| Author | Message | ||
     Mark Roberts New member Username: Markr Post Number: 38 Registered: 03-2007 Rating: N/A |
Hi Kelly (et al): After my recent job lay off, I am planning to make gifts this holiday season instead of the usual Mass Purge of money at the mall. I have KCAM set up and working very well on my home made 3 axis CNC machine, and would like to make some routed signs (such as "The Smith's House" etc.). Most of my work on my machine has been 'Through' cuts for parts to build model airplanes and not engraving. I am wondering if KCAM is the program I should use, or if there is another recommendation you all could make for an inexpensive option to make carved routed signs. Most of my concern in using KCAM for this is my ignorance in making .gc files that would translate into gradual depths such as the edges of serif type fonts... the edges are more shallow than the middle of the letter (such as a 'T'...the top edges would be shallow and not as deep at the top outer edges using a V cut router bit...) Any suggestions? Thanks so much for the help!! Mark | ||
| Kelly Ullrich Moderator Username: Kellyu Post Number: 423 Registered: 02-2007 Rating: N/A |
Mark, I use TurboCad to create my designs. I import them into KCam from a DXF format Then I route them with flat bottom router bits. That's just my preference of tools. Attached are the only two examples I still have. The rest have been given as gifts. My designs usually aren't very complicated. I have designed a few relief lake maps which have only seen foam blocks so far. Some day when I have time and some hard wood I will cut them for my dad.   | ||
| Mark Roberts New member Username: Markr Post Number: 40 Registered: 03-2007 Rating: N/A |
Very cool! VCarve looks like the kind of program that I have been looking for, but it is out of my price league currently ($599), but I have down loaded the demo and it seems to load the files it creates into KCAM fairly well. I get some Nist errors (what ever they are) and I haven't run the files yet to test them, so i am not sure what they do. Thanks for the pictures, as I can see that KCAM is what I need to actually make chips! :o) Mark | ||
| Frank Muratore New member Username: Fnm48 Post Number: 8 Registered: 10-2008 Rating: N/A |
I have been using a program called R2V (raster to vector) and been doing "gift" signs for months, now. The program can be found at: http://download.cnet.com/R2V/3000-6677_4-10498407.html It's free to try and only $42.00 to buy. Let me know how you make out. My E-mail is fnm48@verizon.net Frank Muratore | ||
| Mark Roberts New member Username: Markr Post Number: 42 Registered: 03-2007 Rating: N/A |
Thank you Frank! I will have a look at it. I am designing a new router table and would like to do more involved signs as I progress, and plan to make a few to earn some $$ to buy VCarve, as it looks like a good program for a small part time specialty sign opportunity. Thanks again for the recommendation. I'm off to have a look now! Mark |
