Aspire V8.007 User Requesting Shortcut Help

[bill z]

I’m cutting wooden gears where each gear will have 60 or more teeth. The DXF I work from has 4 vectors per tooth. To create the G-Code, all vectors have to be joined. I’m forever joining one vector to another one at a time.

If I right mouse click and select All Open Vectors, the Join/Close Vector option is grayed out.

Is there a shortcut or single key command to join vectors in Aspire V8.007?

[sharkcutup]

Why are you not using the Gear "Gadget" that is provided by Vetric.com?

This tool can create gears of various sizes with different amounts of teeth with all the vectors joined!

Just Curious as I do not have Aspire but I know the Gear "Gadget" does work great for my projects in V-Carve Pro. As I understand it the Gear "Gadget" tool is available for Aspire as well!!!

Have a GREAT DAY!!!

Be SAFE around those AWESOME machines!!!

[FixitMike]

One challenge with the Gear gadget is that the space between the teeth has square corners, which of course you can't cut with a round bit.

My method of constructing a gear with a round root space is here: http://forum.vectric.com/viewtopic.php? ... ilit=gears

On the second page of the thread, you will see Paul Rowntree's program that constructs a gear with my method.

[bill z]

You do very nice work Mike!!

However, I get my design from a DXF file.

Sad to say, I'm not to the level where I design them my self yet.

The DXF file has everything figured out & sized appropriately.

All I must do is spend hours joining the segments, one at a time, click, click, click...

Other than designing everything my self and using the gear gadget, is there an easier way to joining segments?

[sharkcutup]

Have you tried the "weld" tool???

I just created one tooth free handed on a circle, then used the array tool to mirror 30 teeth around the circle, then I right clicked and selected all open vectors (which highlighted only all the teeth), Held down the shift key to select the circle to highlight it, then selected the "weld" tool. Then added a center circle for the shaft now it is complete ready for toolpaths to be created.

Note: all the teeth must overlap the circle slightly or else it will just close the teeth themselves without joining to the circle.

Here is an image of my finished gear below

Hope this helps!!!

Be SAFE around those AWESOME machines!!!

[jeb2cav]

Hi Bill - can you share that file - or email it. I'd be glad to see if I can recall a speedier method for you.

[bill z]

Jeb2cav,

Thanks for responding.

I have attached a sample DXF file.

Sharkcutup,

Thanks for your suggestion.

Just now tried weld but it seems to drop off ever other vector. Not what I needed.

In the past, I had tried using the group icon (link), but for a reason I can not remember, there was an issue.

Just now tried the group command and it seems to have grouped them together. Grouping them was much easier. Very much easier.

What is the difference between the join command and the group command? I'm still trying to remember the side affects (if any).

GearSample.dxf

Sample Gear

(1.01 MiB) Downloaded 323 times

[Bob]

Hi Bill,
I selected the vectors, then used the join open vectors tool. All teeth were then joined as a single vector.
The tool:

Capture.PNG

(886 Bytes) Not downloaded yet

Bob

[sharkcutup]

Yup Bob I did the same!!!

It said 223 open vectors and after joining 1 closed vector --- selected join button and it worked!

Bill,Edit objects 4th row 1st icon "join open vectors"

Bill,

To group is to group so that items can be moved easily together rather than moving all at one time. Example: grouping items to copy to another place on the drawing or to another layer.
To join is to actually join one vector to another vector.

As I understand the concept of a closed vector versus an open vector. Take for example a u-shaped line. The top of the u-shaped line is considered to be open therefore making the entire u-shaped line an open vector. Now take for example a single circle line it is entirely closed therefore it is considered a closed vector. When open vectors are very close to each other the program ignores them when setting up toolpaths (in fact, the program ignores all open vectors when setting up toolpaths no matter how close or how far apart they are). But in the cutting/routing aspect the open vectors that are very close to each with the proper size router bit will cut/rout just fine. But in the case where the open vectors are far apart from each other it could very well create cutting/routing problems. These open vectors will need to be closed vectors in order for the CNC cutting/routing to be accomplished successfully.

Hopes the above makes sense!!!

Nice looking Gear --- BILL!!!

Sharkcutup

[jeb2cav]

Hi Bill,

As Bob and Sharkcutup have said, they were able to use the Join Open Vectors tool to get what you want.

I selected all of the vectors -

Then with the <shift> key pressed, deselected the ones that I didn't want joined.

I then went to the menu panel and selected Join Open Vectors and ran that - and got what you were looking for.

From your description, I think you were selecting a couple of the individual vectors, and then right clicking and finding that the Join choice was grayed out. I do think that is a little odd - and perhaps a minor oversight in the tool design (but there may well be a darn good reason as well). I did find that if I only selected 2 vectors and then right clicked, the tool was active from this approach.

So - right thinking, but a slightly different step - select all the vectors you want to join, and use the Join Open Vectors tool from the toolbar vice the right click pop up panel.

Thanks for sharing the file - that helped us understand what you were working with - with authority.

Hope all is well.