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wayne_g
08-11-2003, 02:35 PM
I am a High School Crafts teacher who has had a Shopbot in the classroom for 2 years. It came with the Vector software. My students primarily like to make signs. The students have been using the included typsetter with good results, but would like to lay out signs of more than one line with the graphics included. They are not CAD proficient - only taking a basic crafts class. We bought Part Wizard and Vector Mega Art when it came out, but every time I try to use it I get frustrated and give up. If anyone has made up simple step by step instructions for laying out signs and cutting them with a V bit with Part Wizard, I would appreciate the help. We also have used an old version of Corel Draw with Vector Mega Art. The problem with that approach is the number of conversions and steps involved in reaching a final product and the fact that the fonts seem to be cut in outline rather than fully cut out. Thanks for any help

bjwat@comcast.net
08-12-2003, 11:22 AM
Wayne,
When V-Carving in PartWizard, you have to pay attention to a few things. First, make sure that you have enough material so that the bit will not go through the bottom skin. You should make adjustments in your tool library to accurately define the tool you will be using. Secondly, you can only v-carve text that is in red...as I'm sure you already know.

Don't give up on your Mega Art collection. Import EPS files by going to File-Import Vector Data. Once you have it on the screen you can edit it by ungrouping it or using the Transform function.

When using Corel, make sure that you have the latest patch, if applicable to your version by checking the download area. Also, when you save your creations, make sure that you save them in .AI format. This seems to be the best way to pull things in from Corel.

If I could give you any advice...It would be to play with the software a bit. I find that the Transform function is probably the most useful when positioning things in relation to each other. Try to work from the bottom left corner and measure from there...I often use a rectangle of known dimensions (or several) to help with the layout.

One of the things that really frustrated me when 1st using PW was that it kept telling me that there were open vectors and that it couldn't make a toolpath. I found that you have to zoom all the way in when joining vectors to each other. You'd be suprised how far off they really are after you zoom in.

Play, play and play some more...Learn the short-cut keys by paying attn when using the right-click or menu selections. Short-cuts are displayed next to each item.

Hope that helps.

-Brady

wayne_g
08-12-2003, 01:22 PM
Thanks to Brady for the tips. I will be at school tommorow trying my hand again at Part Wizard. Thanks also to Frank Smith, Technical Support of ShopBot Tools for the concise directions he emailed to me.

gerald_d
08-12-2003, 02:11 PM
Brady, you mention having to zoom in to join vectors . . . . . . . surely there is an automatic way to do that if PW is a CAM program?

(I don't know PW, but I do know that CAM programs can generally do the tidying up automatically - in "Vector" it is the "Trim" facility)

bjwat@comcast.net
08-12-2003, 06:06 PM
Gerald,
I usually just use BobCAD to do most of my vector work and bring it into PW. It's very similar to Vector in the way that it works...The owner's are brothers apparently. However on occasion when using PW, I have to zoom in. Sometimes it's a real pain. I wish there was a snap-to or trim function in there!

-Brady

vcabinet
05-02-2004, 06:34 PM
I am new to shopbot and parts wizard. Am Good with turbocad. Could somebody help me set up a cut path for a cabinet side. I am able to cut out the outside of part. Can't drill for the 5mm holes for hinge and shelf pins. It cuts around the hole not the center. Cant figure out the path for the 1/4" dado I need.

beacon14
05-02-2004, 10:07 PM
gary,

The tool section of Part Wizard has separate tools for profiling, drilling, pocketing, and "machining along vectors". You've apparently already used the profiling tool to cut the perimeter of the part.
What you need to do is use the drilling tool for the holes, and the pocketing tool for the dado (you could also use "machine along vector" for the dado, if your bit is the same diameter as the dado width.
The "secret", if you can call it that, is to select only the perimeter of the part for creating the outside cut using the profiling tool, then select only the holes and use the drilling tool for those (I'm assuming here that you will change to a 5mm drill bit for this part of the tool path - you could use a 3/16" or 1/8" router bit with the profiling tool, but that would require a tool change anyway, as I can't see cutting the perimeter with a bit that small), then do 1 of 2 things for the dado: 1) draw the dado not as 2 parallel lines, but as a rectangle, and use the pocketing tool to clean out the interior of the rectangle (I like to draw the rectangle longer than the part, so the router will run past the edge of the part instead of leaving rounded inside corners for you to clean out by hand), or 2) draw the dado as a single line, centered on the dado, then use the "machine along vectors" tool to run the bit along the line, using a bit the same diameter as the dado width.
I hope this helps - feel free to e-mail me if you need more specific help

ckurak
05-03-2004, 10:03 AM
Gary,

I agree with David, and would like to add a few more thoughts.

1) I use a 5mm bit for the "drilling" of the holes.

2) For the 35mm hinge hole I use a smaller bit (smaller than 35mm!) and select "Area Clear" to build my tool path. When you select the tool (router bit) for the clearing option, Part Wizard will ask you if you want to "Start From:" "Outside" or "Inside". Select Inside. When you click on "Calculate" you should be able to easily see your toolpaths inside the 35mm hole.

3) If you cannot select "only" the perimeter of the part by itself, but get *all* of the pieces selected (perimeter, shelfpin holes, hinge holes, etc.), then do the following: a) select the part you want, b) look under the "Vector Editing" section of Part Wizard, c) if the icon next to the "Ungroup" command is highlighted then check "Ungroup", d) deselect everything (just click somewhere on the background), and e) select only the item you want to work on.

4) Grouping items together is extremely handy for things like nesting of parts. This will keep the perimeter, shelfpin holes, hinge holes, dadoes, etc. together in relationship to each other. Then you can manually nest multiple panel parts. You can even copy and paste parts if you need exact duplicates. I often use the "Transform" tool to rotate some parts 90 degrees for better nesting. (Keep in mind grain direction if necessary.) However, after nesting, when it is time for building the toolpaths, I ungroup all of the parts (SAVE the file first, just in case), then regroup them into like parts. For example, I may group all of the shelf pin holes across all of the panels into a single group. Then I build their toolpath with the "Drilling" option. Next, I may group all of the dadoes, etc.

5) I believe that the order in which you add something to a group will determine the cutting order in the toolpath. This may or may not be what you really want. Try experimenting with the ShopBot Previewer to see if you get what you want in the order you want it. Saves lots of time and material!

6) Cut the perimeters LAST. This will help with parts hold-down. You can do this when you save the toolpath file (Save Toolpaths).

Hope this helps,

Charles