WELCOME!


It is hard to believe that it was only seven years ago I witnessed a CNC router in action for the very first time. I was fascinated and simply had to have one! Although I had been in the creative end of the three dimensional sign business for most of my life I didn't really know what I would do with one - but I just knew it could do fantastic stuff.

Through extensive research I quickly found out that with the relative simplicity of EnRoute, CNC routers were capable of just about anything imaginable. This journal will chronicle that journey to date and continue each week with two or three entries as we continue to explore just what is possible with this wonderful software... -dan

Thursday, December 22, 2011

Ready for paint

This morning Hailey was at the shop bright and early, eager to work on her Christmas present. That was good for it meant I would be kept on schedule as well.  We decided I would work on mine and then she would follow, doing as much as possible on hers. I cleaned up the glue line between the front and back pieces with the die grinder, then added a little texture to the sides and back of the base.  She followed as soon as I was done. Then we mixed up a little Abracadabra Sculpting epoxy to fashion the bush along side of the lighthouse. We used an old tooth brush to add in the texture. The shingles were the next addition to the roof, also done with sculpting epoxy.

Then I took nine strands of tie wire and clamped them in my vice. I used a pair of pliers to twist them into a tree shape, branching out as we got towards the ends. Once the the was formed I drilled a hole in the rocks, filled it with sculpt and then pushed in my wire tree. Some twisted bits of sculpt formed some convincing roots around the base. As quick as that the sign was ready for paint.

Here's a pic of Hailey sculpting the roots of her tree...


And here's a shot of my sign ready to be primed and painted.


I'll post some more pictures later of it being painted.

-dan