118Phone: 516-328-3970www.technocnc.comCNC ArticlesA Colorado signmaker has increased the breadth of its product line and boosted its revenues through the use of a new router that provides the accuracy associated with high-end machines at a much lower price. LCI Signs and Ironworks has long been in the business of producing metal silhouette signs for gates and entryways as well as decorative furniture. Owner Dave Wortman began adding wood accents to increase the appeal of these signs but was limited by the long amount of time it took to route the accents by hand and the fact that he was limited to working in 2D. Wortman was interested in purchasing a CNC router to expand that aspect of his business but the machines he was aware of were either too expensive or Inexpensive But Accurate CNC Router Aids Signmaker’s Expansionspecial refl ective materials, the signs make it easy for friends, families and neighbors to find the home, not to mention emergency personnel when every second counts. LCI ornamental signs are constructed from recycled steel and fi nished in a very durable powder coat. The company offers a wide range of standard decorative images including wildlife, horses, pets, recreational activities and decorative images. The lettering background is easy to read because it is made from the same material that some highway and street signs use. The company attracts new customers by displaying at crafts shows, their showroom and through its Internet site at www.lcisigns.com. Its general store features items ranging from a switch cover fi nished with copper patina at $18.00 to a rustic log framed mirror with metal art for $225.00. LCI also produces custom pieces such as machined parts, artist’s silhouettes and sign brackets, and just about anything else that’s made from metal, wood or plastic.Limitations of working in metal alone“Our metal silhouette signs have proven extremely popular but working in metal alone has inherent limitations,” Wortman said. “I wanted to expand our capabilities by being able to incorporate wood into metal signs. I began using a hand router and had no difficulty in cutting out letters and very simple designs. But I was limited by the fact that all I could produce with power tools were very simple 2D patterns; and a long time was required to produce even the simplest designs. The Techno router makes it possible to produce 2D and 3D images faster and with more accuracy.not accurate enough. “Then I heard about Techno’s new LC router which is fully servo-driven and includes ball screws and antibacklash ball nuts on all three axes for highly accurate motion control,” Wortman said. “I haven’t seen any other machines in their price range with these features. This machine has dramatically expanded my capabilities by making it possible to produce beautiful 3D images as well as very accurate 2D designs in very little time. In the first four months, it has already generated about $4,000 of additional revenue, so it should easily pay for itself in the fi rst year.”LCI specializes in producing personalized signs to identify homes, businesses and communities. With
