How can I cut a line - not carve it?

[daveP]

I have been busy doing projects other than carving, but I have been using my machine. I like to use it to make templates for my router and other such stuff. These are all "Flat" not carved per se - If I had a regular CNC machine they would be real easy, but with the CarveWright I usually have to use the line drawing functions to create my templates - much as the "May" tips
article suggests. This works fine for simple stuff, but the other day a friend
asked if I could cut a pattern for her quilting machine. She gave me a line drawing which I could do as above, but it is not very simple and would require a lot of work to trace in the editor - which I have to do since when I pulled in a scanned copy of her pattern the machine wants to "carve" the whole thing with relief - which I don't want! I simply want to cut a 1/8" line about 1/8" deep - but the line is real busy.

Is there an easer way than manually tracing it since we don't seem to have a trace function? Can I import the line as a vector or something? I have Corel, but am not real experienced, my other computer runs Ubuntu Linux & I have Gimp, Blender & some other graphics programs which I would like to know better. :):)

I wish we could feed the CarveWright G-Code or something, this would be a little easer.

Sorry for the long post - hope I am clear enough about what I would like to do.

[fwharris]

Dave,

Have you tried the "outline Pattern" function? You can outline the pattern and then apply a bit or set a cut path to the outline.

[Jvicaretti]

I use powerpoint to draw many basic patterns I need, save it as a photo and import it to designer. It works great and powerpoint is a program I am very familiar with.

[daveP]

I have tried outline, it just seems to outline the outside of the "box" which contains the line I want - no outline of the "line" at all.

The problem I seem to be having is that the scan & anything I export from CorelDraw or Gimp all have the appearance of a "Picture of a line":confused: which CarveWright software wants to 'recess' as if it is going to be a plac - if you know what I mean.... All I really want is the line itself -

I use CorelDraw and other drawing programs too, and have had similar problems since they export as if the line is on sheet of paper and CarveWright wants to include that in what it cuts.

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This whole exercise is to find a way to get just the "line" I want to cut into CarveWright without having to re-draw it - since I have a scan of what I want, and it is a very busy line (hence the desire to not re-draw it). Oh, and I want it flat no plaque or background - just the lines.

Thanks for the input
Dave

[ChrisAlb]

I have tried outline, it just seems to outline the outside of the "box" which contains the line I want - no outline of the "line" at all.

The problem I seem to be having is that the scan & anything I export from CorelDraw or Gimp all have the appearance of a "Picture of a line":confused: which CarveWright software wants to 'recess' as if it is going to be a plac - if you know what I mean.... All I really want is the line itself -

I use CorelDraw and other drawing programs too, and have had similar problems since they export as if the line is on sheet of paper and CarveWright wants to include that in what it cuts.

------------
This whole exercise is to find a way to get just the "line" I want to cut into CarveWright without having to re-draw it - since I have a scan of what I want, and it is a very busy line (hence the desire to not re-draw it).

Thanks for the input
Dave

Dave,

You have to remove the "background" (paper as you call it) that surrounds the lines so you're importing just the lines. Then the outline pattern will work for you.

[daveP]

"Dave,

You have to remove the "background" (paper as you call it) that surrounds the lines so you're importing just the lines. Then the outline pattern will work for you."

Chris,

Therin lies my problem - I don't seem to be able to figure out how to do that with any of the programs I use!

Just how do I do that? In CarveWright? or some other drawing program like CorelDraw?

Thanks for the input
Dave

[Jeff_Birt]

There are a few ways. You can export your artwork as a PNG (best) or GIF format as they both support an alpha channel (transparent background), set the transparent color as your background color. Or, make your lines pure black on a pure white background, still export as PNG with no transparent layer. Import into Designer, invert, lower one step.

[daveP]

Thanks for the info Jeff,

I'll give it a try - first I'll have to see what drawing programs I have with that capability.

Thanks again to everyone,
Dave