First sign using Aspire V2

[tmerrill]

Just got permission to post this.

Not my design, had to take measurements from a smaller sign and input into Aspire. Then cut the final sign out at 36" in diameter. Photos show sign in progress and final product.

Two new Aspire features helped make this easier. First, I used the Auto-Inlay feature for the central part of the sign. This inlay was approx. 12" x 15" and I decided to use an inlay because it sits proud of the surface and is painted a different color. The second feature was two tool pocketing. I used this for the text and inner and outer "tick" marks. This feature alone probably saved me 1-2 hours of machine time.

Goes without saying that painting it was the most tedious part of the job. But in the end it came out great and the customer was very happy.

Tim




1950


1951

[benchmench]

Good to see how the new features are being used in real applications! How did you accomplish the tic-marks? Thanks for posting!

[tmerrill]

Hi Dan,

For the outer tic-marks I created a rectangle with correct height and width, then moved two nodes in node-editing to skew it. The inner tic-marks are simply a rectangle.

After creating one of each, I used the Array Copy command to create a circular array with the same number of tic-marks as the sample.

Hope this makes sense.

Tim

[khalid]

The sign came out really great.. I have some illusion effects in the Font you did on Tree... Is that some writing or the part of design??

The inlay function and the Nesting is great addition in Vectric Product..

[tmerrill]

Khalid,

There is no writing on the trees. I had to reduce that picture so much in size and resolution, it is simply a poor photo. The inlay was made of 1/2" thick baltic birch plywood.

Tim

[benchmench]

Tim,

Thanks for the info on the tic-marks. Your method opens up the possibility of turning anything into a circular border. I'm "aspired", oops, I mean "inspired".

[tmerrill]

Dan,

I've used the array copy/circular array feature before to do exactly that. Good example would be tic-marks for a clock face.

What I want to do now is use the array copy feature to layout a design, but then use the new auto-inlay feature to install inlays instead of just doing a v-carve mark.

Tim

[gerryv]

I'm wondering if that feature could be used to do a repeating series? For example; diamond, club, heart, spade, diamond, club, heart, spade...

[mikeacg]

Absolutely Gerald! Any vectors you have selected will work as an array. If you are going to do a circle, place the diamond, club, heart, and spade along the curve and then select all 4. Go to Array and pick the number of times you want to copy them. If it comes out wrong, just Undo and try a different number of copies. It won't adjust the spacing between the 4 vectors so you may have to do a little adjusting to get what you want.