Need drawing to DXF file help

Hi guys, I know nothing about cnc or programing. But here is what I need
My sister passed due to covid, and a friend has a CNC machine. He is willing to make a tombstone for my sister, also his friend
But we do not have a DXF file. To b honest, I do not know what that is. I joined this forum in hopes of getting someone to help me get to where I need to be.
Free is always good but nothing in life is free. So compensation is not out of the question.
Below is what I designed. the font is wanted but is optional if not doable.
the overall height is 48'' width to be determined to make the writting work ouy [24'']
this will be 3 sheets of metal the 2 outside sheets will be cut out and the center sheet will be solid
outside sheet color is powder coat black inner sheet is blue


So, what do you think? Thank you for looking.
Brad.

Hi,
may I suggest Fusion 360. Its free to hobbyists and start-ups.

It will do CAD and CAM. In particular it has a text function which allows you to compose text, apply as desired font and desired size and it will generate
Gcode necessary to cut the text with a CNC machine.

Craig

If your engraving letters onto a tombstone then you will probably need a diamond v cutter or V bit. Never seen one in diamond but the wood equivalent is common.
So the machine plunges the bit to various depths which changes the width. This is a common sign making technique using vectric software.
I would imagine the machine would require water on the bit, high stiffness and a large heavy table to hold the part. Possibly the machine sits on the part?
In the end it might be easier and cheaper to find someone with this equipment to cut this design.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Hi,
I've have some 4mm diamond coated tools that I bought locally from a diamond tooling supplier specialising in the building industry. The tool is hollow so that coolant can be put
through the tool. I myself use flood cooling and that have proven more than adequate. You need coolant otherwise the diamond grains get hot and come away from the sintered substrate,
there's a good reason any monumental stone masons is always swilling in water.

I use them on glass mainly and can cut a 2mm deep x 4mm wide slot in glass at about 50mm/min.

Craig

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Dean448

If your engraving letters onto a tombstone then you will probably need a diamond v cutter or V bit. Never seen one in diamond but the wood equivalent is common.
So the machine plunges the bit to various depths which changes the width. This is a common sign making technique using vectric software.
I would imagine the machine would require water on the bit, high stiffness and a large heavy table to hold the part. Possibly the machine sits on the part?
In the end it might be easier and cheaper to find someone with this equipment to cut this design.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

---

Thank you for the response. the tombstone will be 3 - 5/16 sheets of steel , The outer sheets will have the letters cut out the center sheet will be a soild sheet

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by joeavaerage

Hi,
may I suggest Fusion 360. Its free to hobbyists and start-ups.

It will do CAD and CAM. In particular it has a text function which allows you to compose text, apply as desired font and desired size and it will generate
Gcode necessary to cut the text with a CNC machine.

Craig

---

Thanks Greg. I am looking into this.. Did i mention that I am completely code or programing ignorant? illiterate is the better word
I down loaded the hobbyist program what is a Gcode?

Hi,
slotting right through 5/16 steel is going to take some doing, cutting steel is very demanding of the CNC machine.

You might be able to use a 1/8 tool and take several passes to cut right through, other than that you'll need a larger diameter tool, say 3/16, 1/4,
and even then you'll still have to take multiple passes, you cannot slot through in one pass.

I suspect it would be easier, faster and cheaper to get the steel laser cut, you generate the artwork and the laser company would take it from there.

Craig

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by odorf

Thank you for the response. the tombstone will be 3 - 5/16 sheets of steel , The outer sheets will have the letters cut out the center sheet will be a soild sheet

---

Do you mean Stainless steel, steel will deteriorate over time

My condolences for the loss of your sister.

Do you have any idea what the font is? Looks something like an Old English or Old German font. Creating a DXF file is not a big problem once we know what the font is. I looked through all of the fonts on my computer and didn't find anything that exactly matched, but there are many available for download. When cutting out lettering you have to be a bit careful with the font used, the small details have to remain attached to the main body of the material, can't have loose pieces.

I do agree with Craig, laser or water jet cutting would be the best way of doing this. Relatively inexpensive to do. Chewing this out on a CNC machine with a rotary cutter would be a long painful process.

DXF allows you to capture and transfer 2d geometry between cad systems. You can convert text to lines and curves in a DXF but the special CAM software is needed to raise and lowers the bit to create this look. So having this old English font is only part of the solution. Because cutting this font at a constant depth will not look correct.
Any machine and any typical CAM software can cut the oval shape because the depth is constant. Don’t recall if the hobby version of Fusion 360 has the ability to V carve.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

If u give me the right font i can help u with all u need . Just need the font , and the size in metric , so i can scale to size .