by Lotus14 » Mon Mar 19, 2007 5:41 pm
Go to McMaster-Carr. You can order thru the net, and they have very fast delivery. Solid blocks of plastic will not be cheap though.
As far as wood, if you use a fine grain hardwood, it will machine fine.
For years mahogany was the material of choice for making patterns, and I used to machine it on a mill; in fact it gives a very clean sharp surface.
Other woods like maple, ash, bass, clear pine, and various tropical hardwoods will cut very clean. Remember, using a shaper or lathe is high speed cutting of wood. You just need to find the speeds needed.
Hope this helps
Go to McMaster-Carr. You can order thru the net, and they have very fast delivery. Solid blocks of plastic will not be cheap though.
As far as wood, if you use a fine grain hardwood, it will machine fine.
For years mahogany was the material of choice for making patterns, and I used to machine it on a mill; in fact it gives a very clean sharp surface.
Other woods like maple, ash, bass, clear pine, and various tropical hardwoods will cut very clean. Remember, using a shaper or lathe is high speed cutting of wood. You just need to find the speeds needed.
Hope this helps