# Delicate routed letters



## Nidoba (Apr 8, 2015)

Hi...new to the forum & looking for some help on a possible project. I have a client that needs some small letters carved with a rounded face. The words that need to be carved are (4 Sets): "Emergency", "Main Entrance" and "Exit".....2 9/16" high for the capital Letters. I usually use a "local" shop for this type of thing, but he can't do it because its too small.

Someone before me (15 years ago) did a bunch of signs for the client, but hand cut & carved the letters. Trying not to go that route.

Anyone out there know of someone who can CNC this.

Thanks, Mike


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## 4DThinker (Feb 16, 2014)

Where (in the world) are you at Mike?

CNCing the letters as your client wants is a 3D cut but not hard to toolpath for using Aspire if you (or the client) provides the letters as vectors. The 3D nature means they'll take some time to cut, much like the originals must have taken to hand carve. 

I don't normally do CNC work for profit (college professor) but there might be someone in your area that does.


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## Nidoba (Apr 8, 2015)

Hi......I'm in Maine. That's a good tip. I'll do a web search for 3d Routing in the area.

thanks. Mike


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Welcome to the forum Mike.


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

4D,

Why can't you do side jobs on your own machine and use a little bit of that knowledge for xtra income?

HJ

All for maximizing talant


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## 4DThinker (Feb 16, 2014)

honesttjohn said:


> 4D,
> 
> Why can't you do side jobs on your own machine and use a little bit of that knowledge for xtra income?
> 
> ...


I suppose I could, although I spend so much time helping the students in my department and cutting project parts/examples/samples/etc. for them that until I retire that is all of the CNCing I care to do. Spent the last couple of hours designing and drawing up parts for a 20 degree router chamfer jig I'll cut up and assemble in the morning so one student can get her dining table done for the College Open House which is this Saturday. 

4D


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## Wildwood (Aug 14, 2010)

Hi Mike - I regularly cut small letters on a scrollsaw, and round them over with a Dremel Trio - maybe you could also consider finding someone in your area who has a scrollsaw.
Here is a link to a thread of mine a while ago.
http://www.routerforums.com/show-n-tell/53609-house-name-sign.html


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## Nidoba (Apr 8, 2015)

old55 said:


> Welcome to the forum Mike.


hey.....thanks Ross, very nice.

fwiw, been to Australia, went skiing in Thredbo many, many years ago.
Good folks!

Best, Mike


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## Nidoba (Apr 8, 2015)

Rob.....that could be a possibility, except that the letters are only 5/16" thick.....not thick enough to have a place for the router bit guide to rest on below the round over.

Nice sign by the way, what is the background wood, very attractive.

Mike


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## Wildwood (Aug 14, 2010)

Mike, the wood is "Wit Els", locally indigenous, and translates as white Alder, but not related to Alders of Northern Hemisphere. My letters are 8mm, very close to 5/16", but one does need a miniature router like the Dremel Trio (in a home-made table) for effective round-over. 
I wish you well on your project, and welcome to the forum.
Rob


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Mike is this how the lettering looks? This is from my Aspire software, using the vectors from the PDF you supplied, after sculpting and using smoothing filters.


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## jim7fl (Apr 19, 2015)

Wow, Rob. That sign looks great, bet the customer loved it...


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