Archive through May 31, 2001

[cbradshaw]

Can anyone tell me how to make my signs have the wood grain look? I am cutting raised letter signs.

Thanks,

Carroll

[David Blair]

Carroll

Not an easy task. There are many approaches that can be taken. The way I do it is as follows:
I use Rhino V2 bring in a bitmap of a wood plank (found in windows bitmap images). Rhino can create a 3d relief of the wood. Now I have the background for the wood grain. I create my lettering and raise it above the background. I then make my frame around the sign. I save it as a stl format. Open it in RAMS software, apply a 3d toolpath to it and generate a shopbot file..
Total time to design about 10 minutes. Cutting time will vary depending on size. It is cut as a 3d sign which takes longer. Hope this helps.

[cbradshaw]

David,

Thanks for the advice. I do not have Rhino, but maybe one of my programs will do the same thing.

Carroll

[davenadeau]

Hi Carroll,
Another alternative is to use a round bottom cutter to remove the background material in parallel passes behind your letters. Using the round bottom cutter instead of a flat end mill will leave a series of parallel ridges in the background. Of course the ridges are not undulating and irregular like woodgrain, but the effect is similar, easy to do with software you may already have, and an interesting "artistic variation" on the woodgrain look.
Dave

[cbradshaw]

Dave,

Thanks for the feedback, I will give it a try.

Carroll

[danhamm@abccom.bc.ca]

When I get a chance Carrol I will send you the
steps to make a wood grain background or foreground for your raised letter signs..

[cbradshaw]

Thanks Dan, I will be on the look out for it.

Carroll