carving Text

Discussion/questions about software used with your CNC Shark and programming issues

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gpeck
Posts: 181
Joined: Fri Sep 06, 2013 1:35 pm

carving Text

Post by gpeck »

I am tring to carve Arial Baltic text about 1/64th .0156 deep by .75 high. If I use v carve it comes out .75 high and over 1/16th deep following the width of the letters. If I use the flat depth of .0156 it carves it .0156 deep but as wide as the letter with a flat bottom. What tool path, TEXT, or whatever can I use to get it to carve .0156 and not get so wide..? Thanks for any info.

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Consultingwoodworker
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Re: carving Text

Post by Consultingwoodworker »

You can't do what you want, at least not using the v-carve toolpath command.

When v-carving, the computer (not the Shark) reads the distance between the lines, and will plunge the bit until the cutting edges meet those lines, disregarding overall depth. That is why you do not enter a cut depth. You CAN limit the overall depth as you know, but that does not change the width of the individual letters.

You have three choices, only two are really viable:

First, when creating the text on the drawing side of VCarve, you have the option of selecting "single line text", which will create the text as single lines rather than outlining the letters. You would then program the cuts as a profile toolpath using the Vee bit, cutting on the line, and setting your depth at 1/64". The issue is that not all texts are available as single line fonts.

Second, you can create the letters as you have already, but again do not program them as a v-carve, but use the profile toolpath, cut on the line and set the depth as above. This will give you the letters cut as outlines with the centers raised.

Third, and not really viable for any but the most basic fonts, is to draw the letters manually and cut them as described above.

Hope this helps, feel free to PM me if you have other questions.

Ralph

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Bob
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Joined: Sun Aug 08, 2010 3:35 pm

Re: carving Text

Post by Bob »

gpeck,
Select the text, then select the "convert object to curves" tool. (It looks like a capital T with dots on the corners of the letter.)
Use the "offset selected vectors" tool and offset the converted text inward about .02. This will make the letter components narrower.
You may need to try different offsets until you get what you want.
Bob
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Antonie Van Leeuwenhoek (Developer of the microscope.)

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