[Randy 101]

So powerful creativecarvingconcepts.net All my knowledge

[DAVEHAUN]

Wow, those are cool, what software do you use to generate the paths from an image?

[Randy 101]

Thank you for you interest Dave. I use photoshop for all my image inhancement and sizing and background out and then I use vertic software. It took me 2 yrs to get my 1st good carving and as they say the rest is history.

[jeffery926]

I'm a 41 year machinist.

Have you ever thought about converting your CNC router to a laser diode engraver? I started out with PhotoVcarve and really struggled to get good results laser engraving shades of grey with it, then changed over to PicEngrave Pro 4 and it's so much easier to use and I get allot better results.

Check out this thread. http://hobbycncart.com/forum/63-151-8

And this one. http://www.cnczone.com/forums/ebay_a..._software.html

Basically it is the same process you are using, except the laser burnt lines are so close together that you can not see them and it gives you 8bit shades of grey like a real B&W photo. No wood dust, screaming spindle, vacuum's to listen to or any staining or sanding.

Picengrave Pro 4 also previews a greyscale image instead of some simulated tool-path which is easier to tell how the engraving will come out.

Download the demo and try it and ask Citrusguy about his Laser Edition. You can rotary engrave wood images, Lithophanes, TTL or Analog laser engravings with it and it's very reasonably priced. It also has image editing tools built into it also, so there is no need for Photoshop. I do everything from photo editing to G-code generation all in one program

[DAVEHAUN]

Photoshop is amazing, my wife is a professional photographer, what she does with it is quite impressive.(http://melissahaun.com/)
While I am sure the laser is better for some applications, I like the texture and rawness of the routing. I only a 15 year machinist, but maybe it's time I started to look for a medium that speaks to me.

[Randy 101]

WOW, those are NICE. I looked into a laser burner when I bought my cnc router, but cost at that time didnt fit. Your right Jeff, that screaming motor at first until I got a 70,000 rpm spindle (much less noise). At first I wondered what I bought, (pvc) but the more I worked with it I started understanding the whole concept behind it. It took me 2 yrs to get my first good pic. I call them valleys (the grooves) and platoes on the orginal wood. And as you know to get a better picture you really have to push the grooves closer and chipping starts. The size of carving is only 7x9 in a 10x12 frame that I make also. Thank you for your input. Be Well

[Randy 101]

Dave I see your wife has found her passion. Tell her NICE work. Photoshop, 2yrs in courses for me to get started, its one of the most powerful softwares, and I have only touched the tip of it, and its so cool to do my photo parodys, cause after I have bought mom and dad everything under the sun, to give them something like santa claus is PRICELESS. I call it upper case verbage, to bang someone chops (nice that is), and they just cheese cause their in the picture.
Be Well

[jeffery926]

Thanks Randy,

I have to say your engravings are very nice also. I still do wood engravings and Lithophanes on my router occasionally and use a Precise Super 65 grinding spindle that runs at 45,000 RPM. Wow, 70,000 RPM spindle is impressive. What brand is it, Excellon? I have used as small as a 1/64" BEM to engrave Lithophanes and was considering buying allot higher RPM spindle so I can cut the engraving time down.

There is a rare occasion I do need to crop out some background before bringing it into PEP4 and I do use Corel Photo Paint X5 for that. One thing I do like about PEP4 over PVC also, it has a border engrave, crop and elliptical crop setting so you don't have do it to the image before bringing it in.

Dave, tell your wife very nice work from me too.