Centerline Wizards Apply Within

[spalted]

I know, I know..... everyone else seems to have great luck using centerline text, but not me. I have been heating the shop with screwed up projects since I started playing with Centerline.

Ike suggested I increase my text spacing to 25, which has helped on some of my projects.

This one I have set at 50 with a 60 degree v-bit and the letters still almost touch. Some of my problem may be my font choices, I tend to like the script styles but they seem to be problematic as far as chipping out, plus I'm machining pine just to compound the problem.

I attached a zipped mpc of the offending sign, if anyone has a few minuted to look it over and offer some suggestions I would be very grateful.


If my letters were 3" tall I think I would be fine, but the smaller sizes are killing me. And to add to the problem they appear in designer like they will work even zoomed way in and rendered at high quality.

I'm thinking about choosing a few fonts and running some test boards to see how they perform at different sizes.

What font styles are you having good luck with in smaller dimensions?

[bjbethke]

I know, I know..... everyone else seems to have great luck using centerline text, but not me. I have been heating the shop with screwed up projects since I started playing with Centerline.

Ike suggested I increase my text spacing to 25, which has helped on some of my projects.

This one I have set at 50 with a 60 degree v-bit and the letters still almost touch. Some of my problem may be my font choices, I tend to like the script styles but they seem to be problematic as far as chipping out, plus I'm machining pine just to compound the problem.

I attached a zipped mpc of the offending sign, if anyone has a few minuted to look it over and offer some suggestions I would be very grateful.


If my letters were 3" tall I think I would be fine, but the smaller sizes are killing me. And to add to the problem they appear in designer like they will work even zoomed way in and rendered at high quality.

I'm thinking about choosing a few fonts and running some test boards to see how they perform at different sizes.

What font styles are you having good luck with in smaller dimensions?
I think our type font is wrong; it is hard to read and does not get the right attaché ion.

[spalted]

BJB,

I agree, I was having problems with other fonts, so I thought I would give it a try and see how it carved.

It would have been way to logical to try it on a test board first, right?.........LOL

[AskBud]

I know, I know..... everyone else seems to have great luck using centerline text, but not me. I have been heating the shop with screwed up projects since I started playing with Centerline.

Ike suggested I increase my text spacing to 25, which has helped on some of my projects.

This one I have set at 50 with a 60 degree v-bit and the letters still almost touch. Some of my problem may be my font choices, I tend to like the script styles but they seem to be problematic as far as chipping out, plus I'm machining pine just to compound the problem.

I attached a zipped mpc of the offending sign, if anyone has a few minuted to look it over and offer some suggestions I would be very grateful.


If my letters were 3" tall I think I would be fine, but the smaller sizes are killing me. And to add to the problem they appear in designer like they will work even zoomed way in and rendered at high quality.

I'm thinking about choosing a few fonts and running some test boards to see how they perform at different sizes.

What font styles are you having good luck with in smaller dimensions?

I think your main problem is applying BOLD to your Font.
The darker & wider the Font appears in the Font Window, on the Left, the deeper it will be carved. Adding BOLD to any font increases the depth of the cut. Thus, the text will be much wider, at the surface, because of the taper of the v-bit.

Sometimes, I use a 45 or 22 degree bit rather than a 60 degree bit. I seldom use the default 90 degree bit for centerline.
AskBud

[spalted]

Thanks Bud,

I applied bold thinking it would help the fine lines stand out, I didn't think about the effect it was having on the width of the carve.

I also plan to change to a different font, they style is not right for this particular sign.

I am going to order a 22 degree bit if I don't have one.

[JDPratt]

Try playing with a few other fonts and then select italics in the menu. sometimes it can give that "scripty" look.

[cnsranch]

spalted

I can't open your mpc, I haven't upgraded to the most current version of the software, yet (and I'm not prepared to do that for a while).

Maybe this will help.....

When designing a project, you HAVE to zoom in as close as you can to the various elements of the project in Designer, and look closely as to how they're going to be carved. What I mean is that if the text looks raggedy, or too closely spaced, etc., that's how it's gonna be carved. With Centerline, design the project, assign the 90 bit to it, and look closely at it. Observe what happens to the text when you make it bold, or italicized etc. Switch to the 60 bit and then do the same. It will change the look in Designer, and you need to pay CLOSE attention to those changes.

I think it's a great idea to make a test design with all kinds of text, in many different fonts, bolded and not, 90 vs 90, etc. One piece of pine for a test is better than a bunch of kindling.

I really like the Centerline - it does a great job. FWIW, I've attached a pic of the top of a litho I did with pretty small text (the date is in a 3x.35 area), and it came out really well (at least I think it did). Some of the text is relatively small, and no problems - it was carved in ash, pretty hard stuff.

Hope this helps some.

[spalted]

I guess I need to experiment more and look a lot closer before I upload a project.

I was starting to think it was my choice of fonts, but I think it is more in my settings.

The test board idea seems to be the best way to get my mind wrapped around this.

[cnsranch]

I was starting to think it was my choice of fonts, but I think it is more in my settings.

It still could be your choice of fonts - I'll make my design, and assign the font I "want" to use, but if it looks like caca, I'll keep switching fonts till I get what will carve well.

Look at the attached - all I did was to make one line of text, then copy and paste it a few times. Then changed the text style to the copies. So, what you've got are five lines of text, supposedly exactly the same size, etc., but look at the differences. Pic isn't the highest quality, but open the mpc and look closely at each of them. It's for sure that the fifth line would look like caca, when the others may carve ok. First and third lines are the best in my opinion, but look at how thin parts of the letters in line four are - hover your cursor over those thin areas and you'll find that it will only carve about .008 deep - I don't think that will show well in a carve.

What I didn't do, and you may want to, is to change the bit assignment in each of those lines, and bold on then off, to see how much further they change.

It's interesting to me that you can change the font style, and sometimes end up with text that's so much larger than another, that it won't fit in the area you've made for the text.

See what I mean?

[Ike]

I know, I know..... everyone else seems to have great luck using centerline text, but not me. I have been heating the shop with screwed up projects since I started playing with Centerline.

Ike suggested I increase my text spacing to 25, which has helped on some of my projects.

This one I have set at 50 with a 60 degree v-bit and the letters still almost touch. Some of my problem may be my font choices, I tend to like the script styles but they seem to be problematic as far as chipping out, plus I'm machining pine just to compound the problem.

I attached a zipped mpc of the offending sign, if anyone has a few minuted to look it over and offer some suggestions I would be very grateful.


If my letters were 3" tall I think I would be fine, but the smaller sizes are killing me. And to add to the problem they appear in designer like they will work even zoomed way in and rendered at high quality.

I'm thinking about choosing a few fonts and running some test boards to see how they perform at different sizes.

What font styles are you having good luck with in smaller dimensions?

Justin, take a look at the changes I made and see what you think? Plus I would go with a 45 degree bit rather then a 22 degree. You might just a well use a 1/16th ballnose then a 22 degree in my opinion.

Here is a link for a 45 and 22 degree, www.eagleamerican.com go to v-groove to letter bits and look for the 45 or 22 Here is a interesting new bit! http://www.eagleamerica.com/product/v133-0402/ea_-_groove_forming you can also use this link to go to other bits.

[spalted]

Thanks CNS, thats exactly what I needed to do to compare the fonts.

I think the radical differences from one font to the next is one of the things that had been a stumbling block for me. Like you said sometimes just a change in font will make it not even come close to fitting in a given area.

Ike, good point about the 22 degree bit. I was looking at eagle at bits but I missed that veining bit. That may have some interesting possibilities too.

What changes Ike?

[cnsranch]

Thanks CNS, thats exactly what I needed to do to compare the fonts.

Glad I could help - a lot of what we do is really trial by fire - you gotta screw up in order to learn how not to do it (sounds like life to me).

Man, that would make for a great country song...somebody call Darryl Worley.

http://smileys.smileycentral.com/cat/15/15_1_125.gif (http://www.smileycentral.com/?partner=ZSzeb001_ZSfox000)

[Digitalwoodshop]

Are you remembering to select V60 in Designer for the project? It is possible to design in V90 and place a V60 bit in the machine with V90 selected and get strange font spacing.....

AL

[spalted]

................ you gotta screw up in order to learn how not to do it..............



Jeez...... I should be a real pro by now then!:mrgreen:

Digital, yep the 60 vs. 90 degree is something I found out about the hard way to.

Ike I didn't see your mpc before but I will take a look now, sneaking it in with an edit are you?....lol

I re did the text and tuned things up a bit, it's carving right now. Ya I know I said I was going to carve a test board of text first, but........ I'm a slow learner, what can I say.

[spalted]

Here is the carve from today. Not the best photo, but.............

Lucidia Fax, spaced 50, not bold, not italic, 60 degree bit.

I still had a few problem areas but it's getting better.

[mtylerfl]

Here is the carve from today. Not the best photo, but.............

Lucidia Fax, spaced 50, not bold, not italic, 60 degree bit.

I still had a few problem areas but it's getting better.

Looks great to me! Nice job!

[toocwhatisaw]

I have a question everyone always talks about V-bits where do i purchase these 90,60,45,22 v-bits at?

Thank's

[CarverJerry]

PM rjustice, I think he carries these but not positive. May do a google search for router bits for what your needs are.

CJ

[spalted]

Thanks MT, I still had an issue with some area of the text, the middle of the "A" for example.

I don't think Ron has V bits but I might be mistaken.

The CW store has 60 90 or eagle america or almost any bit supplier should have them.

[Ike]

Thanks CNS, thats exactly what I needed to do to compare the fonts.

I think the radical differences from one font to the next is one of the things that had been a stumbling block for me. Like you said sometimes just a change in font will make it not even come close to fitting in a given area.

Ike, good point about the 22 degree bit. I was looking at eagle at bits but I missed that veining bit. That may have some interesting possibilities too.

What changes Ike?

It wasn't much I changed it to 25 spacing and it made the lettering a bit larger, but other then that it was not too different. Oh and raised the pattern height.

Besides it looked great so you are a pro!

Ike

[Digitalwoodshop]

I have a question everyone always talks about V-bits where do i purchase these 90,60,45,22 v-bits at?

Thank's

The machine does not support V45 and V22 at this time. If you cut some text, it would give you some interesting results.

I get me bits from LHR and http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/

AL

[Ike]

The machine does not support V45 and V22 at this time. If you cut some text, it would give you some interesting results.

I get me bits from LHR and http://www.mlcswoodworking.com/

AL

Al you turned pirate! I get me bits! Al I use a 45 degree bit all the time, but as you said there is no selections for 45. I get my bits from www.eagleamerica.com and get 45,60 and 90 degree and my 1/16th from LHR or Sears or Precision bits and the best cutting bit from Ron. Works great in the Rock!

Ike

[Digitalwoodshop]

MCLS is in Philly.... My end of the Country....

AL

[Ike]

MCLS is in Philly.... My end of the Country....

AL

Lol Eagle America ships! Just giving you a bad time my friend MCLS bits are just about the same bits. Plus I bet you go to the store directly. I have another source but I deleted the e-mail!

Still I use 45 degree bits all the time, but I need to choose the 60 degree. I use it not to be a rebel, I tried and it worked great with mono corsiva script!

Ike