No! not a laser printer like the one you know, but more a laser engraver See what it is here: http://www.epiloglaser.com/helix24_overview.htm You can see on this page what can be done with a laser engraver. http://www.epiloglaser.com/sample_club.htm And what Kim is actually testing with plastic is called 3D engraving. see an example here; http://www.epiloglaser.com/3d_engraving.htm Ben
Ben, Have you got one ordered yet? Wonder what the price of the small one is, might have to get a price from them.
You can find cheepies for about $3300, or entry level machines like mine for $10K, or a better one like Kim's for $14K. Don't get one with 12 watts, or you can expect a gondola side like Kim engraved to take 10 minutes each. I have 35 watts, and Kim has 45 watts.
Ordered one Bob? I don't understand? I tough you knew that I had the 35Watt form Epilog since last October, remember my CP yellow caboose was created with it. http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=82431&highlight=caboose The unit cost me more than $14K CAD Ben
Me too! As a kid I was always waiting to see the end of the trains to observe the caboose! I was fascinated by them. I remember when they cancel their utility in railroads, that was pretty sad. Ben
Yesterday Kim came over with his corrugated gondola side drawing and samples, and we spent some time messing with my drivers till I could get acceptable results too. Engraving a car side that yields rivets is exciting, and although it is a slow process making it too expensive to produce cars for sale, it is possible to do custom works for trades. I finished my 5th woodchip body style yesterday, the kind that is used on the Golden West Service (VCY) 59' woodchip hoppers that came from SP. Dullcoated this morning after making decals late last night. I'll post photos of both the gondola carside and the woodchip hopper tonight after work.
I really think this type work would be good to use as master to cast in resin. Resin will glue and paint better and the Delrin will pop out of the mold with no release agent. Plus it would save money by making around 30-40 casting from a mold instead of using hours of laser time. No how many more years before I can draw up these shaded CAD files... ; )
I got to play with Kim's files, and the rivets look like your rivets, but the thing to remember about Rastering, is that it is WSYWIG, so putting one thing over another hides whatever is underneath, and that don't print. The louvers are made with progressively shaded ovals, the rivet plates are shaded a solid gray, which raises them, then the rivets are placed on top, and are progressively shaded like your rivets. There is a white thin strip in the center of the rivet plates, so that is not etched, leaving the ribs, a raised tie plate with rivets, and where it is solid blace it is etched to the maximum depth. In the middle of the black area (panels) the louvers are placed on top, which are the shaded ovals, and then it's just a matter of defining a good power/speed profile to get the best results.
I got to read it 3 times to understand, but I think I got it now. I'm really a visual guy. At school when we had exercises like, this train is going 50 and the other is going 20, when will they cross each other ? I was like, where's the pictures? Thanks Rob. Ben
