Detail lost from pattern to placement on project

[WIWoodworker]

I have attached the both the pattern and the project. As you can see there is a lot more detail in the pattern than in the project. I didn't resize the pattern at all.

-Brian

[WIWoodworker]

But the pattern did have a lot more detail!

-Brian

[CallNeg151]

I have attached the both the pattern and the project. As you can see there is a lot more detail in the pattern than in the project. I didn't resize the pattern at all.

-Brian

This has been something that is talked about quite a lot here. As you have probably heard, the way that the CarveWright converts an image into a carving is by taking the grayscale value and converting it into a depth (white is deepest, black is no cut, grey shades are inbetween). Given the fact that a photograph is a complex mixture of greyscale values, and you are carving with a 1/16th inch bit, they do not convert very well automatically.

To get best results, take your photograph into a program such as Correl or Xara, and use the vector tools to recreate your photograph in solid grey tones and gradients that will carve smoothly. Export the image as a .png file (.jpg files tend to pick up noise that shows up in carvings), make sure it looks good, and carve away.

Unfortunately this will probably take you a couple of hours to create an image that you like, but the results should be stunning. There's a few tutorials on using Correl with the CarveWright at www.allcw.com. Two are free, and one is $10.

Good luck!

[WIWoodworker]

Only 1/16th straight bit is available, why can't you choose the carving bit, that would provide more detail?

[HandTurnedMaple]

Same thing.

[pkunk]

Only 1/16th straight bit is available, why can't you choose the carving bit, that would provide more detail?

The straight bit is an 1/8" straight while the carving bit is tapered down to a 1/16" ball nose.

[HandTurnedMaple]

Board Settings list both a 1/16" straight bit and an 1/8" straight bit. The 1/16" straight is the same as the provided carving bit, while the 1/8" straight is the cutting bit. I will find the thread from January where Bard explains this.

[HandTurnedMaple]

http://carvewright.com/forum/showthr...?t=1895&page=2

[Charles M]

The way I interpret it is that the 1/16" ball nose listed in the options under Board Settings is the carving bit that is included with the CW. There is also a 1/16" straight listed but even if it were available I would not use it. A solid carbide 1/16" diameter straight bit will break if you breath on it too heavily. Sometime I would prefer to use a bit with less taper than the carving bit but as the taper angle decreases the strength of the cutting flutes also decreases.

[Dan-Woodman]

In the cutting tool list there is a 1/16" straight bit you can choose.
These bits used to be available at Sears, that's where I got mine years ago.
I 'ts a 1/4 " shank,1/16" dia , only about 1/4" cut length, steel bit .