Update

For a detailed exploration of the potential applications of CNC milling to (my) origami, please visit my page on the possibility of Large-Scale Origami Manufacture.

Additionally, please note that many of the designs shown on this page, as well as many others can now be viewed and rotated in full 3D via my STL rendering applets on my Java Page.

CNC Milling Machine

A major advent in my hobbyist engineering career is my homemade CNC machine . The machine, initially started to allow rapid-prototyping of little gadgets and trinkets I think up in my daydreams (I have always been imagining things, but Ii have never been able to develop my ideas into tangible things).

The first project, of course, was a simple "Hello World," engraved in 1/4" MDF. using a small routing bit, the carving goes to a depth of 1/8". The edges of the carving are a bit rough, and led me to some experimentation with the drill and jog speeds.
The machine carves foam (usually polystyrene) much more effeciently than wood, so most of my other projects are (begun at least) in foam.

For my next test of the machine, I designed a little block with both square edges and round curves. The image to the right is a rendering of the drill path (g-code), and the images below show the finished product, carved from 3/4" polystyrene.

A slightly longer and more ambitious project I have been working on is the nosecone for a rocket a few friends and I were designing for the Team America Rocketry Challenge. On a side note, the rocket must sucessfully carry two eggs to a height of 750 ft with a 45 sec. flight time. We are making the nosecone out of 1" insulation foam. I produced the cone in two halves, each composed of 2 sheets of carved foam. Due to depth limitations, each half of the cone requires two ~3 hour milling sessions; one to half-depth and one to max depth.

I have yet to reach the limit of my machine's capability, and I imagine many more exciting things will come. Pictured to the left is a key chain, carved from some scraps of plastic vacuum packaging. The edges are a little rough, but I am still working out the kinks.