Hello all, brand new here so go easy on me. I’ve made a couple simple carvings and acrylic cutouts to start. But my friend. Wants an acrylic etched led sign. He sent me a pic of his racing number. When I selected image trace I captured everything in the photo. Is there a way to isolate just the graphic I’m trying to cut? Thanks from a very green 2 week old beginner
Do you have Inkscape?
No I do not. Again sorry for being so green. But if you don’t mind, What is Inkscape?
Inkscape is an open source vector graphics program. it is free to download and use.
you will find that it comes in very handy when making files for use with your cad/cam programs.
Thanks a lot I really appreciate it. I am checking it out now. Basically I need the numbers below only.
Inkscape is a great tool to learn. It will do just what you are looking for using the Trace bitmap tool.
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Quite overwhelming but I’m messing around with the program. And it is insane what all it can do. So I tried using the pen tracing tool and matched the curves and all. I went line to line or node to node as it said. But when I go to copy the image it only copies one of the line segments as if they are not all touching. And I double checked when I traced from line segment to line segment. So I’m a little lost at the moment. Shocker I know
For something like that, I’d first just look for the same font.
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for just tracing the numbers it would take like two minutes with inkscape.
Just import the picture use the pen tool and trace the outline of the numbers.
tweak the curves to match and then join the nodes to complete.
really easy once you try.
Here is quick Youtube tutorial on using the bitmap trace. It creates paths out of images.
ok great thanks everyone. I’ve got the sign laid out. Going with single flute 1/16th depth at easel settings for acrylic. Here goes nothing
ok I got the design and everything was looking great. it only cut part of the bottom out. the regular display has everything laid out perfectly but in the detailed preview it is missing pieces… very frustrating for a 10x10 inch thick block of acrylic. any reason why that happened? or how to fix the bottom piece? I still have it clamped in the same spot and the rest of the sign looks perfect. damn…
From what I can see in the preview, it looks like the bit is too large for the letters at the bottom
Phil that’s exactly what it was thank you. Last question then I will put this topic to bed. When it finishes and I have to change bits to a small bit to get all the details. 1. Is there a way to delete the things already carved and just focus on the section that requires a smaller bit? And lastly after changing the bit do I have to not only zero Z bit do I have to bring the bit to the front left edge again as well for x/ y zero? I’ve seen people discuss it here and there but wasn’t very clear.
And thanks again everyone for all the help. Truly appreciated
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At the top where you select your bit, there is a little + symbol. If you click on that, you can select a second, detail, bit to finish carving the areas that the larger roughing bit can’t reach. Easel will automatically ignore the areas it knows your roughing bit can/did already carve.
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At the end of the first stage, the spindle should return to the raised home position. After you change the bit, you’ll need to re-zero your z.
Be sure to use the simulate function to check that your bits will reach all of your design.
Ok update I watched the videos which were very helpful. And the first time I tried to carve it. I went 2 flute up cut and finished with 1/16th dovetail for the finish pass. The top carved great but the bottom didn’t cut as the detailed preview had shown. Any clue why? I will post pics below. Then the 2nd attempt I tried same 2 flute up cut and finished with 60 degree. Rough cut up top was fine then same lack of detail to the bottom and then the bit kinda went haywire up top making passed out of lines. I made sure the piece didn’t shift and manually zeroed each time to the left corner top of material with bit barely touching. So yes the frustration is mounting. I did the design on Inkscape. But I pulled the bottom racing logo of the web into easel via image trace. Would that or could that cause the bottom issue? From a far it looks ok but if you zoom in it is definitely not like the detailed preview as above. Thanks for letting me vent.
the pic with the double lines up top out of path was the rough at 1/8 with finish with 69 degree. Both with easel settings for speeds and depth.
60 degree I meant. Instead of image trace would bitmap trace be better for the logo on bottom? Even though detailed preview showed it perfectly on image trace?