Re: [CAD_CAM_EDM_DRO] turnkey face carvings

ballendo@... wrote:

> If the goal is to create a "business opportunity", you may need to
> leave your engineer hat at home... It won't be 'busts' in the round,
> but it could be 'bucks' all around :-)
>
> Put your 'marketer' hat on, and you'll see that a simple approach
> will work with existing low cost software and machines.
>
> First, go Bas relief or "engraved flat" picture. Use one of the many
> emerging bitmap to gcode (raster toolpath, depth based on pixel
> density) software pkg's. Do keychains (to keep it small and quick
> turnover) and mugs. Pics of grandchildren, for example. Larger
> pictures ARE available, but the wait will be longer.

Yes, I know about that, I want to do REAL 3-D carving.

>
> The quality of the image is NOT paramount! Is a McDonalds' hamburger
> the best you've ever tasted? :-) But it needs to be good enough...
> Some 'playing around' with a single camera (settings, lighting,
> angles) should pretty quickly get you close.
>
> Then maybe use some intermediate software (paintshop or similar)
> to "pre-manipulate" the camera output to take advantage of what you
> have learned about the weaknesses of the bitmap conversion.
>
> Start with a spindle engraver for portability and low-cost. Look to
> use a laser engraver to increase thoughput later...

I already have a 3-axis milling machine which could do the work
if a rotary axis is added. Laser engraving is not at all what I'm looking
for.

Jon