telecom... oh yeah, and "computer networks".... Laughing

Most (not ALL) "geeks" who are brilliant with sofware break out in a sweat at the notion of figuring out which end of a wrench to hold, so enter Tony making a living!! I guess my point is, I soon learned that I preferred to troubleshoot the computer hardware rather than the software, and I have more or less turned THAT into gold to make my living. Wink


Now, back to this topic... I was curious earlier about the size of your machine because I have another buddy (goes by Talon) who makes DC-17 blasters (its a Republic Commando thing) who needs a protoype milled out... I forgot that I hade these files on my computer but just found them. If/when you get your legs under you I'd love to discuss hiring you to mill a prototype for a casting pattern for him... here's only some of what I have in PNG files:


Profile Shots:



Removable magazine:



Barrel housing removes for adding other attachments:



A shot with all the removable attachments:



Pretty cool concept, huh?
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Last edited by Stomper on Sat Oct 11, 2008 4:22 pm; edited 1 time in total
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CrazyFool
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 1:43 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Stomper,
That's a cool looking gun. Did you draw that yourself in 3D? If so what software program did you use? Just curious. Finished my 'giraffe' (that suspiciously looks like a lion's body with long legs, stretched out neck and horse's feet Shocked ). Oh well. It's only a practice project! Laughing



My machine can mill objects that are about 12" wide, 12" deep, and 4.5" thick. Anything larger would be milled in separate pieces and joined or assembled post milling and/or post casting.

CF
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Stomper
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PostPosted: Sat Oct 11, 2008 4:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh heck no... I didn't draft those up!! I couldn't EVEN begin on something like that. "Talon" had a young fella somewhere in Europe who is going through University for this kind of thing do it for a trade in other props that he builds. I belive it was Lightwave 3D, same as what you're using, but don't quote me on that. Wink
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Tony Krewson
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CrazyFool
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PostPosted: Mon Oct 13, 2008 10:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

2nd practice project done. Doesn't look too thrilling but I am learning a lot. You sure can fiddle with 3D sculptures forever. At some point you have to say, "Good enough. Time to move on." especially with practice projects. This tutorial took me a little over 10 hours. Think I'll do one more tutorial then try to sculpt something of my own design and mill it. We'll see.





CF
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CrazyFool
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 16, 2008 7:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

About 12 to 14 hours into this 3rd practice project. Starting to learn a few tricks now. Should be able to sculpt a design of my own soon. Cool



Thank God for Red Bull.

CF
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