Convince me I can do this with Designer upgrades as easily - V-carve artwork

I have always held out hope that Carvewright would give us an easy way to import line drawn artwork for V-carve jobs. Instead, if I understand the process as it stands, we have a few hoops we can jump through or we can buy a bunch of add-ons and get sometimes ok results that require a bunch of tweaking in the DXF importer.

This is my starting point for the example... a pretty simple SVG drawing.
Attachment 84972
To get this image into Designer I need to have some expensive Font software with an image trace add-one. This allows me to then insert the image into a font and use CENTERLINE for the carve. ( Using Font software because I am still using standard version of designer for the reason that I have never seen an easy way to do this with any upgrades/add-ons offered by Carvewright )

The results are OK but not very impressive - Centerline is erratic ( though I see they say it's been improved in newer versions of Designer but I am not convinced I'd be happy or see improvements that match the next example after this one). This is the resulting V-carve. Part of the issue is the image trace software for the font package creates a copy that isn't stellar but it's what I am stuck with. Going in and editing by hand is an absolute NO.. this image is incredibly simple when compared to some of the V-carve jobs I have run on my Carvewright and it would require DAYS of fixing all the points that cause the jaggedness you see.
Attachment 84973

Now I have been nearing the time when I am looking at another machine.. it was going to be another carvewright even though I am not happy with the V-carve abilities but I have hundreds of projects that are sometimes duplicated and the form factor of the machine is a perfect fit for me and my needs. BUT... I have been looking at Inventables EASEL software and their machine ( but the software apparently will work with other machines via standard g-code output )

Visually, Designer and the Carvewright don't come close to the speed I can import a file and the apparent resulting carve, based on the preview... which if it's as accurate as the preview of Designer jobs... it's hands down better than the Carvewright results.

With Easel, it's as simple as importing the original SVG file...
Attachment 84974

Then applying the V-carve bit and look at the stellar results I would get on the machine end... This is night and day between what I have currently.
Attachment 84975

So... can anyone offer me up a solution that is as easy with the carvewright? I have looked at conforming vectors but they require you apply a profile to achieve the different depth to match the original artwork... obviously this will result is less than exact copies and a lot of extra time. Another thread from a few years back seems to indicate that with the DXF add-on I can take my SVG art, convert it to DXF and import that way? But DXF import looks like it's very picky about the way the vectors are imported and it's still not entirely clear whether it will replicate my artwork EXACTLY as it looks in SVG form.

I have loved my Carvewright and will keep it but I really need a reason to not move onto the Inventable platform after seeing what EASEL can do.

Version 3 has a built in feature called "Vector Groups" that might be just the thing you're looking for. It simulates "chip-carving" natively without the need to convert to a font. Download the trial version and check it out.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by SteveNelson46

Version 3 has a built in feature called "Vector Groups" that might be just the thing you're looking for. It simulates "chip-carving" natively without the need to convert to a font. Download the trial version and check it out.

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I agree with Steve, If you want to see/try if advanced software features will work for what you want to do just give them a test run. Most are available to try.

If I remember correctly, you can't try the vector groups feature in the V3 demo software. If I am wrong, there's still no way to actually carve anything to test the quality without paying.

I have had decent luck with font software, but it took two products to get one that worked well, and took a while to learn how to make the font so the quality was nice. Still, designer chokes on anything too involved/intricate, and it's still an extra step and money for software, but I think I made the right choice for me.

I'm also guessing the software representation of Easel is not representative of the actual carve quality you will get.

I've posted this before, but it is possible to use the font generation method with free evaluation tools:

1. Convert image to black and white bitmap.
2. Launch Scanfont 5.
3. Tools - Options - Outline font editor, check Export outline font into VFB file.
4. Open the image.
5. Click Export - Automatically assign names - A_Z. Select a file name.
6. Launch TypeTool3.
7. Select File - New.
8. Open the VFB file.
9. Copy and paste the glyph to several character positions. (Left click on the new glyph, then right click and select Copy. Left click on character A, then right click and select Paste. Repeat for B etc.)
10. File - Info - Names and copyright. Enter a name. Select Style name - regular. Press Build Names. Select File - Generate font.

The evaluation copy of TypeTool3 inserts watermarks into some glyphs, so the workaround is to copy the glyph to several character positions and pick one without a watermark.

I recently used this method to make this clock:
https://forum.carvewright.com/showth...4-Custom-clock

Interestingly some of the glyphs generated (I used 5 or 6) did not render correctly with Designer 3 - I had to use Designer 1.

If someone wants to send me an mpc I have Vector Groups and would run a trial carve and post results. If the results are better than Centerline I may get DFX Importer.

The ability to import drawings and convert to v carve would be a welcome addition.

Scanfont/TypeTool was the software I bought and tried at first but Designer choked (as in would not show the object at all in Designer or would only show it if it was real small, like 1/2" - if you dragged it larger, it would dissaperar from the screen and not carve) on the fonts if they were even slightly detailed. I know others have used it without issue, so perhaps it's just my PC and that software don't agree.

I now use High-Logic Font Creator with a much better success rate. I also like I don't need two seperate apps to make the font as is the case with Scanfont/TypeTool.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by brdad

If I remember correctly, you can't try the vector groups feature in the V3 demo software. If I am wrong, there's still no way to actually carve anything to test the quality without paying.

I have had decent luck with font software, but it took two products to get one that worked well, and took a while to learn how to make the font so the quality was nice. Still, designer chokes on anything too involved/intricate, and it's still an extra step and money for software, but I think I made the right choice for me.

I'm also guessing the software representation of Easel is not representative of the actual carve quality you will get.

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cant say for sure if WYSIWYG. If it’s like designer though then it is because Designer is very much WYSIWYG.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by DickB

I've posted this before, but it is possible to use the font generation method with free evaluation tools:

1. Convert image to black and white bitmap.
2. Launch Scanfont 5.
3. Tools - Options - Outline font editor, check Export outline font into VFB file.
4. Open the image.
5. Click Export - Automatically assign names - A_Z. Select a file name.
6. Launch TypeTool3.
7. Select File - New.
8. Open the VFB file.
9. Copy and paste the glyph to several character positions. (Left click on the new glyph, then right click and select Copy. Left click on character A, then right click and select Paste. Repeat for B etc.)
10. File - Info - Names and copyright. Enter a name. Select Style name - regular. Press Build Names. Select File - Generate font.

The evaluation copy of TypeTool3 inserts watermarks into some glyphs, so the workaround is to copy the glyph to several character positions and pick one without a watermark.

I recently used this method to make this clock:
https://forum.carvewright.com/showth...4-Custom-clock

Interestingly some of the glyphs generated (I used 5 or 6) did not render correctly with Designer 3 - I had to use Designer 1.

If someone wants to send me an mpc I have Vector Groups and would run a trial carve and post results. If the results are better than Centerline I may get DFX Importer.

The ability to import drawings and convert to v carve would be a welcome addition.

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typetool3 and scanfont are the package that I paid for and have been using for several years now. I have filled up at least three fonts with images that’s I have v-carved over the years. Scanfont does a pretty admirable job but even with the cleanest image fed into it the output is not perfect. I have fed some incredible detailed images into a font... but it is laborious because you have to go through all those steps posted to see what the carve will look like. If something isn’t working then you have to go back to the beginning and make your changes and repeat.

The simple ability ( not from a programming / development point of view ) to just import your artwork directly into Designer has been my number one desire since I purchased my machine.

Attachment 84982

Here is an example of a typical V-carve I run on my carvewright... when you think about it, I guess it's actually impressive but it's just too many steps to get this done. When I see how fast it is to import the same image into Easel it really makes me wonder whether I am am just not using the wrong machine for my V-carve projects.

This is the most recent project I am working and and it's first traced/edited in GIMP ( mainly simplifying the image by removing some of the detail ) and then sent out to ScanFont5 as a PNG and imported into TypeTool3 as .vfb file. I break the image into a left / right half since I am carving across two cabinet doors. So in designer I have to place the two font characters on my virtual board and line them up perfectly and set my attachments so when the two doors are done everything lines up new perfectly.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jgowrie

I break the image into a left / right half since I am carving across two cabinet doors. So in designer I have to place the two font characters on my virtual board and line them up perfectly and set my attachments so when the two doors are done everything lines up new perfectly.

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It's actually not necessary to do that. In my example the "dots" were all one glyph and they extended over the board boundary. I lay out everything on a smaller (in my case a 14" x 14" board), group, expand to final size, then copy and paste to two or more boards, deleting glyphs that are wholly off the board. Because everything is enlarged at once, the boards will match. I use slightly oversize boards, then trim with a table saw for a perfect match. The machine will do some air carving off the board, but no harm.

Very nice project BTW!

Quote:

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Originally Posted by jgowrie

I have always held out hope that Carvewright would give us an easy way to import line drawn artwork for V-carve jobs. Instead, if I understand the process as it stands, we have a few hoops we can jump through or we can buy a bunch of add-ons and get sometimes ok results that require a bunch of tweaking in the DXF importer.

This is my starting point for the example... a pretty simple SVG drawing.
Attachment 84972
To get this image into Designer I need to have some expensive Font software with an image trace add-one. This allows me to then insert the image into a font and use CENTERLINE for the carve. ( Using Font software because I am still using standard version of designer for the reason that I have never seen an easy way to do this with any upgrades/add-ons offered by Carvewright )

The results are OK but not very impressive - Centerline is erratic ( though I see they say it's been improved in newer versions of Designer but I am not convinced I'd be happy or see improvements that match the next example after this one). This is the resulting V-carve. Part of the issue is the image trace software for the font package creates a copy that isn't stellar but it's what I am stuck with. Going in and editing by hand is an absolute NO.. this image is incredibly simple when compared to some of the V-carve jobs I have run on my Carvewright and it would require DAYS of fixing all the points that cause the jaggedness you see.
Attachment 84973

Now I have been nearing the time when I am looking at another machine.. it was going to be another carvewright even though I am not happy with the V-carve abilities but I have hundreds of projects that are sometimes duplicated and the form factor of the machine is a perfect fit for me and my needs. BUT... I have been looking at Inventables EASEL software and their machine ( but the software apparently will work with other machines via standard g-code output )

Visually, Designer and the Carvewright don't come close to the speed I can import a file and the apparent resulting carve, based on the preview... which if it's as accurate as the preview of Designer jobs... it's hands down better than the Carvewright results.

With Easel, it's as simple as importing the original SVG file...
Attachment 84974

Then applying the V-carve bit and look at the stellar results I would get on the machine end... This is night and day between what I have currently.
Attachment 84975

So... can anyone offer me up a solution that is as easy with the carvewright? I have looked at conforming vectors but they require you apply a profile to achieve the different depth to match the original artwork... obviously this will result is less than exact copies and a lot of extra time. Another thread from a few years back seems to indicate that with the DXF add-on I can take my SVG art, convert it to DXF and import that way? But DXF import looks like it's very picky about the way the vectors are imported and it's still not entirely clear whether it will replicate my artwork EXACTLY as it looks in SVG form.

I have loved my Carvewright and will keep it but I really need a reason to not move onto the Inventable platform after seeing what EASEL can do.

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Hi I like to use my font Program to do my vector carvings.