# More Buffalo Nickels



## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Figured I might as well try it. Started to make the bank but after cutting each side I got sidetracked. Jay was spot on with the plaques.
I cut one out of a laminated BB panel Menards had on sale and just polyed over the raw wood. The other was carved on a piece of Corafoam and finished with aluminum paint to look like a metal ingot. Both are approx 12 x 24".




























Started the bank but ran into problems. More on that after (or if) I conquer them.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

Wow those turned out well . Gotta love the detail


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## Herb Stoops (Aug 28, 2012)

Good job, John, your getting good with that CNC.
Herb


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

Good job, John.
Rick could use one of these -->


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

I think Rick needs more than 1 Tuit!!!


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## difalkner (Jan 3, 2012)

Those are cool, John! How long did it take to carve those?

David


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

difalkner said:


> Those are cool, John! How long did it take to carve those?
> 
> David


It's an all day affair. I had Aspire set at "very high" detail so it takes a while longer. The wood one had to have a roughing cut first so it took longer. The nice thing about Corafoam is that it takes just one pass and it's done. No chipping, knots, tearout, and minimal sanding (usually none). And no grain, but it paints great.

But each one was basically a morning til suppertime cut. Not fast by any means.


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## 4DThinker (Feb 16, 2014)

Seems to me it would be more valuable time if you cut silver dollars rather than nickels. 

Beautiful work nonetheless. 4D


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Send me the file 4D.

It shows I'm not in this for the money! lol


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

MT Stringer said:


> Good job, John.
> Rick could use one of these -->


My mom and dad use to sell Round Tuits in their shop many years ago and they were always a big hit. 

This is one thing I have thought about making but I guess it will have to wait until I get a Round Tuit. :surprise::grin:


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## 4DThinker (Feb 16, 2014)

honesttjohn said:


> Send me the file 4D.
> 
> It shows I'm not in this for the money! lol


If I only had one to scan. My original CNC Shark Pro has a scan probe that can be used to map a 3D surface. Rarely used it, but when I did scanning coins was one of the things I played with. For some reason I never got worthwhile results trying to scan paper money. :grin:


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

4DThinker said:


> If I only had one to scan. My original CNC Shark Pro has a scan probe that can be used to map a 3D surface. Rarely used it, but when I did scanning coins was one of the things I played with. For some reason I never got worthwhile results trying to scan paper money. :grin:


That's what the fit vector tool in Aspire is for ... fit vectors and make wooden money. A lot of cleanup, shape creation and sculpting but it could be done.


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

4D,

I'll send you a silver dollar if you can make the file. But I want it back, since you'll have a copy of the file.


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## old55 (Aug 11, 2013)

Nicely done John.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

4DThinker said:


> If I only had one to scan. My original CNC Shark Pro has a scan probe that can be used to map a 3D surface. Rarely used it, but when I did scanning coins was one of the things I played with. For some reason I never got worthwhile results trying to scan paper money. :grin:


I've seen those in action and find it interesting that they can get much detail from a small object . 
Would those 3D laser scanners be better yet for resolution and detail?


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Scottart had some info on a 3d scanner last year that he was insterested. Wonder if he ever followed up on it or can give us info where to find it.
And..........most importantly, does it work?


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## 4DThinker (Feb 16, 2014)

You can set how fine of resolution you want the Shark probe to scan at. Basically it can move in steps as fine as the CNC itself can move in. So if the CNC can do .001 inch steps, then you can create a 3D point cloud that fine (and large) of a coin's face. In the same way 3D cutting on a CNC takes a long time, so does 3D scanning. There must be better 3D scanning technology out there that is faster. I know there is an app for smartphones that can build a 3D model from several photos you take around an object. Not sure if it would get much detail off a small coin though. 

4D


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

4DThinker said:


> You can set how fine of resolution you want the Shark probe to scan at. Basically it can move in steps as fine as the CNC itself can move in. So if the CNC can do .001 inch steps, then you can create a 3D point cloud that fine (and large) of a coin's face. In the same way 3D cutting on a CNC takes a long time, so does 3D scanning. There must be better 3D scanning technology out there that is faster. I know there is an app for smartphones that can build a 3D model from several photos you take around an object. Not sure if it would get much detail off a small coin though.
> 
> 4D


I have used 123d Catch, free to use from AutoDesk, to make 3d models. You take pictures of an object from many different angles and send the pictures to the cloud. You get back a 3d model. There is some cleanup that is needed sometimes but they provide free programs to do that too. You can get a really good model if you take enough pictures. I have had a couple comeback that did not need any repair but if they need repair it is not too bad. The better the pictures the better the model you get.


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Started the bank again. Cut the first Indian and buffalo out (all day job) only to have the lip of the coin tear out because I used the 1/4 end mill called for in the plan. I cut them again and profiled with a 1/8" straight end mill and it worked. Cut the spacers and stand from another piece and ready to finish sand and paint.

Stand is cut from 2 pieces (holes lined them up perfect) glued together.









Put spacers in. Filled and started sanding.









How it'll look before finishing

















Used a piece of 1 x 12 x 48 BB panel for everything. Measures over 10" across.


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Looks good so far John.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

That's really neat John , nice work


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

*Buffalo Bank*

Ain't perfect, nothing I do ever is, but will send this off to the grandson. Measures 11 inches high by just over 10 inches wide. Will only make these for gifts and special occasions, cause I'd never sell them for what I'd have to get for them without setting up a production system.


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## 4DThinker (Feb 16, 2014)

Very nice, John.

As a gift for kids it makes me think about doing their face from a photo in 3D on one side of the bank. Dress it up so it still looks like an official coin.

4D


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Good idea, 4D.


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

That turned out great John. Looking at the carvings they look like cast metal.


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

I think this is what I was talking about


https://www.stemfinity.com/index.php?route=product/isearch&search=3d scanner

Anybody had any experience with any of these or have opinions?


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## Scottart (Jan 8, 2015)

honesttjohn said:


> Ain't perfect, nothing I do ever is, but will send this off to the grandson. Measures 11 inches high by just over 10 inches wide. Will only make these for gifts and special occasions, cause I'd never sell them for what I'd have to get for them without setting up a production system.


sweet, will you make me one? please. 

Nice paint job. is this the foam core one?


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Scottart said:


> sweet, will you make me one? please.
> 
> Nice paint job. is this the foam core one?


Scott,

If you were serious, I would.

Not the Corafoam - just painted BB panels that were on sale at Menards. All pieces cut from a single 1 x 12 x 48 piece. I was surprised at how well it took paint.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

John that's the coolest piggy bank ever . Love the outcome and really like 4D's idea with a facial scan of the kids face . That would certainly be a seller


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## Scottart (Jan 8, 2015)

honesttjohn said:


> Scott,
> 
> If you were serious, I would.
> 
> Not the Corafoam - just painted BB panels that were on sale at Menards. All pieces cut from a single 1 x 12 x 48 piece. I was surprised at how well it took paint.


Seriously. what is a BB panel? and i do like presents..


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Scottart said:


> Seriously. what is a BB panel? and i do like presents..


Baltic Birch glued up panel like the one polyed in the thread starter. Got 40 of em for $8 a piece on a closeout - 5/8 actual x 11.5 x 48


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## UglySign (Nov 17, 2015)

Hey those are neat...

How about making a giant one but starting w/ Penny, Nickel, Dime & Quarter together?

Is that 15lb foam?


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Ronnie,

That's 15# Corafoam painted silver in the opening post. The bank is painted 5/8" Baltic Birch glued up scrap to make a panel. It really really painted well. 

The rest of the coins would be nice if I could talk somebody in to making the files. Hint hint MEBCWD!!!!


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## edison auto (Nov 13, 2015)

Nice job. Ready to get my machine back up and running new house is done


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Bout time, Mark.

You know your bits will get rusty if not used regularly.


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## cjskelton (Feb 27, 2015)

Great job, HJ! It looks fantastic! I gave away the last one I made so I'm going to make one to keep out of those same baltic birch panels you used. They seem to cut very nice. I'm going to try cutting against the grain this time to see if I get less fuzzies. I contacted Michael Tyler, the designer of the nickel bank and he said he is working on a similar bank with an Indian Head penny design. Hope it's another free project!


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

I hardly got any fuzzies. But for the finished cut I used the conventional round and round instead of the raster setting.


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

Grandson got it in one piece -- also sent a baggie of $$ with it.


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

That really turned out well . Great pic John, it actually put it into perspective as to how cool it is .
Sure like the paint you used


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## MT Stringer (Aug 15, 2012)

Yep. What Rick said.


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## jschimelfenig (Apr 5, 2017)

cjskelton said:


> Great job, HJ! It looks fantastic! I gave away the last one I made so I'm going to make one to keep out of those same baltic birch panels you used. They seem to cut very nice. I'm going to try cutting against the grain this time to see if I get less fuzzies. I contacted Michael Tyler, the designer of the nickel bank and he said he is working on a similar bank with an Indian Head penny design. Hope it's another free project!


Can anyone out there get me the .stl file of the Indian head nickel? I have a project that I would like to use it on.


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## jschimelfenig (Apr 5, 2017)

Can anyone out there send me an stl or sldprt file of the buffalo nickel. I have a project that I would like to use it in, but don't have access to the solid model file.


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

jschimelfenig said:


> Can anyone out there send me an stl or sldprt file of the buffalo nickel. I have a project that I would like to use it in, but don't have access to the solid model file.


Welcome to the Router Forums.

Can you fill out some of your profile so we know a little about you like your name and maybe what machines you have like CNC and what software you are using, it helps when we try to help answer questions or try to help in other ways. Where are you located?


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## Scottart (Jan 8, 2015)

Great... still the most commented on piece in my collection.... I need to make one..


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## MEBCWD (Jan 14, 2012)

Scottart said:


> Great... still the most commented on piece in my collection.... I need to make one..


You always do things in a big way so how BIG will you make this one?:nerd:


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## RainMan 2.0 (May 6, 2014)

This thread just got resurrected , and I forgot just how cool those turned out John . Gotta say the detail is first rate


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## honesttjohn (Feb 17, 2015)

MEBCWD said:


> You always do things in a big way so how BIG will you make this one?:nerd:


Mike, bet he goes the size of a quarter, at least.

Actually, the bigger it is, the larger size ball nose you could use, and probably reduce the cut time.

The wheels are turning again, and the glue bottle is full.


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