Template Question

[matt_raymond60]

This is a really basic question but I am new to this program. I need to cut some templates to use in my Unique door machine in order to make some brow raised panel doors. I can buy them from Unique but we are talking around $1500 for the whole set. The templates need to be cut from 1/4 inch stock, they will be just under 30" long with the primary width 3 3/4" wide. When they are done the templates will be rectangles with either an arch 1 1/2" above the long edge or 1 1/2" below the long edge (of varying widths depending on the door size) so that my shaper will follow the appropriate path for cutting either the rail or panel. I have tried drawing a rectangle and using the arch tool to make the arch where I want it but that doesn't seem to work. I know that this should be really easy but it is the first time I have tried to do something with my Bot. Any suggestions?

[Brady Watson]

Can you post a pic of how the template should look?

-B

[gc3]

This is a really basic question but I am new to this program. I need to cut some templates to use in my Unique door machine in order to make some brow raised panel doors. I can buy them from Unique but we are talking around $1500 for the whole set. The templates need to be cut from 1/4 inch stock, they will be just under 30" long with the primary width 3 3/4" wide. When they are done the templates will be rectangles with either an arch 1 1/2" above the long edge or 1 1/2" below the long edge (of varying widths depending on the door size) so that my shaper will follow the appropriate path for cutting either the rail or panel. I have tried drawing a rectangle and using the arch tool to make the arch where I want it but that doesn't seem to work. I know that this should be really easy but it is the first time I have tried to do something with my Bot. Any suggestions?


Is this something similar you are looking for?

[matt_raymond60]

Yes, but there will be a straight section on either side of the arch. The template rack (for lack of a better term) is 29 7/8" long so that is what the overall length needs to be even just for an 8 inch door. I need to make several of them in one inch increments as we are doing a whole kitchen of brow doors in various sizes. I will try to get a picture of my exisitng template stack on here first thing when I get into the shop tomorrow. Thanks for the help! I have had my ShopBot since last summer and this is the first really useful task I have had for it. I know that I will find lots of uses for it once I can get it figured out.

[Gary Campbell]

Matt...

This is not the hardest problem around, but will require some careful thought.

The rectangle entry is straight forward, but an arc is more difficult to get the "perfect" look. Is the arc a true portion of a circle, a portion of an ellipse, or possibly parabolic?

As the door width changes, do the heights stay the same?

Does your follower bearing set take care of offsets or do you need to design these into the template?

I am not an ArtCam user, but if needed I can provide you with dxf vectors, templates or cutting files. email below

[rww]

I think this is what he is wanting. They will have the same rise just the radius will change to get the different widths.

[rww]

Here is a better picture of the male and female templates.

[matt_raymond60]

Jason, you posted a better picture than I have. That is exactly what I need and your description is right on. Have you made any of these?

Matt

[rww]

Yes. We have some local glass and plastic suppliers that sell scrap pieces of 1/4" acrylic or lexan. We have also used 1/4" MDF for some one time use templates. Contact me if you need any help.

[matt_raymond60]

Do you happen to remember how you went about drawing these to cut them out? I need to get this figured out in the next couple of days or I will need to farm these particular doors out. I only have ArtCam and the Part Wizard to use. But I do have Corel Draw also, maybe that is what I need to figure out.

I could probably make the templates by hand but I figure the mighty Bot can do it much better if I can just figure out how to tell it what to do.

Thanks!!

Matt

[rww]

I sent you a private message with my #. I think I can talk you through it.

[matt_raymond60]

Thank you for all of your help. I actually came up with a way to do it last night. maybe not the "correct" way but it worked. I drew a rectangle the size that it needed to be held in the machine to be then added some nodes where the arc needed to start and stop and then changed the segment between those nodes to an arc the height that I needed it to be. It appears to have worked so far! We will try making doors tomorrow with them for the acid test.

[rww]

That's great! I always learn better by doing it myself too.

[bleeth]

Matt:
Those who are adept at Autocad can do this work quickly. So can Artcam. The thing is that the way to do it in each is different enough that if you know the way to do it in one of them quickly it seems clumsy in the other. Like any design software, including Corel, it takes time to learn the nuances. I wouldn't try to learn more than one at once though. It is just too confusing!! What may seem like a workaround could well be the right way to do it. My way in Artcam (and it does depend on which version) would be to use 2 rectangles: one for the basic door, one for the boundaries of the arc, then create the arc, and then weld the arc and the first rectangle. From there it is all offsets.

[matt_raymond60]

I haven't even begun to figure out offsets yet! Baby steps......