Printmaking Using Single-Line Milling
Last week we hosted a group of artists at Bantam Tools HQ. Matt, Alex, Jonathan, and Lars plotted a number of prints while they were here. A plotter is a machine that creates vector graphic drawings by drawing lines onto sheets of paper using pens, markers, and more. In some cases you can even install a knife to cut vinyl or leather. In addition to artwork, plotters have been used to produce precise technical drawings quickly.
After plotting several pieces, the group wanted to take things a step further and machine stamps using the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machine. They created and formatted their SVG designs and members of the Bantam Tools team gave them a crash course in how to set up their job in the Bantam Tools Milling Machine Software and on the machine. Even with no prior CNC machining experience, the SVG support made it possible for everyone to machine their designs.
In addition to the Bantam Tools Desktop CNC Milling Machine and our software, here’s a list of materials and tools Matt, Alex, Jonathan, and Lars used:
Flat end mill, 1/8”
Metal engraving bit, 80º, 1/8”
Ball end mill, 1/8”
Paint
Print rollers
Moving from plotting to printmaking required the group to find the right balance of details. More details meant more toolpaths and if there were too many passes, this would impact the look of the print. As a result, they utilized the single-line milling feature in our SVG support. This advanced SVG support feature allows you to bypass the width of the strokes in your SVG design and instead generate the width of the strokes based on the tooling you select in the Bantam Tools software’s Initial Setup tab.
Note: See our Classic & Advanced SVG Support guide for more info about creating designs and working with the Bantam Tools software’s built-in SVG support.
The results? Absolutely beautiful!
Follow Along
You can find Matt, Alex, Jonathan, and Lars on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook!
At Bantam Tools, we build desktop CNC machines with professional reliability and precision to support world changers and skill builders. For the latest Bantam Tools news, sign up for our newsletter. If you’re interested in adding a Bantam Tools machine to your workflow you can order directly from our online store or request a quote.