Texture

[signman]

am trying to texture the background of a sign, with raised letters. it does fine in the field but when it comes to the letters texture is higher and in has a ramp look when it gets close to the letters, i do not understanad this, it pockets great with no ramp effect it just goes straight down does its path and then straight up but in the texture mode it makes a little ramp.

[toych]

Cliff, could you post a picture of the area with the ramps.

Darren

[joewino]

What software are you using for creating the texture?

[signman]

HERE ARE SOME PHOTOS, THESE WERE DONE ON SOME SCRAP FOAM AS A TEST. THE SOFTWARE I AM USING IS ASPIRE, UPGRADE FROM PARTWORKS


6128


6129

[jerry_stanek]

it almost looks like you are losing steps in your z as it cuts

[butch]

Check that it isn't tilted. Almost looks like the background image is tilted. I would also look to make sure the letters are not touching the top of the background border.

[signman]

IT IS NOT TILTED,THE LETTERS ARE TOUCHING THE TOP OF THE BACKGROUND BUT THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE WAY THE TEXTUREING IS BEING DONE, IT IS SUPPOSED TO BE DONE LIKE A POCKET AND I CANNOT GET IT TO DO SO, I FORGOT TO MENTION IN THE PREVIOUS POST THAT WHEN THE SPINDLE MOVES DOWN ON Z IT SHOWS ON THE CONTROL COMPUTER THAT IT IS REACHING IT DEPTH BUT IN REALITY IT IS NOT, THEN WHEN IT GETS PAST THE LETTERS IT WILL RESUME THE TEXTURE LIKE IT IS SUPPOSED TO, I AM LIKE THAT LITTLE FISH ON FINDING NEMO, I AM CLUELESS

[Brady Watson]

I'm not a sign maker, but one option would be to texture the entire surface without the letters. Then clear out the area where the letters are to go. Then cut out the letters. Then pop them in place. You are always going to have a 1/2 tool diameter sized cusp at the edge of a vertical wall/letter junction, unless you treat the letters as a separate entity.

You may wish to proof this using blue/pink foam instead of expensive HDU. Keep in mind that all inside & outside corners of the text (pocket AND positive letter 'plugs') need to be radiused, since you can't cut a square inside corner with a round bit. This is not as hard to do as it may sound. Use the filet tool to radius the corners & make sure you leave a small gap (maybe .008") allowance around the letters for glue.

-B

PS - TYPING IN CAPS IS CONSIDERED YELLING ON THE 'NET...

[tmerrill]

Cliff,

Brady offers an excellent solution. All I want to add is if you use the inlay tool in Aspire, and select the same size bit for the letters (male) and base material (female) the software will modify all corners automatically to match. I would cut the letters out with a 0.0" tolerance, but add a 0.005" tolerance when you machine the base (female).

Tim

[joe]

I like the texture affect you've got.

I don't know whay Brady doesn't go to work as a sign artist. He seems to know what to do in this case. As he suggested, do the area clear about 1/2" on the background. Lightly texture, then pocket for the letters. I really like, leaving extra space around my pocketed letters. It looks like an extra step has been taken.

Your doing fine, keep up the good work.

[signman]

thanks for all the good advice, sorry about the all caps posting, did not mean to yell, most of the time i am typing in caps, i am new to the sign biz did not even know what a cnc was two months ago, once again thanks for all of you help, cliff

[Brady Watson]

Cliff,
Keep at it...Persistence is the key to good results!

Joe,
If for nothing else I simply hate sanding and painting...I love doing the artwork & cutting, but not the finishing. I know some people really love the finishing part...so I don't want to take that away from them


-B