Time for a Tips and Tricks thread...

[Digitalwoodshop]

I thought it was time for a tips thread... I use this tip in Corel Draw but I believe it would work in Designer if you needed to space stuff in a defined area... Just copy and past a block in designer.

Feel free to add your tips on Designer




Time for a "Tip of the Day" thread....
We all do things that make tasks we do easier or less complicated as a second nature. I use this tip often as I make clip boards for Firemen called Accountability Boards. I often need to space blocks or lines within a given area. Tried the math method and it works but I have been using this easier way for a long time and wanted to share it.
So the task is to divide a space in Corel into 4 equal areas.
I draw a rectangle about 1/4 the size of the space.
I copy and paste the first making 3 more copies.
I stack them on top of each other slightly offset. (yellow)
I select all and move the group over to the space placing the bottom of the group on a grid line.
I grab the top of the group and stretch or shrink the group to match the top grid line. (green)
I now have the spacing and add grid lines to each junction.
Done... Delete the boxes...
Lets hear alternates to this method as more than one way to easily skin a "task"...
Please feel free to add your tips... Lets have some fun...
AL

[SteveNelson46]

Have you ever wondered how to draw a fluted column with the flutes spaced to give a 3D appearance? Here is one way to do it.

1. Draw a rectangle the size of your column. I used 3" by 12"
2. Near the top of the rectangle, draw a circle with the same diameter as the rectangle width.
3. Center both the rectangle and the circle horizontally.
4. Position the center of the circle on the top line of the rectangle.
5. Draw 5 angled lines at angles of 15, 30, 45, 60, and 75 degrees.
6. Position the center of each line at the center of the circle. Attach and center horizontal works pretty good.
7. Mirror the angled lines horizontally.
7. Draw vertical lines beginning at the intersection of each angled line and the circle and one down the center of the rectangle.
8. Assign a bit to the vertical lines. I used a 3/16" ball nose.
9. For an actual 3D carve use the extrude and conform tools.

You can vary the number and angle of the lines to add or subtract flutes.

[oscarl48]

Al, Steve, great tips. Here is a basic one for the new carvers. You can take a simple element and copy, mirror and rotate to get completely different patterns for your projects.

In the picture I have a simple bracket element in the left corner.

By copying and mirroring it, the new pattern can be used as a shelf bracket or decorative element in possibly a picture frame or mirror.

By flipping 180 degree you get an entirely different look.

If you rotate one part 90 degrees to the first element you make angle brackets that can be used as book ends (not sure if anyone owns books any more) and if you do a double sided carve you have a fancy corbel.

P.S. Use the outline cutout and cut out an additional two to three blanks with no design. You can sandwich the blanks between the two carved ends to give the piece some additional thickness.