[ck cues]

I am a newbie to the forum so I am not sure this is were this should be posted. I build pool cues with a cnc using bob cad. I am looking to convert a logo to a dfx so I can write a program to put it in the cue. i have been looking at corell draw, before I spend the money on it I just thought I would see if someone else had a better idea.
Thanks,
Chris

[Kidder Design]

chris,

How involved is the logo?

There are a few different programs out there to do what you want, but each one has its strengths and weaknesses.

The logo, converted to vector, will certainly need some clean-up as well.

~Kevin

[ck cues]

The logo is fairly involved and I have had another person tell me it will take some clean up I am not for sure what that means but I will figure it out when I get there. I guess I should have elaborated I am using bobcad to draw my designs and the mill uses mach 3 as the controller. It is true four axis and I am sure the machine is capable of a lot more than what I know at this point but I am trying to learn. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
Chris

[jalessi]

Chris,

Can you email the logo?

Jeff...

[ck cues]

Here is the logo
http://i217.photobucket.com/albums/c...s/IMG_4318.jpg

[Kidder Design]

I am not familiar with Bobcad, so I am afraid that I will be of little help on that front.
The vector and file conversion is more of my expertise.

~Kevin

[Kidder Design]

try this:

http://kidderdesign.com/cue-logo.dxf

[jalessi]

Kevin,

That was super fast and really clean,

Tell me what did software did you use?


Jeff...

[SBC Cycle]

I am a newbie to the forum so I am not sure this is were this should be posted. I build pool cues with a cnc using bob cad. I am looking to convert a logo to a dfx so I can write a program to put it in the cue. i have been looking at corell draw, before I spend the money on it I just thought I would see if someone else had a better idea.
Thanks,
Chris

Chris,

I just recently bought Corel Draw. My old method for converting a logo was using the "Insert Object" command in BobCAD and simply tracing with the "Continuous" line function. Sort of a brute force method but it was easier than the countless hours trying to clean up a raster to vector conversion file and less chance of missing tiny 0.001" lines that will have your machine bouncing around.

Since using Corel Draw, I won't be going back to tracing. I still haven't gotten the hang of it but I've paid for the Corel already with just 5 jobs that took minutes as opposed to an hour or more. Do you need software that expensive? Maybe not. Will you regret paying it? No way.

[ck cues]

try this:

http://kidderdesign.com/cue-logo.dxf

ok so I am going to copy this code to my jumpstick and then upload it into bobcad select and do my nc command like normal? sorry first time trying something like this.
Thanks,
Chris

[ck cues]

Chris,

I just recently bought Corel Draw. My old method for converting a logo was using the "Insert Object" command in BobCAD and simply tracing with the "Continuous" line function. Sort of a brute force method but it was easier than the countless hours trying to clean up a raster to vector conversion file and less chance of missing tiny 0.001" lines that will have your machine bouncing around.

Since using Corel Draw, I won't be going back to tracing. I still haven't gotten the hang of it but I've paid for the Corel already with just 5 jobs that took minutes as opposed to an hour or more. Do you need software that expensive? Maybe not. Will you regret paying it? No way.

what corell draw did you buy? there are so many different ones I was looking at corell draw 9 or corell draw x4.
Thanks,
Chris

[Al_The_Man]

This shows a method using Corel Trace.
http://www.torchmate.com/assistance/convert.htm
Al.

[SBC Cycle]

what corell draw did you buy? there are so many different ones I was looking at corell draw 9 or corell draw x4.
Thanks,
Chris

I got the Graphics Suite X4. One of my favorite parts of it is a utility called "What the Font?". Window select a portion of text in a graphics file and it will automatically suggest a font that is similar or an exact match. If it is successful, I will often just delete any of the lettering in the logo and replace it with actual text from BobCAD and manipulate it through there (smash text). It gives me cleaner code.

I downloaded the dxf that Kevin posted and opened it in BC V21. Select all, Reorganize, cleanup and optimize. It looked like there were some duplicate lines (arrows going different directions in the contour), so I selected all again, Reorganize, Erase doubles. Then I used the cleanup and optimize function again and it looked good. Insert NC, select all geometry, changed my Up/Down settings, and then pressed auto-cut. Really clean G-code, Kevin's file was excellent.

You may have to play with the Chain gap settings and your General Accuracy settings if the tool lifts too many times on what should be a continuous contour. My settings are 0.0005 for the Chain gap and 0.00004 for the GA and it came out really nice. Hope this helps.

[dertsap]

have you looked at inkscape ,its free and works well for tracing that kind of stuff http://www.inkscape.org/

[SBC Cycle]

This shows a method using Corel Trace.
http://www.torchmate.com/assistance/convert.htm
Al.

That's a great link Al. I'll be using that often for some pointers while I figure this software out.

My method is to buy that clear sheet stuff that the teachers used in school for the overhead projector. Using a fine tip marker I will trace out the image so I only have to deal with the portions of the logo that I need.

[ck cues]

I am sure I seem dumb but I will need to resize the logo to fit should this be done in correl draw or bobcad. also if I decided I wanted to wrap it around the cue would I do it like normal,run it up my y axis and when I do my nc put it in align 3d. I looked at the correl draw website and you can download and play with x4 for 15 days. Kevin if you read this I would like to know what software you are using.
Thanks,
Chris

[SBC Cycle]

have you looked at inkscape ,its free and works well for tracing that kind of stuff http://www.inkscape.org/

Inkscape is good stuff too and you can't beat free. I have had varying degrees of success with it. It was my experience with Inkscape that allowed me to jump right into Corel and get quick results. If I had more time to master Inkscape it might have worked out, but my money was well spent with the Corel X4.

[Kidder Design]

I used Photoshop and Illustrator
It is pretty much the standard in the design business.
Corel is a little old-skool, but it does have its following.

~Kevin

[Switcher]

Kidder Design,

Which one actually made the DXF, Photoshop or Illustrator?

Or will both export as DXF?

Thanks.


.

[SBC Cycle]

I am sure I seem dumb but I will need to resize the logo to fit should this be done in correl draw or bobcad. also if I decided I wanted to wrap it around the cue would I do it like normal,run it up my y axis and when I do my nc put it in align 3d. I looked at the correl draw website and you can download and play with x4 for 15 days. Kevin if you read this I would like to know what software you are using.
Thanks,
Chris

I would use BobCAD. Select All, Special/NC - Verify to view the bounds. Use the translate function to center it on X and Y. Then use the translate function again to scale it on X0, Y0.

As far as how to wrap it around the cue, there are different ways of accomplishing this. BC V21 has a utility for this in the NC side of the software under Setup - Conversion. It will replace the Y values for an A value (degrees for the 4th axis) based on the radius of the part you are machining, the pool cue. Note, I haven't actually used this feature yet, but I think that's the way it's supposed to work in theory