How to learn and What software?

[rww]

I have a customer that wants us to carve some picture frames. They are not stuck on a certain carving but would like some type of floral design. Here is a picture of a frame that is the idea of what we are talking about. I don't think we will end up with this much detail but they would like a carving in the corners and some along the molding.

I am just getting started with some 3D carvings and don't know where to start or what software I should be looking at.

I can either run a molding to carve or start with a square frame and let the Shopbot do all the cutting.

I would love to hear any suggestions from someone with some experience.
Thanks for your time!

[myxpykalix]

Jason,
If you look at the pattern on the frame you show you will see that it is essentially one or two elements that is just repeated around the frame.
I can't speak to what program you should use, there are a few out there. I use Lightwave and per job on Artcam. I have been using Lightwave since 1990 so it some cases its easier for me.

What program did you get with your shopbot?

I have done a few frames both as a repeatable pattern that has a design that was interrupted in order to make a 90 corner and then others that continued the design around, and that, depending on the design can be trickier if you are going to be cutting it.

On another subject I want to know more about the painting in the picture. That looks like a painting by E.H. Kiefer and i have been researching with not a lot of success about the artist. I have an original Kiefer on canvas and would like to either talk to you or the owner of the painting for more info. My email is myxpykalix@hotmail.com so maybe i can give you some other tips also on creating some 3D.

[tmerrill]

Jason,

I would highly recommend Vectric's Aspire. It is very capable of doing a project like this and with one program you can design, toolpath, preview, and create the cut files for your ShopBot.

You can read about it and download a free demo version here that allows you to design anything you want and preview it, but limits actual cut files to the supplied sample files.

http://www.vectric.com/WebSite/Vectric/aspire/aspire_index.html

The Vectric forum is another great forum where there are many willing to answer questions and provide help.

If your machine came with Partworks, you already know Aspire with the exception of the 3D modeling tools and there are many excellent video tutorials that come with it that will make learning these easy and fun.

Tim

[ken_rychlik]

One question you may need to ask is how many hours it is going to take to run each of these on your machine. I have run some 3d files with a lot of detail that are 10 hours and more on the machine. They are fun to do, but not money makers for me.

Kenneth