Wooden Gears Issues

[MrUserfriendly]

I have made a wooden gear. I scanned an actual gear in photoshop, then outlined the image and blackened the gear. Next, I imported the 2-dimensional image of the gear into a carvewright file. I used material that was .75" thick and 1.75 in wide. I placed this on the end of the board. even though the widths of my board were accurate, I was asked if I want to scale. I had choices of abort or continue with scaling. Even though I did not
want to scale, I continued anyway because the gear will still work OK if it is a little bit smaller.


I told it to carve .700" deep. It carved a gear, however, the gear is tapered in the thickness direction. I really wanted the gear to be uniform in the thickness direction. Any suggestions on how to keep it even so that I get a uniform gear? Attached is the bmp file that I generated in photoshop.

This is about my 5th or so carving. I think I have the hang of it. I have read a lot of postings of other people. I get the impression that more people use Corel than Photoshop. I find this hard to imagine, unless it is just that Corel is easier to use. I always believed that Photoshop is the Cadillac and Corel is a Chevy. It takes some know-how to use Photoshop. I have used Photoshop well over 13 years. The thought of downgrading to Corel, and having to learn Corel's idiosyncracies is not what I have in mind but I am willing to do so if I can better use my carving machine. Photoshop is the industry standard for the printing industry.

This thread is about making wooden gears, but I also want to know from someone authoritative on an opinion about Photoshop vs Corel. Thank you in advance.

Incidentally, I think the CarveWright is awesome. I have a CNC vertical mill and to me writing a carving in the CarveWright software is much easier than programming in G-code. The Carvewright people have done a good job. I have ordered the scanner and can not wait until it arrives.

[cajunpen]

If you are used to Photoshop and already have it - then by all means you are ahead of the game. Most of us have gone to Corel because of the price difference AND the learning curve (Corel vs. Photoshop). Both programs will accomplish the same thing.

As for your gear, did you allow for the 3.5" overhang on either end of your actual board size. This keeps your work under the rollers at all times. I suspect that by putting the carving on the end of the board you may have had more pressure on one end, causing the tapering effect.

[CallNeg151]

I told it to carve .700" deep. It carved a gear, however, the gear is tapered in the thickness direction. I really wanted the gear to be uniform in the thickness direction. Any suggestions on how to keep it even so that I get a uniform gear? Attached is the bmp file that I generated in photoshop.

Hmmm... Here is my guess- I guess that you used the 1/16th inch carving bit. If that is the case, there is no way to avoid the taper, because that is the shape of the bit- it tapers from 1/16th to 1/8th inch.

What you will want to do is use the "Outline Pattern" option to create a vector path around your gear, and then cut the path. Flip the cut, if needed, so that the subtracted material is on the outside of the cut. The cut will be done with the 1/8th inch cutting bit, and will not be tapered.

[MrUserfriendly]

Prrior to reading your response, I tried using the 1/8" straight bit. It cut fine, however; the hole is oversized and the gear-teeth are pointed instead of
rounded. I will try the "outline pattern" next as you have suggested.

[Charles M]

I have made one gear (so far) and did it as CallNeg151 suggested: In Designer, outline the pattern, choose Cut Path and flip the cut. The 1/8" bit will be used to cut around the gear and leave about 4 tabs uncut to hold the gear to the rest of the board. Also, you will get better results with a clean PNG or GIF file than with a JPEG and the higher the resolution the better.

[Jon Jantz]

Mr UserFriendly.... not an authority, but will give you my two pesos. As far as Corel and Photoshop go, you can do very well with Photoshop. The tools you use to tweak a bitmap are pretty basic and either program has way more capability than needed to prepare a bitmap for Designer. There is no need to move over to Corel if you are proficient in Photoshop...

For adding beveling to letters, creating logos, and even making the gear cutouts, it is very beneficial to have a vector program. I design about 90% of my projects in CorelDraw, but I also have Illustrator. Either one will do the same thing, as you again are just using basic tools. Being a Photoshop guru, you would probably prefer Illustrator.

As far as one being a Cadillac and one a Chevy, it's like this. Both programs have way more tools and capabilities than most normal users will ever use, unless you operate the program all day every day. I find Coreldraw's tools more intuitive, and they have evolved faster than Illustrator. But Illustrator is still the preferred program by Graphic Designers.

I am a part of a sign forum that has many of the designers whose signs you see every month in Sign Business, Signs of the Times, and Signcraft. Even among these people it is divided about 50/50 CorelDraw and Illustrator.

So to answer your question in short form: "It doesn't matter." Go with what you are most familiar with and what you can afford.

Edited to add: I'm attaching a quicky sign I'm making this morning. It's for my dad and is his logo. He sells steel buildings, so the beams will be hollowed out like I-beam, with the lettering suspended in the middle. This took me about 15 minutes in Coreldraw, drawing it up from scratch.

[CallNeg151]

Prrior to reading your response, I tried using the 1/8" straight bit. It cut fine, however; the hole is oversized and the gear-teeth are pointed instead of
rounded. I will try the "outline pattern" next as you have suggested.

Definately. You don't want to cut the gear out in raster mode (sweeping from side to side like a printer), you want to use the cut out or router path tool to actually follow the vector path to cut the gear. The sides will be even, AND it will be many times faster (much less cutting to do).

Just so you can see it, I threw together (under 5 minutes) a board that shows you the steps.

[MrUserfriendly]

I tried using the 1/8" straight bit and my bit broke in the middle of carving the gear. I have bits on order from over 2 weeks ago that I think are not due for quite a while. I have removed one of the set-screws. The other is not so easy and has some WD-40 soaking it loose. I'll try in a while.

While I am waiting for my bits can anyone tell me where to get a plunge-bit that I can replace inside the holder while I am waiting for my order of bits. At that rate, I will not be able to test the good suggestions for a while. After I remove the second set-screw, I will replace it with a better screw. ALternately, someone please send me a private email if you have a solution for a 1/8" straight bit to lower my waiting time. Thank you in advance.

I know this is on other postingss - but I tried a search and did not find it

[CallNeg151]

I tried using the 1/8" straight bit and my bit broke in the middle of carving the gear. I have bits on order from over 2 weeks ago that I think are not due for quite a while. I have removed one of the set-screws. The other is not so easy and has some WD-40 soaking it loose. I'll try in a while.

While I am waiting for my bits can anyone tell me where to get a plunge-bit that I can replace inside the holder while I am waiting for my order of bits. At that rate, I will not be able to test the good suggestions for a while. After I remove the second set-screw, I will replace it with a better screw. ALternately, someone please send me a private email if you have a solution for a 1/8" straight bit to lower my waiting time. Thank you in advance.

I know this is on other postingss - but I tried a search and did not find it

I'm sorry to hear about breaking the 1/8th inch bit. I hope it wasn't my sample pattern that killed you. One thing you must do when doing cutouts within 3.5 inches of the edge of a project is select the "keep under rollers" option. If you do not, the board will tend to buckle, and the cutting blade will end up trying to drive through the full width of the board because the cutting passes do not line up perfectly.

Someone else was short a cutter bit, and managed to use a RotoZip bit:
http://www.carvewright.com/forum/sho...9&postcount=10
but found that it was more prone to breakage (but cheap to replace).

Anyway- How to get your bit out of the holder:

The bit is held in by the screws and by loctite. Hold the bit with a pair of pliers, or in a vice, or something so that you can apply some heat to it with a heat gun or something similar. This will melt the loctite a little bit. Remove the retaining screws with the allen wrench. The bit will still be stuck in place. Using a small hammer and punch, you should be able to drive the bit out of the holder by gently tapping the shank end. The holder can then be re-used.

Good luck.

[Dan-Woodman]

1/8" cutting bits are available at most any mail order woodworking catalog or online.
The problem is they don't cut 1" deep like the carvwright bit. Which now we know why 1" cutting bits ane not available( they break) 1/8" solid carbide is too brittle to cut 1" deep.
An alternative would be to get a 1/8" bit that cts 1/2" deep and cut from both sides.
Pricecutter, Woodline, MLCS, all have 1/8" cutting bits 1/4" shank, 1/2" cutting depth.