"Blasted" look?

[sam]

Is it possible to create the "Sandblasted Look" on a routed sign. If it is possible, can someone please give me some sound advice, techniques , bits to use, and pros/cons on this subject.

[joewino]

We do it all the time. In our ArtCam Pro software we simply import a black and white photo of a piece of sandblasted wood and the software does all the tool paths to recreate the sandblasted look in HDU. We use 1/8" round nose bit with a 50% stepover, but a 1/4" would work...just not as much detail. It takes a long time, but the ShopBot is working while I'm doing something else.

[joe]

Sam,

Ray is on the right trail. I've investigated this process and haven't found an easy way without 3D.

My best efforts have been by reducing the background down with a flat bit, followed up with a 1/16 bit in 3D mode. Even then it's not as good as the real thing.

Here's the problem. If you take a photo of a piece of sandblasted wood. Lets say it's 12"X 24". When this is enlarged to 4'X8' all the detail is also enlarged. A deliclate 1/4" knot is now 1" along with the widened grain. The final affect is kind of cartooney. That's OK for some work. It's not even close to the real thing however.

Last month I sandblasted some panels just for this process. I used Redwood, Pine, Cedar, and Cypress. They turned out beautiful. I was so encouraged. However when put into practive it was a disapointment.

The real problem is ME. I'm too pickey.

[ed_lang]

Joe,
You are not too picky! I ran into this same effect when taking pictures of wood for backgrounds used in simulations of signs with PartWorks. When it gets blown up, it does look "cartooney"! A new phrase for me now!

I am going to play with taking photos and stitching them together when I get time to try and simulate the larger areas a bit better.

I am also going to experiment more with PartWorks carving effects. Maybe if I make the width small and the strokes longer and less random it will do a good job. At least then the pattern will not repeat and will cover the entire substrate.

Ed

[sam]

First off,...Thanks Raymond, Joe, & Ed.

For what it's worth, I am running ARTCam Pro 9 software, and the items we used to blast and still use with the router are Redwood, Cedar, Sign foam, Oak, and Extira.

When a B&W photo is imported........i'm guessing when it is selected for the path/bit chosen it does the grain detail itself?

Sam

[wooden_innovations]

You could take the wood background and mirror the picture to the right and attach it to the original. Then take the new picture and mirror it to the top and attach it to the 2nd picture made. All grain lines will match up and you won't loose resolution. If you use only a sample of the squared pattern, many people will not notice that the pattern is mirrored


Rodney


26799.jpg

[joewino]

Well, for once I agree with Joe Crumley. The real problem IS Joe. You said it Joe, not me.

Seriously, Joe isn't pickey...he just does things the right way.

[joewino]

Sam...our procedure for producing the woodgrain in ArtCam Pro 9:

We import the shape that we want to be woodgrain into ArtCam from from Gerber Omega (as an .ai file).

Go to Reliefs>Texture and then choose "selected vector" and choose "From File" and click on "File" and then open the file containing your woodgrain photo (.jpg).

Set the Z height and click on Subtract. ArtCam takes it from there.

[joe]

Looks like were all in the stitching business now. I'm not going to get my hopes up but it does seem to have merits.

I'm probably in for sandblasting several 8 foot pieces of redwood, taking photo's, and getting past this hurdle. I know this process will render the detail I'm looking for.

I posted this querry some time ago on the ArtCam forum. A couple of guys said they do it all the time, however when I requested a photo or two showing the results, the screen went blank.

O Well, it's fun anyway.

[john_l]

Do you have to have a full size photo? If the sign is 3x8 that would be very large file.

If the software is capable of rendering the relief from a .jpg or other picture file maybe something like this would be the answer... http://www.onlyphotoshop.com/Tutoria...tern-c-52.html

I don't really use photoshop either but it looks to me that this fella makes his own repeatable wood grain.