Help with sign design & material.

[gundog]

My Daughter In-Law wants me to make her a sign for their new house with their address. She really likes country style stuff and she likes chickens so I was thinking of putting their name and address on the sign with a silhouette of a rooster.

I would like to V carve the sign. Where can I find a silhouette of a rooster and what type wood should I use?

Thanks Mike

[knight_toolworks]

Just hunt around for a jpg of a rooster and import it into vcarve. off hand I don't think I have any. actually I do
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/1939753/Rooster.eps
but it is easy to find what you are after. I would use pine or depending on what color a tropical hardwood. ipe works well purpleheart and sepelle are all a decent price and hold up well.

[gundog]

I tried this one I found but when I traced the bit map it did not do very well. How do I get this into vectors for Vcarving?

Thanks Mike

[myxpykalix]

Go here:
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/general_metalwork_discussion/19346-share_your_files_part_art.html

click on "last" for last page since the thread is over 500 pages long and ask and you should get a response in a few minutes. It's always active there.

or go here:
http://www.cnczone.com/forums/misc.php?do=showattachments&t=19346
and go down the list

http://all-free-download.com/free-vector/free-rooster-vector-art.html

this one is only $10.00 and you could give it more detail yourself
http://www.vectorart3d.com/store/index.cfm?Fuseaction=Detail&ID=50021

[steve_g]

Michael

Is this any thing like what you're looking for?

Steve

oops... you said silhouette, so I added one...

[gundog]

Michael

Is this any thing like what you're looking for?

Steve

oops... you said silhouette, so I added one...

The first one is what I had in mind I want some detail for a Vcarve sign. How did you get the detail from that picture?

Thanks Mike

[steve_g]

email me at stevedotglasselatsgmfgdotcom I'll send you the file I created from the art work.

Some day I'll post the V-carve article I'm working on.

[gundog]

I found this one also but I run into the same thing when blowing it up it gets very grainy. I will send you an email.

Thanks Mike

[steve_g]

That one works too!

Steve

[adrianm]

When doing something like this it's worth doing a Google search for "rooster coloring pages" you'll get loads of very clean simple line-art pictures that trace and carve easily.

[gundog]

Thanks guys this is a first for me I use my SB to make mechanical parts so art type stuff is new for me.

Steve I tried to email you but it did not go through could you email me?

MillerMarineProducts@gmail.com

I tried it again this morning and it worked fine I just needed to delete the original after tracing but before running a toolpath. Thanks for all the help I am going to make a trial sign from scrap mdf.

[knight_toolworks]

I think you have learned if you want to use a picture it needs to be fairly large. if it is too small it will be pixilated. also make your material large enough that the pic is not made smaller to fit.

[kartracer63]

Something like this?

[gundog]

That looks good Eric your cedar signs are my inspiration here is what I have put together so far.

Mike

[kartracer63]

They all look good. I think #5 is my favorite.

[gundog]

Nicole picked number 5 also. I though I made a cool log but maybe not.

I have been playing with the preview in Aspire and when I Vcarve the rooster the preview does not look as good as when I do a profile on the line with the Vcarve bit which way should I do it? Should that type lettering be Vcarved or should I engrave the lettering with a ball mill or something else?

Is there a way to improve the preview when I zoom in it pixilates real bad and you can't see the detail.

The only V carve bit I have is the one that came in my starter kit I believe it is a 1" 60* bit.

Thanks Mike

[knight_toolworks]

to get a better preview make the material smaller. sometimes I end up pasting the part in another copy of vcarve that is sized right.
a 60 is pretty steep and most likely you would need a flat bottom. 90 would be better. You can get a 90 at woodcrafters or borrow one from me.

[kartracer63]

Mike,

I V-Carve almost all of the lettering on my signs. I'll use a 90 degree V-bit whenever the font and size of the lettering allows. For some more delicate fonts and for smaller letters I'll use the 60 degree bit.

Of course, most of my signs are designed to have a rustic appearance. So, I'm not too concerned about nice smooth bottoms to the letters.

[gundog]

I may go buy a 90* bit is there any reason to buy a small diameter bit like .250" and then a larger bit 1/2" or so or will a larger diameter bit work fine? It seems to me the larger diameter bit would do everything the smaller bit will do.

I think I have a 90* bit that came with a old set of router bits that is not designed to be a CNC bit I wonder how it would work?

Thanks Mike

[kartracer63]

I use 1/2" bits whenever they're available.

The 90 degree bit that came with your old router bit set is probably high-speed steel at best. It would probably work okay for making a sign or two out of a soft wood like cedar or pine.

Don't be discouraged when you get a lot of fuzzies carving these softer woods. Just run the file a second time to help clean things up.

[knight_toolworks]

the larger the better on vbits. otherwise your depth of cut is limited or has steps in it. on a 90 bit a 1/2" bit can only cut .25 deep and that's pushing it.
I finally bought different v bit angled bits so the cut depth is around .18 any deeper and I use a higher angled bit. I have also found the higher the angle like 120 cuts clearer then a 60.