cost of 3d engraving

[Frank barry]

Hi
as I don’t have a cnc router yet and am trying to decide if I need one capable of doing 3d could anyone give me an idea of the length of time it would take to do a 3d engraving of 1inch square
as I am trying to do a costing for the parts I wish to make
I know the above is a difficult question so an estimate time will do
thanks in advance

[Jim Underwood]

Engraving and carving are two different things. Engraving uses a v-bit, and is relatively inexpensive since it takes much less time. You can give a 3d look using vectors, but its not really 3d relief carving. It's similar to chip carving.

Carving 3d reliefs uses a ballnose bit in a raster cut w ten percent step over. An eighth in bit would normally need .012" step over. This takes much longer.

For one square inch though you're not talking much time unless you're doing jewelry type work, which requires a different machine.

[Bob Reda]

The time involved in doing a 3d object depends on several issues. One is the model, the second is your machine. In the machine, it depends mainly on the movement of the z axis. With a shopbot, running at 200ipm and a z set at 90 ipm (even though, because of ramping and such, the machine nor the z move alot at those settings) I normally do a 6" carving in a neg dish in around 30 minutes. That is just with a finish pass, usually no rough at that size.

Bob

[Jim Underwood]

It would help to know what you are making...

[Frank barry]

Hi
I guess I should have explained a bit better(sorry about that)
one I plan do some house signs which I expect engraving with a v bit would do the job for me
I have also hoped to do some jewellery which I would need 3d for but if its very slow plus there would be a lot of finishing I do wonder if there is money to be made from it
as I don’t have a cnc router yet I have been trying to get clear in my head if 3d is worth getting

[Dan Hintz]

At jewelry-size levels, a laser is often cheaper / faster than a jewelry-sized CNC...

[Frank barry]

Hi
yes I am about to buy a laser(so that is step one sorted) but I hoped to combine it with a CNC router because the 3D looks so much better for jewelry but I am looking at the cost

[Dan Hintz]

Hi
yes I am about to buy a laser(so that is step one sorted) but I hoped to combine it with a CNC router because the 3D looks so much better for jewelry but I am looking at the cost

I was speaking of 3D, but with the laser...

[Frank barry]

Hi Dan
can you do full 3D work on wood with a laser?

[Scott Shepherd]

Hi Dan
can you do full 3D work on wood with a laser?

Yes, you certainly can.

[Jim Underwood]

I don't think you can carve with the laser like you can with a router, though. Can you?

[Scott Shepherd]

There are certainly some limitations to 3D work with a laser, grain being a big factor, but you can certainly do some really intricate, nice 3D work with the laser, without question. And it's going to be faster than the router in some cases.