converting lawn chair profiles to vectors for cnc cutting

[woodman08]

I built a lawn chair awhile back and decided to convert the profiles to vectors ( .dxf ) so I used the drawing table
super l vi and software to convert the plywood profiles to a dxf file format


http://youtu.be/CvKA18FthMg (http://youtu.be/CvKA18FthMg)
I can now trash the profiles and just keep the dxf files

[myxpykalix]

Sometimes when i want to trace a part from a picture i have to take the picture and either manually trace the part in the photo and try to resize according to measurements. Is the table in your video part of the tracing system or is it solely done by the pen that captures the measurements?

I think i would probably hang on to your patterns somewhere because your HD is bound to fail at some point and you may lose all your digital patterns!:eek:

[Regnar]

I have a question. I dont know if it the videos or something else but It looks like there are a lot of small "wiggles" in the lines. Is there setting to make the curves or noise smoother?

My next question is can you trace metal parts. Im thinking of using it on wrenches and other tools for shadow box tool control with tool foam.

[woodman08]

the table is the drawing part,the table is a grid network like a circuit board ,the pen is picked up by the table .
There is a smooth command but i have found that oince it gets to the cnc for cutting i have never had a shakey cut.
but i can demo the smooth command ,he also had levels of smoothing like 1 to 10
And yes this board(hard board compared to a rollup version ) will trace out metal parts ,i could demo that for you
This might show the rollup version of the drawing boards..

http://youtu.be/v3frBi1wZDE

[ron brown]

I lot of the drawing programs have a feature where you can place a picture/bitmap in the background and trace over. I like the one in RHINO.

I'm told Vectric software can take high contrast pictures and digitize.

Ron

[mark_stief]

Stan Would you be interested in selling the files for the chairs

[woodman08]

I only did 4 parts --leg arm and back ,i should do the whole thing then it would be more usefull to you
Or would the magazine article suit too

[mark_stief]

Stan Would like to have the whole thing in dxf then I could just bring them into v-carve and cut them the wife and a good friend have been wanting them but just don't have time to trace and cut with a bandsaw using the Shopbot would be faster and easierplus they want them out of colored plastic and being able to nest and cut would be better for the checkbook:eek:

[bill.young]

Back in the cable-drive ShopBot days I designed a plywood adirondack chair and stuck the files in ShopBot Labs.

http://www.shopbottools.com/LabFiles/adirondack.htm

I was pretty happy with the design, but it just didn't make sense economically....you could buy a nice solid wood chair for not much more than a good sheet of 3/4" plywood cost.

Feel free to check them out, but be aware if you try to cut from that file that in the early days we didn't have commands to turn on a spindle or set spindle speeds, so at a minimum you'll need to add an "SO,1,1" command to the start if the file. Also it zeros at the table surface and not the top of the material.

A more sensible idea might be to convert it to a dxf file using the FC command, remove all the jogs and offset the parts by 1/8", and then use it as a basis for a new design.

As always with ShopBot Labs, there are no guarantees!
Bill

[woodman08]

you are right about the cost .i bought 2 from lowes at 35.00 each then i could not could not get a third so i built it ,it wwas awhile.
Would have rather paid the 35.00

[Kyle Stapleton]

I have seen the $35.00 chairs from Lowes and Home Depot (just last week) and they are junk. At my school we make ours out of white pine and have started to do them out acx on the bot and they look and sit great. You can see them in the Renaissance woodworkers link below.
I may sound snobby but anyone who can woodwork should not be happy with a $35.00 chair that looks like it was made by middle school kids in they intro. To woods class.
On another note tracing your old templates may seen like a fast was to get a dfx but if you have any cad skills (which you must have) draw out new parts so they are right on. I know when I made and assembled our chair in Cadd I found that the plans I bought were wrong, so I modified them and the fit and finish of our chairs has never been better.

[Regnar]

Thanks for answering my questions. If its not to much trouble I would love seeing you trace a hammer and wrenches. To give you an ideal of my end goal have a look at http://foamfittools.com/index.html

I was walking through Target the other day and seen this. My son could make these.
http://www.target.com/p/threshold-bryant-faux-wood-patio-adirondack-chair-gray/-/A-14667218#prodSlot=medium_1_3

[woodman08]

I will, as tracing out metal parts was on my list to try with the drawing board