Miles Per Second.

I arrived home late last night, along with a good friend named John.  He agreed to accompany me on a trip to upper Michigan (They call it the U.P.).  We were there to pick up a 4' x 8' Shopbot CNC.  To be completely honest, I'm not sure it's fair to call it a Shopbot.  The owner is an amazing craftsman named James Lohmann.  He produces extraordinary architectural millwork and other wood-related wonders.  He showed us musical instruments, art gallery quality furniture and more.  He has a shop full of delightful machinery- much of it industrial and saved from scrap.  He has machined new parts, improved designs and generally proved that newer isn't always better.  Here are some pieces he created on the machine:

While the machine we picked up started as a Shopbot, Jim has turned it into something much more.  He replaced the x,y and z rails with hardened steel, reinforced the Y carriage and added additional motors to carry the two heads he was running.  The motor mounts are upgraded as well.  He put together a stellar vacuum system that is capable of holding parts less than an inch square.  In short (for those of you who might be lost in all this machinery jargon) he put this Shopbot on steroids.

His alterations brought an amazing level of accuracy to the machine and he wanted to show us what it could do.  We set up my computer, and Jim loaded a 3D model of a shell that he had created.  We put in a spoil board (to keep the table top from accidentally getting carved) and loaded up some Azek pvc.  The shell was carved in two passes. The first was designed to remove material quickly and then a finish pass to add the final details.

I watched transfixed while it quickly turned the material into a smooth shell.  The finish was amazing.  It was a pleasure to watch and began to heat up the engines that run my imagination.
Next, we loaded up a portion of a project I had created. It was a "steampunk" six sided dice.  Jim
wanted to show how small the machine could carve and keep detail.  We reduced the scale of the piece so that each square was about 2".  The final pass was done with a carving bit that was 1/32 of an inch in diameter.  He told us that he's done work with a bit that's 1/64 of an inch in diameter.  He showed us a bit, but I could only barely see the tip.  The piece carved quickly and I snapped a picture. The nickel is to show the scale.

The details were crisp, and the finish was amazing.  I spent a couple days taking notes and generally learning everything I could.  Jim was generous with knowledge and tips that will save much time.  It was time to disassemble the machine and load it.  It is heavy.  Let me say that again. It's HEAVY.  I think the Egyptians responsible for the pyramid construction would have been impressed with the methods used to get that machine into the truck.  The expensive Columbo spindles were wrapped with care and put in with all the accessories and it was time to depart.  9 hours later we were back where we had begun...in my driveway.  This morning I begin the process of unloading and assembling this addition to the arsenal of things I use to bring my ideas to life.  I'll be thinking about the time I got to spend with my friend John...and the amazing new friend I have in the U.P.  
     They measure how fast a cnc machine moves in "inches per minute".  I'm measuring how fast my imagination is moving in miles per second.