Frustrated with Designer

[Icutone2]

Yes Terry you can even set the grid spacing as needed.
Lee

[TerryT]

Yes Terry you can even set the grid spacing as needed.
Lee

What????
I am aware of that. The question was, isn't it working to set measurements for his project?

[Pratyeka]

Ok i think this is where this question should be. What I am trying to do is make a flag case lid with a 1in wide frame. I main proble I guess is I am spoiled my Sketchup and miss the measure tools and such that I rely on to make things accurate. Basicly what I am doing in Designer is making my Triangle with a 23.75 base length. and 16.75 short sides. i figured I could copy the triangle and reduce it down a bit and put evern thing on center and I would be good, but it didn't work. I would like to know how to do this so I can make a basic lid to work from. AAAAAAHHHHHHH Designer is frustrating i feel so limited. Sorry about that had to get it out there before I go into a software bashing Rant. I have Photoshop, sketchup, Autocad, Paint, Coral Draw and Designer with Pattern Editor Addon. I have watched the Videos from Askbud and i can't find one that covers what I am trying to do. I'll hold my 2 sided carving question until I can make the the Font to work. Thanks for the help.

try this: in photoshop, convert to .PNG with resolution at 128pix/inch. when you import into pattern editor, the dimension will stay the same as in Photoshop, i.e.: 1:1 scale. When placing the pattern on your project, uncheck the option that makes the pattern stretch to the board's width.

[cnsranch]

lilskip

Here you go....

The two 45 degree reference lines are there for me just to make sure I was 1" wide.

Triangle is messing us all up - especially me, I flunked geometry.

With your length requirements, the angles aren't exactly 45 and 90 degrees - they can't be unless you lengthen the sides.

Good luck.

[lilskip]

lilskip

Here you go....

The two 45 degree reference lines are there for me just to make sure I was 1" wide.

Triangle is messing us all up - especially me, I flunked geometry.

With your length requirements, the angles aren't exactly 45 and 90 degrees - they can't be unless you lengthen the sides.

Good luck.

Jerry,
I messed with it some more when I got home from work today. And I think the Eyeballing Digital ruler method in Designer with reference lines like you did is the way to go to give me the ability to adjust and modify as needed. As for the the angles not being Exact that is on purpose. After doing alot of Shadowbox frames I found that if you undercut the angles just slightly then you get a better fit on Glue up. Example 45degrees is cut at 44.5-44.9. This is real handing when doing the 22.5 degree cuts needed for a Casket flag case to get great exterior corners. Cause 22.5 degree cuts Suck haha....
Kelly
Thanks for the info about the .PNG import. that works alot more accuate than the JPEG format I was putting them in before. It will come in handy for INLAYS in the Future.

[cnsranch]

All said, there are a couple of things for you to consider - (even though it's clear that you've made many of these)

cutting your top like we've designed can be done, but the integrity of the top is going to be sacrificed because of the cross-grain situation on the sides. An alternative is to carve the top in three pieces, and then glue them up as you would traditionally - the link below (although too lengthy) shows the results of a frame I did in 4 pieces.

also, using the 1/8" cutting bit to cut out the inner part will not give you as clean a cut as you might prefer - the radius of the bit is as sharp as it can go.

http://forum.carvewright.com/showthr...-Picture-Frame

[Capt Bruce]

Ok i think this is where this question should be. What I am trying to do is make a flag case lid with a 1in wide frame. I main proble I guess is I am spoiled my Sketchup and miss the measure tools and such that I rely on to make things accurate. Basicly what I am doing in Designer is making my Triangle with a 23.75 base length. and 16.75 short sides.

Hi Lilskip,
I'm coming into this a bit late after all the design and layout discussion but I wanted to go back to your basic request. I've also made a number of flag cases over the years using primarily conventional power tools and standard glue-ups from straight mitered-end pieces. I'm trying to understand your desire in using the CarveWright to cut a one piece case front. Is it to be able to add carvings on those three sides all at once.

My first reaction quite honestly was that a lot of valuable wood was going to be wasted around and inside the cut out frame. Also that as noted by our more CW knowledgeable colleagues above the sides would be weak due to cross grain. Just my Scottish heritage showing through here and a love of fine woods.

I guess my suggested plan would have the three sides laid out parallel on the length of the wood with nothing more than a saw blade rip width + sanding allowance between them. On the width of board you were going to use that would allow for the harvest of three sets of frame parts from the same board and desired engraving could be added to any or all of those 1" pieces all as one project.

May not be what you were seeking with your design but just a suggestion. Also if you need the tight miter joints you mentioned these could be fine tuned with a shooting block and sharp low bevel handplane after basic miters were all cut on the table saw. Hope this might add something to the discussion.

[lilskip]

Hi Lilskip,
I'm coming into this a bit late after all the design and layout discussion but I wanted to go back to your basic request. I've also made a number of flag cases over the years using primarily conventional power tools and standard glue-ups from straight mitered-end pieces. I'm trying to understand your desire in using the CarveWright to cut a one piece case front. Is it to be able to add carvings on those three sides all at once.

My first reaction quite honestly was that a lot of valuable wood was going to be wasted around and inside the cut out frame. Also that as noted by our more CW knowledgeable colleagues above the sides would be weak due to cross grain. Just my Scottish heritage showing through here and a love of fine woods.

I guess my suggested plan would have the three sides laid out parallel on the length of the wood with nothing more than a saw blade rip width + sanding allowance between them. On the width of board you were going to use that would allow for the harvest of three sets of frame parts from the same board and desired engraving could be added to any or all of those 1" pieces all as one project.

May not be what you were seeking with your design but just a suggestion. Also if you need the tight miter joints you mentioned these could be fine tuned with a shooting block and sharp low bevel handplane after basic miters were all cut on the table saw. Hope this might add something to the discussion.

i agree with what your saying about the wasted wood, I don't like to waste wood either. my main goal is to make a flip top front on my flag case with a carving in the center over the glass. What I don't want to do is have to glue the carving in the center I kinda want a floating effect with hardly noticable support taps that hold it in place over the glass. i would like to do this with a 3 sided frame I am just trying to work out the logistics of how to get a conistant cut by making a 4 piece front that will fit together right. Designer hasn't won me over yet with the accuracy part yet. i have been watching the ASK BUD videos to pick up the tricks and get the tool usage and options yet so I'll have a hands tied feeling until I learn it all. But i'll get there Everyone here is being really understanding and helpfull to my rookie issues haha. The file below has the general look I want as a finally out come but things like the slight notch it puts into the sides from the TAPs coming off the EGA I don't like. I also was trying to lay it out into indiviual peices to get the TAP placement to cut Datos on the underside for the taps to slide into. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Once I figure out Designer alittle more I will finally start playing with my Scan Probe which I am sure will create its own questions, But that can wait till I figure out triangles haha

[cnsranch]

We may be getting somewhere - take a look at this -

Designer won't let you make a pattern out of connected lines, etc. Not sure why, just won't.

Using another program, you can make a shape, copy it, bring it into Designer, and then make it a pattern.

I did a real quick and dirty pattern of your triangle-shaped front in Publisher, and then made it a pattern (note that the dimensions aren't to your spec - was done quickly to test).

After that's a pattern, you can add it to your virtual board, add the Marine Logo to it, and then merge the two patterns so you get what I think you're really looking for.

Play with the attached, and see if it helps.

[atauer]

That is not 100% true Jerry.

The software will let you make a pattern out of connected lines, but you will need to apply a carve region to the area created by the connected lines. You can set the depth of the carve region to whatever you would like, including zero, and then use the make pattern tool. That is how I handle most of my awkward figures that I want set as a pattern.