Unexpected pattern results

[cholme@mac.com]

I have been trying to figure out how to get predictable results from the CW software. I understand that it uses a gray scale to carve. I created a very simple design, Black and White. I wanted the CW to route out a void where all the white is. But as you can see, the software seems to interpret it as outlines or something and only wants to carve the outer edges. Also, when I set the bit optimization to Best, it looks like it will barely carve anything. See attached photos.

Any ideas what I am doing wrong?

[badger]

Not sure why you got the outline in the middle. Reason you had the outline on the edge was because there was a white line around the graphic.

Resaved as a png file, dont like working with jpg except to load an image on here.

Also the white/black at .250 would make the letters way too deep that would make some of them chip out.

[bjbethke]

I have been trying to figure out how to get predictable results from the CW software. I understand that it uses a gray scale to carve. I created a very simple design, Black and White. I wanted the CW to route out a void where all the white is. But as you can see, the software seems to interpret it as outlines or something and only wants to carve the outer edges. Also, when I set the bit optimization to Best, it looks like it will barely carve anything. See attached photos.

Any ideas what I am doing wrong?
I would make the drawing image into a PTN and remove the background. That way you could make the carving as a negative or positive image with the Invert Pattern tool. And set the type font with the CarveWright machine. The pattern would be more useful that way. (See posted files)

[bjbethke]

You could carve this with the router bits only, and not use the carving bit. It would not take as long to carve this way.
(Less time = More money)

[badger]

And use centerline as much as possible.

[cholme@mac.com]

Thank you for all your input. I guess I don't entirely understand how the program works yet. I am still not understanding something on this subject. It seems to look better when I set the bit optimization to med or low; on best it looks like it will barely carve the letters.

[Lin]

I played around with the pic also and came up with a pattern of sorts. Here's what I ended up with. Not sure if it is what you are after but it was good practice for me on getting pieces of the B/W pic to be round over. I inverted it for the MPC file but either way will work.
Lin

[ChrisAlb]

Thank you for all your input. I guess I don't entirely understand how the program works yet. I am still not understanding something on this subject. It seems to look better when I set the bit optimization to med or low; on best it looks like it will barely carve the letters.

Let me see if I can shed some light on this for you. First thing is, yes the CW uses Gray scale, all 255 shades. So when you use just black and white, you're only specifying the two extremes (top & bottom of the board). When drawing in a graphics program, Black is the top of the board, white is the bottom. Second thing to remember is ALWAYS use the PNG format when creating patterns. The third thing is, you always want to remove the "background" leaving just what you want to carve. Soooo....

1) As soon as you open a graphic in your "paint type" program, convert it to gray scale and save it as a PNG.

2) Picture 1 is your original graphic. The letters and pattern are white, background is black and it has a white border around it. We want to remove everything but what you want carved...i.e. the letters and pattern.

3) Picture 2 shows everything BUT the letters and pattern (background & border) selected so I can erase it all. NOTE: The yellow you see is NOT a color, it's what I have my "Transparent Background" set to so it doesn't interfere with any gray scale colors while I work.

4) Picture 3 shows everything but what we want removed, the selection is now "inverted" so just the letters and pattern are selected. At this point I'm painting them with a shade of gray "Roughly" between 0 and 255. I picked shade 150.

5) After I've painted it all 150, I copy it to the clipboard, open a blank board in Designer, right click on the board and choose paste. This opens the import dialog and I hit the "From Clipboard" button. After hitting NEXT and lowering the graphic a step or two, you have this...Picture 4

6) Picture 5 is the result after saving it to your pattern library and placing it on the board. Left is inverted (cut into the wood) Right is the default and in a carved region thus having it raised up.

Hope that helps....http://forum.carvewright.com/images/icons/icon10.gif

[MetroGnome]

Thank you for all your input. I guess I don't entirely understand how the program works yet. I am still not understanding something on this subject. It seems to look better when I set the bit optimization to med or low; on best it looks like it will barely carve the letters.

Optimization is "funny" best doesn't always look best. When you realize what it actually does it makes sense. It really is helpful when you have a carving with lots of detail. In my (limited) experience text and line drawings are not enhanced by bit optimization.

[cholme@mac.com]

Wow, I must be dense. I am usually really really computer/software savvy. I thought I had it after looking at ChrisAlb's post... but I am back to square one. Attached are my files (again), what the heck am I missing? I created the original file in Illustrator, exported to a PSD, and then saved to PNG. I am still getting a weird "outline" effect. Help!

[ChrisAlb]

cholme....,

I guess that makes two of us then. I'm a 35 carpenter and and MCSE and it took me months to get a "GOOD" hold on this gray scale artwork. Not so much for "flat" carvings like this but using gradients to get smooth ups & downs for 3D carvings....LOL...STILL drives me crazy at times.

I use PSP and I'm not familiar with Illustrator but I assume it's just as capable as most other decent graphic apps. By looking at you MPC file, it seems there has to be an "outline" of different shades of gray around your letters & pattern. Make sure the shade of gray you have in the middle of them runs all the way to the edges. Designer can "see" ALL 255 shades so if you have any pixels that vary even ONE shade, the CW will carve them.

I can't really tell by this picture you posted but by looking at the results, that's my guess.

EDIT: Wait a second here...LOL. You have it right!! Man I need to wait until my second cup of coffee before typing things...LOL

All you need to do is "INVERT" the pattern in Designer and you have it. Also, adjust your depth to less after you invert it. I'd say no more than an 1/8" (.125).

The way you have it in the MPC you posted, would be the for putting it in a carved region so the letters and patterns would protrude UP from the wood. Attached is your MPC done both ways. I did nothing to you pattern. You have it right.

[cholme@mac.com]

Wow... Thanks.

So, it is nice to know that I am not the only one who has trouble with this software. I hope they make it a bit more intuitive in future releases.

[ChrisAlb]

Wow... Thanks.

So, it is nice to know that I am not the only one who has trouble with this software. I hope they make it a bit more intuitive in future releases.

We all go through the learning curve. The Designer software by itself is pretty easy to use. Using graphics programs to make nice patterns gets a little more involved. Still pretty easy but can be time consuming...LOL

Glad you're on your way up the curve!!..http://forum.carvewright.com/images/icons/icon14.gif

Just playing around with this pattern....http://forum.carvewright.com/images/icons/icon12.gif...No text, I prefer to use Designer for adding text.