[slp_prlzys]

Hi just chiming in, disregard if not helpful

I'm not sure, but Newtek use to have
a scale down version called Inspire3d,
it's basically the same engine just limited
with the rendering resolution, it was targeted
for web designer's I think. It's very tricky
to use since it doesn't use windows interface.
I myself is familiar with Lightwave3d,
learnt it in school some time ago.(not proficient tho).


It still exist: http://www.newtek.com/inspire3d/

Inspire 3D will have a suggested retail price of $195US. Inspire 3D will be available for Windows XP, Windows XP Professional x64 Edition and Macintosh OS X. A free public beta program for pre-release versions of Inspire 3D is scheduled to begin in Q2, 2005.

[ger21]

Newtek just lowered the price of Lightwave to $795. I have about $2K invested, $1100 + 2 upgrades. I didn't save that model, but when I get a chance I'll post one.

[CJL5585]

ger21

I've experimented with this thing called 3D Blender, it's freeware, but I got frustrated with the learning curve on it.

Well, I tried Blender about 2 or 3 years ago. Could not figure out any way to use it to create any code useful for a cnc.

I agree with the learning curve. It seems nearly impossible to learn.

Jerry

[Trickster]

Very neat stuff.

[dool]

great job !!!
for interior of s/f ships

[DUCK]

I was trying to change my rank/ title, and its possible, but you have to be a gold-member, so if you read the earlier post (don't remember whose) and were trying to change your title, I'm pretty sure that's your problem. Gold member is a 50usd donation, impractical and unaffordable for me, but if your not a student without income (moi) and you frequent cnczone its probably worth it. (It gives you some other stuff too; I didn't read much past the 50$ )

[single phase]

That is beautiful art. My favorite is the aluminum piece hanging in the wood frame.

I did something similar a few years back when I was working with a glass artist. It is a long story but the short version is I got a job to make graphite molds for poring glass into. This is the first trial mold so we could test the concept out.



poring in the glass



it glows



keeping it from cooling too fast



This last mold is similar in size to the one we used for the final run of glass. I got the creative bug and decided to try out adding to their shape. So I made the "rain drop falling into water pattern" and added it to the primary wave of the glass.



I may still have the program I wrote and will post it here if anybody is interested in using it. It is a VBA program that runs inside of Autocad. I do not remember all the details right now but I am pretty sure it created a mesh object. I used Hypermill even back then and used it to create the tool path from the mesh.

Cheers
Dave

[ZenstarGuy]

Dave, what was the material used to make the graphite mold? (graphite plus ??)

Thanks,
Mike

[single phase]

It is graphite pressed into large blocks. You can get it anytime on ebay.

ebay auction

It is easy to machine but messy. Use carbide cutters, they will ware quickly.


Cheers
Dave

[wholepair]

I am so jealous -

Why do you make them in separate blocks? Especialy the last piece? Is there a limit to the size you can pour? How many times can you use the graphite mold?

We have some graphite around the shop, and I had thought of this application but don't know enough about glass to just jump in.

There is this awsome glass arts school in Eugene where I live. I was going to hit them up for inspiration/knowledge/help.

http://www.eugeneglassschool.org/

I like fused glass work. I thought it would be great to layer different colors into the surface of a graphite plate cut with the wave pattern or something similar and then fuse the whole piece(all the colors) together. Though once again I'm not sure if you can put the graphite and the glass into an oven to fuse - obviously you can pour into it but you might not be able to fuse in it - you probably can't let the piece cool in the form either... I have alot to learn - I think I will take a class at the EugeneGlassSchool later this month.

Your stuff is awsome - thanks for sharing!

[single phase]

The last mold makes just one piece of glass because it is filled to the upper edge. I did not design the basic shape the customer did that. I just offered the rain drop pattern for fun.

The graphite molds can be used hundreds of times. However, the web in this mold can self destruct in as little as 20 parts because it is so thin.

This is something you can do at home with the proper equipment, but it requires some basic knowledge of glass working. The course is a must.

Dave