Sign pattern stencil

I am trying something I have not attempted before. I am wanting to use CW to cut out letters in a 12 x 96 1/2 board . I plan on using 4 panels and then using them as a stencil on a 3/4 painted plywood. I have all panels layed out with text only. I selected the outline option in the text box. I then set the bit selector to 1/8th inch bit at .52 depth to ggo through the plywood. So far so good, but as I visualize this being carved I can see alot of little parts flying around and jamming something. No option to set tabs in the letters to hold in place. I did some text to start with and tried to outline the letters like I would a pattern, but no option. My other option was to set the carving depth at .49 instead of 1/2 so it barely cuts through. I need input if anyone has every tried to make letter stencils like this. All text, no graphix to contend with.

I think you should use the cutout tool so you do have tabs. Work on the outlining the text. It can be made to work. Post a sample if you have trouble. (Do raster text and then outline.)

Hi Ed,

I think you would have a better stencil if you used thinner material - maybe even as thin as 0.125"-thick plywood available at any hobby store or MDF hardboard from a big box store. Of course you would need to affix the thin material to a (thicker) sled or carrier board to comply with the minimum 0.5" thickness the machine requires. If you choose that method, just follow the guidelines I laid out in the Tips & Tricks article for creating cutouts on thin material.

Here is the link to the PDF: Designer 1.131 New Feature Highlights – ISSUE 12 September 2008

Does any of your lettering have center portions such as an A, B, D, Q, R, O, P? If so, then you will need to create solid "bridges" that won't be cut out in order to hold the center portions in place (you know, like STENCIL font letters have). Make your "bridges" by creating small rectangle carve regions placed appropriately around and overlapping the outer and inner shape of the letters that need it...or, just use a STENCIL font to begin with (!) and cut out only select areas.

As Dan mentioned, you need to use the CUTPATH Tool to assure tabs will be created to hold the letters in place - not the manual vector cut as you have done. Your method will allow parts to come loose and fly around, possibly breaking a bit and/or causing a board jam. You can carefully remove the tabs remnants after-the-fact using an appropriate abrasive bit on your Dremel rotary tool. ...or, maybe just use double-stick carpet tape to hold the parts in place instead of using the CUTPATH Tool (therfore using a manual cut a little deeper than the material). The potential problem with the double-stick tape is gumming up the bit and you still have the potential for parts coming loose from the tape.

If you can post your MPC, it would be very helpful to better enable us to advise you on the best course of action.

Someone before mentioned an interesting option - stencil fonts. There are many on the web. These fonts have the "bridges" built in.

Thanks guys, sure a quick response, thought i was the only one snowed in. I m going to try the cut path method, but i didn't try setting for raster cut. That may work. Also going to investigate the stencil font situation as well. I knew somebody would have ideas to get around my problem. Thanks again, I'll keep you posted.

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im attempting to attach the mpc file, but it is not visible when I go to the file location, have SEE ALL selected but it wont show and mpc is not an option for this Tapatalk program any ideas why. I see other post mpc on here.