Help with V Carveing

[nikki_f]

Can anyone give me some advice on helping turn my file with a traced font into a V Carved file that will lift Z up and down to keep the look of the font thinner and thicker in the areas needed.... I only have Turbo Cad, Sign Lab, Millwizard and Vector. I do not do much with signs anymore so I do not really want to invest in new software. I think it has something to do with a centerline trace but I am not sure and I do not have that much time to research it! Nikki
This is the dxf. file that I am trying v carve the text
agusta4.zip (http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/messages/315/agusta4-16095.zip) (36.9 k)

[zeykr]

Nikki,
This is right down the alley of Vcarve pro which is a very good yet inexpensive v-carve program. You might want to pop over to their forum at www.vectric.com (http://www.vectric.com) and see if one of the users would be willing to toolpath it for you as an example.

You'll need to tell them what size of v bit and end mill you have available, verify the overall size of the sign and desired depth of cut, and some info on your material. They'll need to know it's for a shopbot also.

[den73160]

Nikki,
Ken is right about VCarve Pro. I will also add that the dxf file that you show has some open spots that would tend to cause the program (whichever you use)to give you an error. Check your vectors very carefully.

[tony_mac]

Hi Nikki,

I've 'fixed-up' your design so it can be vcarved as the image below shows.


5716

Attached is the DXF file.

agusta4-tm.zip (http://www.talkshopbot.com/forum/messages/315/agusta4-tm-16128.zip) (27.6 k)

I hope this helps and thanks for the positive feedback guys.

Tony

[nikki_f]

Wow Everyone Thank You for all of your help... I will definately check out Vectric. I knew that the file was kind of crappy I quickly splined a bmp. that I was sent just to have the file I needed and I am so busy that I have not had any time to mess with it... Tony Thank You also for the file I am going to check it out now! I will look into the other v carving program though for future stuff because I would love to v carve easily! Let me mess with this file and see how it works.

Again Thanks Nikki

[nikki_f]

Okay Tony ,,, now how do I open your file? I can see in turbocad but it does not have any centerlines and it is not 3d. I cannot see it in my vector program or in SignLab... any suggestions? How did you do that to a simple line drawing anyway? Nik

[gwilson]

Nikki,
I would suggest you look at Vcarve Pro from www.vectric.com (http://www.vectric.com) , downloaded the demo did a couple of tutorials and was able to make produce the cut paths in minutes. Really worth it.

[jamesgilliam]

Nikki,

I just tried to tool path the drawing in Vcarve and it has too many open vectors. I don't have the time to clean it up, but if you do then e-mail it to me and I can send you a cutting file.

James

[nikki_f]

Gerald and James I am going to clean up my file this weekend and look in to the Vcarve Pro program because I think it would be worth it to buy it also ....If I still need some help by the end of the weekend making it into the 3d file that I need to cut, I will contact you guys!!!! Thank You again for all of your help I will keep you posted! Nikki

[tony_mac]

Nikki,

The DXF file I posted above is ready for toolpathing.

I fixed up the open / duplicate vectors etc. so there shouldn't be any problems creating a toolpath for the ShopBot.

Let us know if we can help out,

Tony