Horse Head Pattern

[bjbethke]

What all software do you guys use to create patterns from say photos? Photoshop? Do you really need all the "carvewright" software packages?

I like to use a program called ShaderMap Pro, It's quick and easy. I can make most
Patterns in twenty minutes or less. Cleaning up the background takes the most time if the outlines are not a closed loop. The CW extra programs work OK, but I don't like to spend the extra $200.00 for each of them when the programs I have work OK.

I start with a line drawing, Dover publications has Royalty-Free Images and they have a CD-ROM with most of there image books.

I have posted some PDF’s on the Forum on how I use that program. PM me with an e-mail address if you like to.

[dehrlich]

Attachment 57352
Well I took a chance on my machine with the cut motor having a problem and tried to cut the patterns I needed so I could keep my project on time. I did Bert's horse head and it came out pretty good. Tried to do a horse shoe I got somewhere on here and it didn't come out so good. Think I was getting some vibration from the cut motor that translated into the truck and made the carving rough and some of the fragile pcs break off. Thought I had made it big enough not to have that problem. May be able to salvage it, we'll see. Now if there was some awesome person out there who wanted to carve it for me and ship it to me so i could finish my project without having to fix the machine first... I would gladly pay for it...

[badbert]

I think the problem might have been that noisy pattern. Here is a simple one, that should carve nice.

[dehrlich]

Thanks Bert, I'll try that one! Not sure what all is going on, it kinda sounded like it was "cycling" and the flex cable assy was bouncing a bit that's why I figured the vibration was in the truck. It worked fine for about the first 20 mins while carving the horse head. Maybe it just needs rest lol. Thanks again!

[badbert]

Sounds like you need to lube the flexshaft!

[fwharris]

Attachment 57352
Well I took a chance on my machine with the cut motor having a problem and tried to cut the patterns I needed so I could keep my project on time. I did Bert's horse head and it came out pretty good. Tried to do a horse shoe I got somewhere on here and it didn't come out so good. Think I was getting some vibration from the cut motor that translated into the truck and made the carving rough and some of the fragile pcs break off. Thought I had made it big enough not to have that problem. May be able to salvage it, we'll see. Now if there was some awesome person out there who wanted to carve it for me and ship it to me so i could finish my project without having to fix the machine first... I would gladly pay for it...

One thing I noticed in the your horse shoe is you had the bit optimizations set a "none" and Bert is right the pattern does have a bit of noise/junk in it. Also when you up loaded it to the card what carve quality did you set it at? Using normal will make the machine work faster and harder. This would/could also cause the flex shaft to vibrate as you say. Try best or optimal, either should be used when trying to do carvings with any detail.

What chuck do you have on your machine?

[bjbethke]

http://www.high-logic.com/?prod=fc&ver=6.5.0.270&type=he

dehrlich;

You can also make pattern files for the CW Centerline program if you have a Font Creator program. It makes a Vector Pattern and it carves very fast. Just make Line Drawings and load them into the Font Creator.

You need to add the font to your computer. I posted it in a Zipped file.

[dehrlich]

Oops on the bit optimization, I usually do that... may be the problem. And lube the flex shaft, I think it's over lubed actually... I had some oozing out of the cable head on to the top of the truck that I had to wipe off. And i'm not sure the lub I used is good enough. I got some assembly lube that has moly in it, all I could find, but I ordered a bottle of the stuff from LHR with my new cut motor. And i'm still using the QC chuck. Asking Santa for a CW upgrade package .

[fwharris]

Oops on the bit optimization, I usually do that... may be the problem. And lube the flex shaft, I think it's over lubed actually... I had some oozing out of the cable head on to the top of the truck that I had to wipe off. And i'm not sure the lub I used is good enough. I got some assembly lube that has moly in it, all I could find, but I ordered a bottle of the stuff from LHR with my new cut motor. And i'm still using the QC chuck. Asking Santa for a CW upgrade package .

If you have lube coming out of the flex shaft and getting into the tap hat and then down into the top bearing of the spindle that very well explain your over heating, vibration and poor carve quality. Remove the flex shaft assembly from the cut motor and flush out the outer core with a approved use for rubber cleaner. Remove the top hat from the Z truck and wipe out all lube on the top bearing. The over lubing might of trashed the top bearing..

[dehrlich]

Why would the lube trash the top bearing on the truck? I am going to replace the flex cable assembly now, because I found a split in the outer covering... sure that is not acceptable. Still waiting on my new cut motor, ordered on Thursday and never got an email it was shipped.. emailed this evening to find out why. Bad time to have machine down. Even though I am new to this, I already have several projects that need to be done in a few weeks.

If you have lube coming out of the flex shaft and getting into the tap hat and then down into the top bearing of the spindle that very well explain your over heating, vibration and poor carve quality. Remove the flex shaft assembly from the cut motor and flush out the outer core with a approved use for rubber cleaner. Remove the top hat from the Z truck and wipe out all lube on the top bearing. The over lubing might of trashed the top bearing..