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I can't remember what the resolution of the machine is... all I remember is, that when I did see it, it was not a concern, something like .01mm I think... 3 three-thousandths. BUT that being said, I think the bigger issue is.... Tooling size, smallest practical radius I have encountered is .0075" and thats rare... the most common smallest radius is .015625" or .03125 (1/32") diameter. THEN the most reasonable way to use a tool tip that small is to have a taper on it of about 15 degrees. .031 dia ball nose tools can be used on a straight tip, but they get pretty brittle in carbide. THEN the next biggest factor is when you get to tooling that small in dia. a LOT of RPM ("speed") (IE - Dremel like speed) 30K +/-5K is best. SLOWER can be used, but the feed rate rate needs to slow proportionately.... the present max RPM of the spindle is about 1/10th of that @ 3500 RPM. I've already drawn up some plans to make a homemade spindle multiplier, but that project is just about as far along as the tanks are

BOTTOM line, size of the tool tip is the biggest factor, and that is realistically limited to about .031" dia, and ideally with a 15 degree taper for strength to the tip (if its being cut in a hard material). First time looking at it in detail, to most people, it would look like .031" dia ball nose tool would not provide enough detail, but the truth is, there is little out there that is done with smaller.

The Coca-Cola decoration was cut with a .062" dia tool, and is not as good as it could/should be. And as a reference, the Coke bottle is about the size of the last to knuckles on the average guys little finger (mine).

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Just looked it up, and the machine resolution is 0.5 micro-meters.... or... 0.5 micrometer = 0.000 01968 inch.

And, if any sort of quantity is a target, SOME SORT moulding is the way to go. THEN the BIGGGGggg decisions come in (that I am not so good at) as to what material and method is best to use. OTHER things to consider, the type of mould, how many parts (2 part, split is most common), AND access to the cavity being made from the direction of the tooling.

And, ya... I do have an interest in doing something like this. I'm presently one of the ecconomies statistics, so I do have more than average time at my disposal, although I try to do something that feels productive (making BZ ICONS? figuratively speaking;-))

There is a capacity here to make these cyber objects "REAL" objects. Someone needs to pop me some BZ geometry so I can play with it!

well ya BUMBLER, get me some of that BZ stuff in .3DS file format, and shiz-tuff might just start happenin' ya never know. Can't make promises if/when it'd get done, but you'd be dole'ing out this stuff to the same guy that made a RL BZ-Pilot suit, who's lookin for something "interesting" to use those dust collectors in the basement for...

Don't know if I have enough around, if not I might have access to some.... but I've got bronze, and when it polished up it looks an awful lot like GOLD... might be special to have a GOLD GRIZ.... or even one of 'dem Razors...

SAMPLE (of a small piece I made out of that Bronze)

http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/af281/kmckenn_bucket/EMCO%20Mill-Lathe/Coke.jpg

I have just recently installed SketchUp7, haven't really used it though, pretty much just installed it to get an overview of it, but cold easily use it to import/export geometry. I have/use Rhino3D (4.0) now/primarily which handles 3DS well, (have written some CAM/CNC apps for it) and have other 3D CAD/CAM software. I presently don't have any way of exporting the original BZ models myself. Might be interesting to dabble with, see if it can go anywhere. If nothing else, it might be interesting to do some full blown CAD (NURBS) models.

Any sort of low(er) density material would be ideal for my desktop (educational/training) type CNC equipment (http://i1016.photobucket.com/albums/af281/kmckenn_bucket/EMCO%20Mill-Lathe/EMCOPCMill-Lathe55.jpg), they'll cut virtually anything with the right tooling and enough patience, but they're clearly not heavy-duty production type machines (I've done some bronze, aluminum and mild steel). (Laughing... we need to get somone with a (large) CNC router, I'll make the code to cut-out the polys of a Griz/Grendel out of partical board, and we can make a "life size" one! ).

"MAYBE" I need to make a set of vacuum moulds, and start producing some Desktop models for the BZ junkies (IE - BFT, etc.)!

'spose I' (we're) gettin' "off-topic". Any moderators wanna move this digressing topic to a new thread?

Actually BFT... could be an interesting colaboration of merging talents, tools and fanboy extraordinaire's... Are the models you've created CAD models (as opposed to POLY models). It might take a lot of creativity on how to actually pull it off, BUT I have in my basement a CNC Lathe and CNC Mill... CAD/CAM software, that I can program anything with enough effort.... perhaps bringing one of your models to the REAL world? Actually, on a low poly POLY model, I could even machine one of those up.

RE: POLY COUNT    made modeling it easier

I tried CAD modeling a Griz way back with no good reference, but never made one in RL.

[all]

"Avatar"

Absolutely unbelievable! When I was perusing this board and saw it SPAMMED all over with that name I'd asked myself it it could be THAT "Avatar".... COW I, COW II, COW III, PFA, etc. etc... but told myself NO WAY, he vanished from the face of BZ way way too many years ago... BUT I tell ya what, you're doin one hell of a good job posin' him!

(EDIT) I actually still have all those old COW maps. I remember whining to Av that I could not find p-ups, and he sent me an advance map pic of COW2...



I might scrounge around and see if I can find the ORIGINAL, real world PHOTOGRAPH of that BZ-SUIT, since as I recall there have been skeptics as to the authenticity of the pic. If there are any doubters on this pic I'll be posting, look at the bottom of the pic, it ended up being one of the disappointing flaws of the suit/project. I'm 6'4" tall, and like most everythig for above averge ht peeps, the "pants" were made TOO SHORT! I can't think of too many people that would SPOOF "high-waters"!



I guess if I post the pic my wife took of "TheWall" greeting the REAL WORLD "scrapmkr" at my front door, it might add a little believe-ability to it!???

Hello All,

I'd thought the entier BZ World was the BZ-Club forum... ummmm.. I see I was wrong.

I just signed up to this board, trying to get acclimated to everything going on, and fell upon this new thread. Thought I'd try whats available, but I don't think I have the proper install/foundation for the .exe file.

What do I need to do to amuse myself and follow whats going on here?


Time of this report: 12/6/2009, 17:13:39
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