The mill has opened new vistas

Testimonials from 3dwaxmill users.

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Winstone
Posts: 690
Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2004 3:09 pm
Location: Dallas,Texas

The mill has opened new vistas

Post by Winstone » Fri Mar 05, 2004 4:33 pm

I do a lot of work for people who want family shields etc. Most of the time we wait, wait, wait for those prima donnas in New York and Germany to make waxes or carve stones. Now with the mill I can make a design and
have a presentation within days instead of months.
We also are using the mill for items that are not coverned in the literature.
Making copies of fine coin designs, studying the bas relief of coin design as opposed to miniature sculpture is a real challenge.
For years we made many of the Mardi Gras coins thrown to the crowds. We have a Gordon, and a Preiss 3d milling machine with pantograph to cut steel dies which we use on our 40 ton stamping presses to create hundreds of coins. The Roland mill allows us to make specialty coins for the Kewees or Clubs and cast them in both colored golds or platinum.
We have milling machines like those used by the US Mint for our coins.
They are expensive. The Roland costs a fraction of the cost of the Preiss or the Gordon.
The advent of the Roland MDX-15 and the software that will produce designs is a real eye opener. I hope to explore its vistas. The thing that impressed me about this machine was its construction and compact scale.
Our other mills are floor units that weigh almost a ton each. Yet, the Roland comes with an excellent reputation from professional machinists,
their repair time and down time is minimal, and the best test is no one who has one wants to sell their units. We got a reconditioned unit, Jeff went out of his way to get us data and even made a tutorial CD. We got the name of the program CAM Studio and are making short how toos for members of the forum. also, we archive all of the files in Alchemy Gold database.
We have been milling custom items for over 30 years the hard way.
One at a time. some of our work is at the Vatican and others owned by Royals in Europe. We have also done custom work for the White House.
I plan to take some of the earlier projects that I have made and scan them into files with the Scan part of the MDX-15.
I am most impressed with this tight little unit. It does far more than I expected. We record the DXF files on DVD disks. Our fear was that all of the sterling machs that we have accumulated over the years could be stolen or worse damaged. If we could digitalize them, then we can preserve our copyrighted items in a more efficient manner. Also we can provide copies to our patrons that are as fine as those which were delivered years ago.
Later, as I get better at this website forum, I will put some of my work
pictures on the forum for you guys to see.
I am formally trained with a BFA from UT Austin, Texas in 1965. I am an old man, but my work is in great demand. The Roland MDX-15 could be an answer to a prayer. It can recarve intricate designs, each as good as the original. I do go back and chase the metals after they are cast. Often we use fine gemstones as part of the design.
Alan Winston Smith ....... Winstone
GG, ISA, [appraiser on Antiques Roadshow 2001, Austin, Texas] also
contributor to FTC 16 CFR 23 "Guidelines for the Jewelry Industry."

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jeff dunnington
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Post by jeff dunnington » Sat Mar 06, 2004 12:52 pm

Winstone First I would like to welcome you and I really look forward to your future post and to see how you apply your knowledge and experience to the 3dwaxmill MDX-15. I have already enjoyed what you have posted. Hope some day I will get the chance again to visit with you in person and see you Studio.

Thank you for your participation in the Forum.

Thanks

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