Devon,
Bite the bullit :). CNC router is THE way to go. It will definitely do your engraving. I used .015 diameter engraving cutters in a Haas V4 vertical mill to engrave lettering and logos into 45RC die steel (when I was in the die sinking trade-another life). Much more versatile machine than the laser. (IMHO)
I donât agree. Right now they are at the perfect height. I kept the lower âboxesâ and they ride just above the rails. Any lower and I would have to remove them entirely.
Besides, I run them behind the FA/FB and before the modification they matched the heights perfectly. Now they sit a bit lower than the FA/FB, which is still fine.
And, I do have the Kadees in as close as they will go using shortened truck mounts.
Also, I gave them the ability to rock on their bolsters and this took care of the inherent derailment problems.
Stock:
Revised:
Yeah Gary I think after having this discussion the CNC router is the way to go when I factor in not only the modeling aspect but use in my wood working and other hobbies and with the ability to add a laser to it really would be much more versatile than buying a laser and not being able to do the other stuff.
The one Dan steered me too is within the doable realm of not getting into to serious trouble with the wife.
Acrylic and Plexiglas are equivalentâŚ
No.
I made this mistake once buying plexiglas thinking it was acrylic. The material is so much harder to cut and the Epilog couldnât even get all the way through a 1/4" piece making a real mess along the edge that never did penetrate all the way through.
If one wants to invest in a CNC machine, I bought ShopTask TriPower years ago, but it seems that running the machine causes more problems than it fixes. These were made in 2006-2007 and run manual, power feed, or CNC if fully optioned, as mine is. Donât forget to get a good DRO with/for it.
Not mine in the video, but similar. Mine looks to be in much better shape.
In machining, heavier is better for stability. These weigh in at 1,400 pounds.
Like the trains, even these are âtoysâ subject to high maintenance if you expect proper operation.
https://www.chicagolathe.com/content/12-history-of-3-in-1-machine
There are two kinds of acrylic sheet (cell cast or extruded), both of which can be lasered. Plexiglass / Plexiglas is the more expensive of them (cell cast acrylic sheet) . There may be slight differences, but not much from what Iâve read.
You may be confusing it with Lexan / polycarbonate, which does not do well with lasering (though it looks just like plex).
Must have been polycarbonate billed as plexiglass.
Todd,
âItâs all goodâ and honestly I donât care either way, just being a typical ROOSTER . However you can go tighter and lower even swapping out with Ro trucks but this is a Laser Engraving /cutter question and I will stay on topic (if I can).
The slab table is gorgeous !
Thanks! I made it from 2 16â sections of live edge that was part of a bar in a country western club that closed. Itâs 9.5â long x 45" wide by 3" thick. I used one of the cutoffs for our fireplace mantel. Craigslist find $100.
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Dang , Dan!!! Robbery without using a gun to get that slab for $100, what and awesome find!!! Iâm sure when you saw it you HAD to buy it even if you didnât have a plan for it!!!
Thanks for this lead. He was generous enough to respond though he said the lasering was actually outsourced to a guy he knows and really was not âupâ on it. But he referred me back to Cliffâs advice. But anyway I just wanted to say thank you and that he was kind and responded promptly
Well, Iâm really surprised. I thought he cut it all himself. I guess Iâm not nearly as knowledgeable as I thought. 
He said he does the design/CAD work and then he got hooked up with a guy before he started the company that was able to do the lasering. Did it professionally and now is retired but he still outsources to him. It is kinda funny because he told me that the guy is secretive about his methods even to Alan.