As I previewed last time, I’m doing some test projects to get back up to speed with my CNC machine, post-move. One of the projects is making a Dark Nights Metal logo from the Batman comics. It’s a pretty simple routing cut but, as always, things are bound to go wrong.
Stupid “A”…
The “A” lettering isn’t a continuous path like the rest of the letters and has a center piece that also needs to be cut out. I knew this going in but still proceeded anyway and let the machine cut the large outline “A” first before proceeding to the middle cut. Rookie mistake.
Well, it wouldn’t be bad if the depth was correct and the tabs to hold the lettering in place worked but I’d had issues in the past with the thickness of the piece varying and the squareness of my router being questionable, causing the machine to rout all the way through. This time, I pushed it a little deeper just in case. It would have totally worked but instead, the outside of the “A” broke loose and got caught in the router bit when it went to finish off the inside. That then started spinning on the router bit and burning into the next lettering. A quick emergency stop and removal of offending pieces and I was back up and running but the damage was done.
Reversing the order of the cuts (inside to outside, kids) and adjusting the depth of the cut did the job and the second attempt came out well. I had to clean it up a bit as you usually do with CNC cuts but it was pretty easy and I’m happy with the results.
But what the hell am I doing? This ain’t no games! Well, I do have a non-game project I’ve been thinking about for some time and this is the final piece before putting it all together.
A friend gave me a Shellback Rum case he received awhile backing, knowing I’d put it to good use. It turns out, the case is the perfect size to hold my collection of Dark Night Metal comics I obsessively collected over the last year or so.
A July 4th sale from Battlefoam got me a 4 inch deep set of pluck foam and after some trimming, it fits the comics and the case perfectly.
With the title plate cutout complete, I tested the final concept on a metal tin I planned on using for its diamond plate pattern. Unfortunately, the density of the design isn’t really helpful so I did some research and contacted a reflective decal company, Fire Safety Decals. After talking with the owner, I’ll be getting some decal sheets that will fit my lettering and have a tighter density than I can find in real diamond plate. It won’t be actual metal but will look better and be closer to the comic book logo.
Using the sample the owner provided, I mocked up what it will look like and I’m pretty pleased. I’ll know more when it arrives in the mail but in the meantime, time to paint up the case.
