We developed the “U-Centerit” placement jig because, like many garment decorators, we struggled with consistent logo placement. We purchased and evaluated other placement aids but they were cumbersome and didn’t seem very accurate. The U-Centerit jig solved several common placement issues by providing a visual aid while simultaneously referencing typical garment location points. Embroiderers can…
My definition of metalworking is “working with metal”, not necessarily all aspects of everything that can be done using all different kinds of metal. I guess that narrows it down to making things out of metal that results in a product to enhance my life as “art” or something that performs a function. I view…
Do you like drinking your favorite beverage out of the bottle or can but don’t like when it warms up so fast? Here is the solution – beverage holders that will accept a 12 Oz bottle or can. Simply remove the screw on top, drop in your drink and re-attach the screw top. Your beverage…
These Pilsner shaped insulated Polar Camel tumblers really keep your beer or beverage cold! Everyone knows that beer drinkers have their favorite phrase just waiting to be laser engraved on their personal mug so why not order one for yourself (no questions asked on the phrase). Order several colors from my web store for your…
Polar Camel stemless wine insulated tumblers are perfect for keeping your wine at a constant temperature. They are custom engravable with your witty text or logo. The wine tumblers are available in 17 different colors to suit your choice of wine (they work great for coffee too). Stylishly shaped, they fit in with any decor….
These 16 Oz Polar Camel Tumblers are the perfect size to hold a can or bottle of your favorite beverage. They are made of food grade Stainless Steel and come in a spectacular array of colors just waiting for your custom text or artwork. Hot or cold, whatever you put in them, they keep it…
A fun wall hanging for owl lovers. This intricate piece of art is laser engraved on wood and finished with a clear coating for longevity. It can be made in a variety of sizes to suit your needs.
Sometimes the art speaks for itself. This piece of wall art represents the ideals upon which the United States of America was founded. Beautiful in it’s simplicity and powerful in it’s meaning. It can be made in a variety of sizes to fit available wall space.
Metalworking is fun, it presents new challenges from woodworking. Of course, an entirely new set of tools is necessary which is fine with this tool junkie. My arsenal includes MIG, TIG and stick welders, Oxy-Acetylene and plasma cutters, benders, presses, rollers, tables, clamps, grinders and paint. Grinders and paint make me the welder I ain’t!…
Early in the year 2020 I decided to purchase a Laser / Engraver to provide my customers with choices regarding marking, carving and engraving. After looking at several machine brands, I settled on Thunder Laser because of the machine size, quality reputation, excellent US support and cost. When you take delivery of a Thunder Laser,…
I use a series of horizontal lines on my CNC spoil board to aid in placement of parts before clamping. In the past, I drew these lines by hand by connecting dots on the spoil board that were lightly dimpled by the machine. It took a long time and sometime the pen got stuck in…
Very Impressed! Those two words sum up my impression of the 2018 Vectric User Group Meeting held in Chicago. It was thoroughly enjoyable to meet the Vectric staff and others with whom I’ve met on the Vectric Forum the past few years. I went more for the “people” aspect than education but both were splendid….
A neighbor asked me to help him make a 24″ diameter clock face like one seen in the movie “Back to the Future”. He has already built a Delorean time machine from a golf cart chassis complete with blinking lights and fold up wing doors. I hope to post photos of the car at the…
I upgraded to Vetric’s Aspire CAD/CAM software because of my interest in 3D CNC carving. This mantle clock was built from free plans provided by Vectric. I have built other items from their monthly plans and have found them to be fun and useful for learning about vector creation, component creation and tool path generation….
When I decided to replace my old Craftsman bench top metalworking lathe, I researched many options taking into consideration my budget, space limitations, weight and features of the machine. I settled on a well known brand (hint – it’s green) and placed my order. I was told that there would be a two month delay…
Brian Law’s Clock #24 is a wonderfully designed wooden clock with a gravity escapement that is fascinating to watch. This was my most challenging clock to build as of May 2016 because it required metal machining and CNC tool path tiling. Tiling was required because the clock frame was longer than the bed of my…
Since I now own a CNC router, I can easily cut complex parts if I have a DXF or DWG file as a starting point. I am fascinated by wooden clocks, escapements and kinetic sculptures. 2016 marks the year that I decided to delve deeper into how these devices are designed and put together. There…
In an effort to understand kinetic motion drive mechanisms, I purchased a Clayton Boyer plan titled “Zinnia”. Dr. Boyer sells plans in two formats, DXF files for CNC machines or paper plans that can be cut on a scroll saw. I built Clayton’s Number 6 clock a few years ago and it works very well,…
My Hi-Torque Mini-Mill arrived from the Little Machine Shop! An 18 wheeler made it’s way through the subdivision and parked so the tail was at my driveway. The truck was equipped with a lift gate in order to get the pallet to street level. I was concerned about getting the pallet into my garage but…
I answered an ad on a Facebook page seeking someone to do work on a wood lathe. After a few private messages, I met with the person who was re-finishing a 100 year old table that was a family heirloom. The table legs were turned with some beads, coves and flutes but they were about…
I was fascinated with Michael Tyler’s Paradise Box project on Vectric’s website so I decided to use his design and customize it for my wife Marilyn. Michael’s plans were modified to account for thinner stock and the sides were custom carved and given a gentle arc. Additional V-carving was done on the inside lid to…
The Banksia tree grows in Australia and produces unique looking nuts. The nuts are harvested and sold as exotic blanks for wood turning. I have seen these in various woodworking stores so I thought that I would give it a try. I was surprised when I cut into the nut so I took a few…
Our great nephew Rylind suffered a vicious dog attack recently so he is home recuperating. Like most 5 year olds, he is fascinated with dinosaurs so we wanted to provide something for him to do while recovering. The CNC router came to mind because I know of a website www.makecnc.com that has hundreds, maybe thousands…
A neighbor and active member of Daniel Boone Conservation League commissioned a replacement back for a memorial bench on the club grounds. The original bench back appeared to have been laser engraved but suffered severe weathering to make it unreadable. A V-Carved back was selected for the replacement because even if it becomes weathered, it…
As I gain more experience with the CNC router, I am trying different projects both as a learning tool as well as making interesting items. This blog details some of the steps in the manufacture of a Dutch clock mimicking the style of Tole painting. I downloaded the free project from Vectric’s website and modified…
I built my old sawhorses about 40 years ago using 2x4s and metal sawhorse kit brackets. They held up well but they were always wobbly. Over the years, the wobbliness (is that a word?) got worse so I decided to build new ones. Why? Because I’m retired and can spend some time on this sort…
Cutting circles using a bandsaw is easy with a jig designed for the task. There are commercial jigs available and many variations of home made jigs can be found on the Internet. As far as I can tell, my jig is unique in the way it is constructed and uses materials commonly found in lumber…
One of the great things about wood turning is the variety of things that you can produce on the lathe. Each piece is unique because you, not a computer, control the tool. The way the wood is mounted in relation to the grain determines the tools used to accomplish the task. Lidded boxes are end…
