I want to cut a sign that is 54 inches wide. Since the X-Carve is only 29.5 inches, I need to cut the design into four sections, or “pizza” slices. Does anyone know how to do this? I cannot find any information on it. I am sharing the project, but essentially I need to cut the VFW logo into four sections that will fit together for the whole. I think I can do the eagle and middle bits as a separate cut and fit in in the middle, but the outer sections…any thoughts? [Easel - VFW Post Sign]
The process is called Tiling, search that and you will find some good info and some videos from Paw Paws workshop.
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That is a tough logo. How about cut the center circle as one piece and then cut the outer pieces? It will be more sections but the seams will be on the outside of the circle. I have done this logo a few times out of vinyl but have yet to cut it on the XCarve.
Good Luck
Russell
Hey Robert. I reworked your file so that you can carve everything inside your 29.5" workspace. I assumed this is a square sign with the logo centered on it. I think the best way to do this on your machine is to cut everything out and then glue it in place on a square piece of wood. This is how I would do it anyways, I hope it helps.
Here is a link to the Easel file: Easel - VFW SIGN
There are 8 workpieces. The first 3 are just for reference and the last 5 are the ones you carve. I added notes to the workpieces explaining what I would do. I don’t have a homing switch so my directions are for carving without one.
I had to make the logo 52 inches instead of 54 so that the middle circle would fit inside your X-Carve. That way you can cut the whole center out of a single piece of wood.
Should be pretty straight forward, good luck!
-Luke
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Luke, I appreciate all your hard work! I may attempt to make it your way, but if I may: I am pouring colored epoxy in the sections that have been given depth, and using the outline as a “frame” at zero depth for the piece. What I am trying to do is figure out how I can cut these pieces in 4 sections and somehow register them so that when I put the four sections together and then I can add the center piece to cover the registration “tabs” or something. Am I making sense? Again, I do appreciate your hard work though.
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ahhh yea my file isn’t ideal for that. Thats gonna be a badass sign! Which of the workpieces in the Easel file you shared are your referring to? One is positive and one is negative. I have some ideas if its the second workpiece. Seems like you could do the first one my way then pour epoxy over it.
Can you explain this a little more?
I think I figured out what you are trying to do.
Check this out: Easel - Separated Logo
In hindsight it probably wasn’t ideal to let the sections end in the middle letters.
Thank you! That is more what I was thinking! The idea was sorta like a pizza cut into four slices with the center being a circle that was cut to a depth of 1/2" so the center part could be laid in. I’m thinking cutting the whole middle circle as a separate operation and laying it in the middle of the…I don’t know what to call them. The striped pattern portions on the outside? The whole sign would be cutout in the shape of the logo, so I’m thinking of taking what you’ve done and somehow making a through cut (maybe 1/2" border) around each section that doesn’t interfere with registration. Do you know how I could make a boarder that isn’t symmetrical? It would need to be zero clearance on the inside for everything to register. I’m thinking of using 3/4" MDF for this. Any advice is welcome, I’m still new. I still appreciate all your efforts!
Easiest to just eyeball the border in easel with the pen tool.
I did my best to make them all fit together correctly but you’ll probably have to do a little sanding because the it was really hard to make sure the corner edges on each border land at the same spot as the section it butts up against.
Luke,
I think I may have figured it out with your help! Thank you. I don’t know if it will work or not. But here is what I have so far: Easel - VFW Post Sign
I’m going to cut 4 of the outsides, and then hope it all fits. Any thoughts?
I don’t think that is going to turn out how you want. The logo is not symmetrical so if you cut 4 of the same outer quarter they will not fit. Even if you rotate the logo 90, 180, and 270 degrees to try to cut each unique quadrant, they still wont fit right because you’re rotating about a point that is not the center of the inner circle.
These are some big and long carves and it would suck to waste 10+ hours and a lot of material. I tweaked the logo so that you can just cut 4 of the same thing and they will all fit together: Easel - VFW Symmetrical
Everything else had to be adjusted slightly to fit right so if you use my file make sure to cut everything from there.
IMG_4887.HEIC (2.3 MB)
VFW-Sign-Prototype-1.0.HEIC (2.5 MB)
Luke,
Almost symmetrical. However, that’s not too much of an issue. I can hide that behind the circle somehow. My machine keeps going off path, and I don’t understand why so I am at a holding point. I cut the center piece and on the very last 0.1% it dove off path again. I think I need a new controller board since it’s happened on other projects. The 8-1/2 hour detail cut was fine. Then this on the final stroke of the cutout:
IMG_9126.HEIC (1.2 MB)
Hey Robert, how did your sign turn out? Got any pics?
Puzzle it out, lucky I was reading the post. I was headed the same direction
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Having the same issue?
Robert do you know how to tile in your project??
Guys, his last login was 13 months ago, and the last post was this thread in August 2020.
I doubt he’s going to update with photos or revive the 18 month old thread about tiling…
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guess no body looks at the dates, including me .
thanks Seth
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Sorry Seth. I was just curious lol.
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