Introduction: Rustic Tennessee Sign
Here is how I made a Rustic Tennessee Shaped sign. I loved the shape of my Home state of Tennessee, and I wanted to make a Rustic sign in that shape, this is what I came up with.
You will need the following:
CNC Router- I used the X-Carve CNC
Cad/Cam program- I used Vectric Aspire
Picture of your state
90* V-Bit
1/4" Endmill Bit
Wood- I use a piece of White Pine 24" long x 8" wide x 3/4" thick
File
Stain- I used Minwax Dark Walnut
Brush and clean rags or paper towels
Step 1: Design
I first search the Internet and found a picture of Tennessee shaped that I liked, it also had the word Tennessee in it. Imported the picture in Vectric Aspire and traced the image. Now I that I have some vectors to work with, I edited the vectors to my liking. Added some vectors to make the sign look and feel aged.
Once that I was happy with the vectors, I switched to the Toolpath side.
Step 2: Preview
Added Toolpaths using the 90* V-Bit and 1/4" Endmill bit. Done a preview of the carving, to see what it would look like. After you are happy with the preview, export the toolpaths.
Step 3: Stain
Now I took the White Pine board and stained it with Minwax Dark Walnut stain, Let the stain dry overnight, and brush a coat of Clear Lacquer, before carving.
Step 4: Carve
Clamped the board in the CNC and begin carving, first using the 90* V-Bit, then the 1/4" Endmill bit.
Step 5: Cleanup
After taking the sign out of the CNC, I clean off the edges with a Coarse file.
Step 6: Finish
Then blow off the sign and sprayed a couple coats of Clear Matte finish. Let this dry overnight, or at least a couple of hours.
Step 7: Enjoy
Now either hang up the sign, from the fake bullet holes, or add hanging hardware. Look how the sign, has rough edges, that gives it a aged looked.
Thanks for checking out my Instructable.