The Halloween Hanging Mobile Project was lots of fun. Hand drawn images were cut out using a Fireball V90 CNC machine as pieces of the spooky mobile. You can see more details of the V90 CNC machine here.
Here are the basic steps of what was done:
- Drawings were made on sheets of paper
- The drawings were scanned into the computer and touched up using MS Paint
- Artcam was used to convert the bitmap images into vectors
- The vectors were used to create tool-paths so that the images could eventually be cut out
- The tool-paths were exported to G code for the CNC computer
- The CNC computer controlled the CNC machine to allow the parts to be cut out in exact proportion
- Paint all the pieces
- Tie them together with fishing line
- Hang and enjoy!
You will notice below that the CNC machine has a Bosch Colt router installed, this router has a 1/4 inch collet. The issue here is small bits such as the 3mm single flute bit that needs to be used here would not fit directly into the router. MCPi has developed a Dremel Chuck Adapter for a 1/4 inch collet. With this installed tiny bits are no longer an issue.
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Neat project and great way to get your daughter involved with the CNC! One question, what is the wood used? Looks like chip board or OSB (oriented strand board) but I have not seen it ~1/4″ thin before.
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Hi Paul,
It is 5/16 OSB floor underlay. It was $16 for a 4X8 sheet, this is more than standard OSB but it is perfectly smooth on both sides. It also holds up very well to moisture. Have a look at my completely non-scientific moisture test here.
http://forum.hackedgadgets.com/viewtopic.php?t=2589
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Very cool project, congrats to you both, a brilliant and inspiring educational project for kids!
It does however go to show how little variation in products we have over here in the UK – we only get MDF and chipboard at your typical large DIY shops.
I’ve never even heard of Oriented Strand Board!
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Also, after catching the CNC bug big time, I finally settled on and bought one of those non-CNC chinese X1 mini-mills (Harbor-Freight, Sieg etc, but mine is from Machine-Mart in the UK).
I don’t suppose anybody can point me somewhere on the internet I might find some kind of CNC conversion kit for it? I found one at CNCFusion.com but I’m not sure I trust them, I wonder even if they’re still trading.
I already have driver boards, a printer breakout board and some rather nifty powerful German NEMA23 steppers, so I still need some kind of physical motor mounts suitable for the X1 mini-mill.
Any help would be appreciated – I’m desparate to start CNCing, ‘specially after seeing this!
Thanks.
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Hi Stu,
Thanks for your kind words. Sounds like you almost have everything you need. I am not sure where the best place is to get the rest of the parts though.
Ask the question here and you will get an answer in no time:
http://www.cnczone.com
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Holloween is right around corner