Best place to get small CNC Projects done?

[danceswithwindows]

Hello all,

I'm a novice woodworker, working on a project to give as gift to my family overseas when I finally get to visit them this spring! I'm making a set of 5 coasters. They are made from hickory. They are 4.25" square. I am looking for some help finding a company (or an individual) that I could hire to do some lettering for me with a CNC machine on the 5 coasters. I am looking for just one letter per coaster, about 3.25 inches tall. The letters stand for the first initial of the folks who I will be giving the coasters to. Haven't settled on a typeface yet, but something pretty simple.

The coasters are about 10mm thick, so looking to have the CNC machine remove about 5mm of material. I will then fill the routed out letters with an epoxy and brass flake mix, then sand and finish.

Hoping you folks could help me with suggestions. I am in Raleigh.

Thanks for any help you can provide!

 

[kserdar]

I have done many different type of coasters. Corian, acrylic, wood
As long as you know what Font. I think I can help.

 

[danceswithwindows]

Thanks for responding Ken,

The font I'm looking for is "Cooper Black". I think I'd like to scale back the size of the lettering to 3 inches max. Attached might help show what Id like to do. One of the coasters has a second, subscript "Q" beside it.

That make sense? If you are still up for helping, let me know if I can send them to you, or drop them off if you are local and prefer that. Also, let me know what I owe you.

Thanks again!

Sean

 

[kserdar]

The single letters are easy. The Eq needs some work.
Draw a 4.25" box around the Eq and you should be able to see the issue.

I had to size the "Q" down to 0.8" height - Looks very busy compared to E.

Since you are filling with Epoxy- Would you care if it was lasered instead?
I would need a small sample piece to get the burn depth.
Personally, I think 5mm is to deep.

 

[jimb97239]

shopbot (used to) have a "100k garages" site where you could connect to people with various tools like CNC routers or lasers and hire time or project work.
I tried checking it just now and it seems to be directing to the domain hosting service instead of the actual site, so I don't know if it's defunct or if they're just temporarily having problems.

https://www.shopbottools.com/community/
look for the '100k garages' link

 

[danceswithwindows]

The single letters are easy. The Eq needs some work.
Draw a 4.25" box around the Eq and you should be able to see the issue.
View attachment 208014

I had to size the "Q" down to 0.8" height - Looks very busy compared to E.

View attachment 208015

Since you are filling with Epoxy- Would you care if it was lasered instead?
I would need a small sample piece to get the burn depth.
Personally, I think 5mm is to deep.

Thanks for the feedback and work you did scaling everything out! Here is what I think:


1. I feel like letters are a little too big, maybe reduce to 2.75 inch.
2. Yea, maybe the small Q is a bad idea. I just want something to make the two “E” coasters be slightly different from each other. Given one of the “E” coasters is for the lady of the house, could you put a small heart in one of the corners of the coaster maybe? Open to other thoughts given your experience.

3. Will send a small piece for burn depth, no problem.

4. I’m ok with laser, so long as I end up with with the lettering recessed so I can fill with epoxy, and the surrounding surface is not blackened from over burn etc - not sure if that ever is a problem, just thinking out loud.

5. I’m open to reducing the thickness if you feel that’s best. Just not less then 3mm, so I have some meat incase I need to do any surface sanding when I’m getting things prepped before finishing.

 

[kserdar]

2. Yea, maybe the small Q is a bad idea. I just want something to make the two “E” coasters be slightly different from each other. Given one of the “E” coasters is for the lady of the house, could you put a small heart in one of the corners of the coaster maybe? Open to other thoughts given your experience.
> Maybe a more feminine Font - Calligraphy or Script. I don't know these people or you for that matter. If you want a Heart or "Q" that is what I will burn.

4. I’m ok with laser, so long as I end up with with the lettering recessed so I can fill with epoxy, and the surrounding surface is not blackened from over burn etc - not sure if that ever is a problem, just thinking out loud.
> With multiple passes. I could burn all the way thru; thus the small sample piece. Blue painters tape will keep the over burn off your surface. I can leave it on to protect when you pour epoxy.

5. I’m open to reducing the thickness if you feel that’s best. Just not less then 3mm, so I have some meat incase I need to do any surface sanding when I’m getting things prepped before finishing.
> Because wood is not the same density throughout. The bottom will be not be smooth.

> You might want to use the sample piece to test your epoxy for bleed out. Hickory is a hardwood and shouldn't bleed, but I have never done anything with it.

>I will PM you with my address.