centerline on thin stock

[gman]

Is there a way to adjust the depth of centerline carving? I'd like to carve words into the border of picture matting material which is 1/16 thick. I would suppose I'd need to tape the matting to a thicker wood piece first, but will the program allow me to just barely enter the mat material? Thank you as always.

[Capt Bruce]

Novel project for the CarveWright. Basic answer, No you cannot adjust the depth of the Centerline text. Having said that you can influence that depth several ways. Use a 90 degree V bit will cut shallower than a 60 degree V bit on the same size lettering. The larger the letters the deeper they cut. TrueType fonts with heavy line strokes making up the individual letters cut deeper. And finally using BOLD makes even the same font cut deeper.

All that said I'd set up a test piece using a layer of the 1/16" mattboard or what ever you intend to use, on a carrier board and just run a carving test with various sizes of the type you intend to "engrave". Since the system does not allow you to set a point size you could just copy the Centerline text several times around the virtual board and then drag its corners in Designer to several different sizes for the test.

At only 1/16 thick I doubt you'll be able to avoid penetrating the matt so you might try two layers thick and see how it comes out. Regardless make sure it's taped down flat to the carrier so it doesn't rise up to the tip of the cutter and give you a false depth of cut. Hope this helps give you some ideas.

[Digitalwoodshop]

Here is a possible way to do this....

Don't use Centerline but use Outline..... The Seldom used feature...

I have Great Luck making signs for a development by selecting a Single Stroke Font like Modern, making the Text 2.25 high and assigning the 3/8 inch End Mill Bit.... The Calibration Bit... I set the depth to .1 inch and this method comes out looking like a plastic template Router Sign.

This way would work for you on thin stock... Setting the depth at . something....

The Trick is finding the right combination of Bit and Text Height. The Smaller the text then the bit cuts the center of the A out... So you would need to use a smaller end mill bit. Your bit needs to have a cutter on the END to work.... They are called Plunge Bits.... I have a bunch from 1/4 to 3/4.... For a bigger text like 6 inches tall the 3/4 inch bit worked....

When you select the bit with outline you can then select the depth. There are many one stroke fonts to find... I like Modern.

I came up with this method looking to simulate the plastic router letters I was replacing taking over the Sign Contract.

Since then, I have done about 75% Centerline as I offer each customer at least a dozen Fonts.....


Good Luck,

AL

[henry1]

Ok al real nice now look at my tread now and you will see the teabox I was talking about but got to say your project are nice

[chebytrk]

Using Centerline brings a question to mind........ can centerline be used to carve on a baseball bat? Just a simple carve like a name or baseball team name? Wondering......... I imagine a sled would be needed, but I wonder how or IF the carve would work on a rounded area like a baseball bat.

[Kenm810]

JerryB,

How about something like this, using the new Conforming Vectors

This is one way I did it on a Sled sometime ago http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?t=7372&highlight=baseball+bat post #7

[chebytrk]

So do I need something else besides centerline to use conforming vectors? If so, how much?

[Kenm810]

Something else? --Not really -- I've been using both Centerline Text and Conforming Vectors
since the Dates they first came out, on a lot of my Projects.

[AskBud]

Using Centerline brings a question to mind........ can centerline be used to carve on a baseball bat? Just a simple carve like a name or baseball team name? Wondering......... I imagine a sled would be needed, but I wonder how or IF the carve would work on a rounded area like a baseball bat.
Remember that, while using Conforming Vectors, you will need to design a carve area the same contour as the bat surface, in order to properly accomplish your task.
AskBud

[cnsranch]

Remember that, while using Conforming Vectors, you will need to design a carve area the same contour as the bat surface, in order to properly accomplish your task.
AskBud

That's the real trick - I've been trying to do the same thing with a rifle stock - baseball bat is basically the same deal, just with fewer contours.

If you scan the bat, you get the proper contour, but then if you add text to that, the machine wants to carve the text, AND the contour, not just the text.

Hopefully, someday, we'll have the ability to scan the bat, tell the machine to make that contour the surface of the board we're going to carve on, and then all will be well in CW land.

[chebytrk]

That's the real trick - I've been trying to do the same thing with a rifle stock - baseball bat is basically the same deal, just with fewer contours.

If you scan the bat, you get the proper contour, but then if you add text to that, the machine wants to carve the text, AND the contour, not just the text.

Hopefully, someday, we'll have the ability to scan the bat, tell the machine to make that contour the surface of the board we're going to carve on, and then all will be well in CW land.

I agree in hoping that we can get to that some day soon. My nephew has asked if I can carve on to basball bats for his son's baseball team was the reason that I came up with all this in the first place. All I'd like to do is maybe put the players team, name and year on it.
That would definately solve problems and it would be great to be able to carve on some rifle stocks that I have and would like to pass on to my kids and grand kids.

[PCW]

That's the real trick - I've been trying to do the same thing with a rifle stock - baseball bat is basically the same deal, just with fewer contours.

If you scan the bat, you get the proper contour, but then if you add text to that, the machine wants to carve the text, AND the contour, not just the text.

Hopefully, someday, we'll have the ability to scan the bat, tell the machine to make that contour the surface of the board we're going to carve on, and then all will be well in CW land.

Jerry

Would it be possible to draw some vector lines around your checkering and create a carve regions set to zero on the areas on the stock that you don't want to carve? That should just carve the checkering in your case. Just a thought

[cnsranch]

Jerry

Would it be possible to draw some vector lines around your checkering and create a carve regions set to zero on the areas on the stock that you don't want to carve? That should just carve the checkering in your case. Just a thought

I don't want to hijack this thread, but take a look here, and give me your thoughts.....

http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?17245-Question-For-All-You-Smart-People-Out-There