Wanna be a star!

[dehrlich]

See attached pattern. This is becoming one of my most popular items. Also attached a pic of the finished product.

Here's the problem, if you look close at the stars on the pattern, they are a little rough. When it carves, they are even worse. I usually have to spend 20 minutes on each clock with a dremel and small bit to clean up each star by hand. What can I do to clean them up on the pattern? If I had the pattern editor is this something I could do, or is it just a problem with the size? Any help is appreciated.

flag clock.mpc

[DocWheeler]

What is the diameter of the star? 1/4"?
Would the 1/32" carving bit help do the points?

Did the stars come from a jpg, or are they a repeated star pattern?
If from a jpg or other picture, try reducing a clean pattern.

The editor might help, if legal send it to someone to see if it would help.

[dltccf]

I took the star that come with designer and shrunk it down to the same size and it looks cleaner. Perhaps you could use it.

dave

[unitedcases]

I have found with stars I set the depth the same as the background. If that makes sense. I also set the height at 0. Then I play around with turning the entire design and viewing it from different angles and raise it slightly. Til I get the desired effect. With you painting them I wouldn't think they would need to be very high. Just a thought.

[FWMiller]

I can't quite tell from the pic if your starts are recessed or protruding. I created these stars as a pocket cut and they come out very clean for a recessed star. They are not quite as small as yours but could be shrunk pretty easily. I cut them using a 1/16 cutting bit but if you wanted the bottom rounded you could use a 1/16th ball nose cutter.

[DianMayfield]

I wasn't sure which version you are using, so I am just uploading a picture. I have found that some of your wingding fonts do a pretty good job with these small shapes. these are the same size as your flag stars. This one came from Wingdings2.

The first one is using centerline text, I like the effect, but it may not be what you are looking for. The second is using raster. Both are at appox the same depth as your original stars (based on the measurement tool bar at the bottom)
By the way... love the clock, beautiful!

[edzbaker]

This picture was converted to Grayscale, Cleaned, then Vectorized. It can be imported directly into designer, or use the pattern editor. Set bit optimization to BEST, add some draft.
Add the numbers and go from there. It can be inverted if you want the stars to stand out. I haven't carved it, but the stars look clean.

Click the picture, then when it opens, right click and select save picture as .png

Ed

[dehrlich]

This picture was converted to Grayscale, Cleaned, then Vectorized. It can be imported directly into designer, or use the pattern editor. Set bit optimization to BEST, add some draft.
Add the numbers and go from there. It can be inverted if you want the stars to stand out. I haven't carved it, but the stars look clean.

Click the picture, then when it opens, right click and select save picture as .png

Ed

Thanks Ed, that does look like a pretty clean pattern. I will do a test carve with it and see how it works.

[SteveNelson46]

This might help