For this assignment, the noun I went with was ferret. I downloaded the initial file from the noun project and cleaned it up using Adobe Illustrator. This included removing the tag to leave just the outline and including an offset outline (courtesy of Dr. Wettergreen) to carve out using the X-Carvey. Initially, the plan was to cut and carve using the 1/16 in upcut bit. However, issues arose when the bit was unable to cut completely through because the bit was shorter than the thickness of the wood. The image below shows how deep the X-Carvey was able to cut.

Initially, I thought the issue was due to a random malfunction so I attempted again just to get the same result. You can see the failure occurs around the base of the tail as that’s the point where the g-code tells the X-Carvey to go deeper, so the point where the bit has used up all of its teeth starts there. At that point, the bit will use its wider portion with no threading to attempt and make a cut.

 

Thus, if I wanted to cut out the outline, I would have to use the longer 1/8 in bits available at the OEDK. Since I had to use two different bits I had to carve out the carved sketch with the 1/16 in bit then change out the bit for the 1/8 in bit for the cut-out without removing the wood piece. The images below show this process with the Easel file for the sketch on the left and the cut-out on the right.

All that was left was to clamp down the piece and get to carving.

This method worked as I was able to cut out the piece while using a 1/16 in bit to carve out the sketch. The only issue was I used a 1/16 in upcut for my first piece which wasn’t good at making detailed carves. It would leave a lot of uncut wood on the top layer and would tear up the fine details such as the ferret’s back left foot.

On my next cut, I used 1/16 in downcut which was way better than the upcut as the carving was clean, and was able to get the small details in the original file onto the wood.

   Total Cost:

• Labor Cost: (10 min of carving for the failed pieces) x 2 + (24 minutes of carving for the final pieces) x 2 + (2 minutes of cleaning) x 4 + (10 min of setting up the Easel file and clamping down the wood pieces) x 4 + (10 minutes of switching out bit pieces) x 2 = 2 hr and 16 minutes
• Material Cost: ((5.5 in x 4.8 in) x 0.0134$/in^2*) x 4 = 1.44$ 

* The cost was calcuated for a 3/4 in thick birch plywood plank (the wood used was also 3/4 in thick)