Hi Gray, You can V-Carve slate with a standard V-Bit but there are a few proviso’s… 1) The insert must be real Tungsten Carbide, not the HSS some of the Chinese manufacturer’s use and call ‘Carbide’. 2) You need an extremely ‘rigid’ machine (if you look at a few of the examples, shown on the YourSigns website, you can see occasional ‘chatter marks’ where resonance has occurred during some of the full-depth cuts). 3) Heat is generated so, as a minimum, ‘spray-mist’ coolant is required. 4) The machining dust produced is very abrasive, as far as the machine components are concerned and not so good for our lungs either, so an adequate dust extraction system is essential. 5) The V-Bit should be retired after the job is completed so it’s cost has to be included in the individual job pricing. Tweakie.
Once again. Many thanks Tweakie. Tell me. Do you have to give lot of thought about these obscure things, or do you just know it as a matter of course? And you are so thorough. I'm so impressed!! Cheers Gray
Hi Gray, I have actually done it (slate, marble etc,) so speak from (albeit limited) experience. Tweakie.
Do you know what? I guessed you had! I guess if you've got the right set up, there might be money in it. What you might be able to help me with, again, is, inlaying signs with paint or resin, after a v-carve in wood. I know in some cases it's easy, just by painting it and sanding it back, but I'm wondering about surfaces that won't tolerate sanding, or working with a couple of colours. I've seen it somewhere on YouTube, using a special resin filler in many colours, which is poured into the cut. . Does it ring a bell? Right, off to do a bit of killing on Battlefield 4. Gray
Hi Gray, This is a very involved subject with different solutions for different materials. Basically, V-Carved wood should be coated in a suitable sealer prior to applying any paint infill - this stops the 'paint bleed' along the grain around the edges of the V-Carving but masking (prior to V-Carving) of the top surface of the work may also be necessary in some cases. As said, it is a vast subject and there is not a simple answer which fits every situation. Tweakie.
