2013 is here already and sees me making a few minimum engagement range signs for a
local airsoft field. Minimum engagement distances always seem to be a source of friction. With these signs set up on the firing range, noobs and vets alike can familiarise themselves with what those distances look like in reality, rather than being purely abstract.
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| Cutting the full auto sign on the CNC router. |
The signs are fairly close to the maximum size that I can cut in a single piece on my CNC router. They measure 400x400mm, that's approximately 16 inches square in old money. You can see my control computer in the top left of this photo.
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| Some burning of the lettering due to a blunt (cheap) endmill. |
I used a V profile endmill that came with a cheap 800w router that I bought from a DIY superstore. Even though it was brand new and factory sharp, you can see that by the green sign it was already beginning to burn the plywood. They will be outdoors all year around so the charring will weather off, so i am not so concerned with it.
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| A few more, including mustering instructions for the red and blue teams. |
For the last few signs I switched to a better quality ball endmill that I bought in Ace hardware. Note the cleaner cut.
These minimum engagement distances are for airsoft weapons powered between 328 and 350fps. This is the most common power band on the site.
