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It would be great to be able to select an object as “invisible”, removing it from the cutting queue. That way, you could draw multiple sides of an object (or parts requiring multiple boards), and be able to cut only the selected group. I imagine it would be fairly easy to code, a checkbox linking a binary code to each line that tells Easel whether to program the cutting path or to ignore it.
Failing that, the option to have multiple tabs (browser style, not retaining) in a single project so the same multi-sided or multi-board project could be retained in a single file instead of creating multiple copies. Also similar to different worksheets in an MS Excel file.
For a better explanation, consider my hardwood flooring dominoes. There’s 55 dominoes altogether, but you can only cut 22 or so dominoes from each board. It would be nice to be able to make 33 dominoes “invisible” and cut only the selected ones, or to be able to put 22 dominoes on one drawing tab, 22 on another, and the remaining 11 on a third.
Would the concept of layers achieve this ? This would be similar in the way that other graphic programs work. For instance on an inlay project, you could put each part on a separate layer, and then “carve” would be carve all layers, or just the layers you select. The possibility for that to get silly though is great as you might want different bits and cut settings for each layer.
I like the way estlcam works ( and probably v-carve etc), you have a library of bits and cut settings, and you select the bit for a job and the settings are used based on the bit used.
I would also like some kind of option like this. I find I throw up a large piece of MDF and make multiple cuts on it at varying times. Currently I leave the geometry in Easel for reference and just set it to 0 cut depth, but it would be nice to still have it visible while trying to put my new geometry in!
This would be really handy. I’m also setting the depth to 0 on a bunch of parts but then it is a pain to find them again on the canvas and reset them back to the proper depths when I’m done. It’s also a pain to have 3 or 4 Easel “projects” for a single project.
Layers are a cool solution or a “Don’t Cut” checkbox like the “Tabs” option that is currently in the shape properties panel. The “Don’t Cut” shapes could be blue on the canvas to make it obvious which parts have been excluded. Obviously with layers the parts could just disappear like in any graphics application.
@Andy4us That would work, if there was another term to use since I think the “send to back/front/etc” controls are called layers also. Maybe if the objects could be assigned to Collections “1”, “2”, etc., and then the individual collections could be assigned visibility. That would just be a variant of the drawing tabs idea.
@Rusty I considered that, but the idea of having multiple projects in a single file would confuse me down the road.
@mikepilone I’ve set the depth to 0 as well, but for something like the dominoes where there’s several hundred tabs, along with 55 dominoes and 55 dividing lines, setting the different items to different tabs without combining them would be painful.
Ya It can get confusing, I started renaming the Easel files with an identifying number that I also put on the board. It’s more for if I take it off the machine and then need to cut something out I can find out what Easel file to add my new geometry to.
I’m thinking I’ll probably start deleting my Easel files as time goes and just keep the SVGs on my local computer, unless its a fairly intricate design that took a lot of set up time in Easel itself.
My current number system is material thickness - date - sequential number for that day. I’ll probably have to update it to include a material in there at some point, but for the most part I’m just cutting MDF.
It’s still difficult to go back through the files, there’s so many “untitled” projects that keep randomly showing up. I think it adds them when I go to open a project in a second tab and it actually opens two new tabs.
I like it, and would also like the see the Folder feature in Easel that has been discussed.
A related feature that I would like to see is something that makes it easier to flip the work piece in order to cur the back.
For example, you’re cutting a dust shoe, and you need to cut on both sides. Right now you’d have to figure out where to drill alignment holes so that if you flip the piece over and start cutting the other side (whether from a different Easel project, or from the invisible/tab option described above), and you have to get it lined back up exactly.
So, I want to enter the dimensions of the stock (which is already there, but I often lie when I’m cutting a small part from a large piece of stock), and pick some menu item like “Place reference holes for two-sided cutting”, and Easel figures out where the holes go, maybe a hole in each corner. I construct the one side, make a duplicate of the project and flip the components over, keeping the reference holes in the same place, come to think of it, that may need a new menu function as well, I don’t remember if there’s an easy way to do that or not.
For bonus points, deal with 4 sided objects, like a pinewood derby car (to pick something completely at random ), maybe I want to carve on all four sides. Drill reference holes through for the top and bottom and plough grooves left to right so that when I flip it 90 degrees, I know where those should be.
More refinement…
When I hit the “Place reference holes for two-sided cutting” button, not only does it place the reference holes, but it lays down a dull depth cut surrounding the reference holes (and therefore surrounding the entire cutting area).
That way, if I was off a little on the measurement of the stock, it doesn’t matter, because Easel trimmed it up nicely for me.
I sometimes tend to be a bit lazy, that’s why I develop software, to do things for me!
I would love the ability to turn the cut status of items “on” or “off.” That way I could have a piece with multiple tools, or different setups, and turn some of the geometry on and some of it off depending on which part I’m cutting.
It would also help if Easel would ignore geometry that’s outside the material space.
That way I could tile cuts and make much larger projects than my machine can handle.
Layers has got to be the way to go here as it’s pretty standard in Photoshop etc.
If a layer is on, it cuts, if off, it doesn’t. Would make multiple part projects easy. Do the whole design then do one carve for your engraving run. Toggle those layers off and toggle on your cuts. Or lasers, or whatever.
No messing about with multiple projects, retain your zero between passes etc.
), maybe I want to carve on all four sides. Drill reference holes through for the top and bottom and plough grooves left to right so that when I flip it 90 degrees, I know where those should be.