Machsupport Forum
Third party software and hardware support forums. => Promote and discuss your product => Topic started by: Tony Mac on October 29, 2005, 11:05:51 AM
-
Hi Everyone,
Good to see the forum has been updated and will continue in safe hands.
Quite a few Mach members had contacted (and some have purchased the software) us through the old forum, so I'd like to drop a note for anyone interested in VCarve Wizard. The software is ideal for cnc machining decorative designs such as signage, engraved plaques, stone cutting, woodcarvings and is very affordable. A Fully Functional Trial Version is available to download from - www.vectric.com and you can also see what users are saying by visiting the User Forum - http://vectric.com/forum
The attached images show examples of the high quality simulation models created by VCarve Wizard.
Tony Mac
www.vectric.com
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/V2/QueensHotel3.jpg)
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/V2/Printblock.jpg)
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/V2/Sunbeam2.jpg)
-
Looks good I will try it in the morning.
I will definitely buy if it works for me.
I am looking and it falls in my price range, as I don’t make money from my machine now .It is a hobby but that may change when I get proficient.
-
Fun Designs - Are the Balls really Flat?
The designs shown below can be downloaded from the Vectric User Forum and opened in the Free Trial Version of VCarve Wizard.
http://vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=38
Tony Mac
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/pn7.jpg)
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/3DBall.jpg)
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/pn1.jpg)
-
Damn nice stuff, Tony
Glad you are linking the pictures back to your site too :)
-
I noticed all the British Products VCarve, ArtCam (Insignia) seems to have similar GUIs...Am I wrong?
I loved the Demo, but I could not really test it because if you size the graphics you cannot make a toolpath.
I am working in a very small envelope on a micro mill.
-
Have you tried posting the g-code as is, and then scale it in Mach 2/3?
You would have to take into consideration that you should also scale down the bit.
Cheers!
-
Have you tried posting the g-code as is, and then scale it in Mach 2/3?
You would have to take into consideration that you should also scale down the bit.
Cheers!
That is smart, only thing is once I tried to use Mach 3 scale feature and it did not work.
I was most likely doing it wrong.
-
Hello,
You can scale / resize / move / rotate the Sample files supplied using the Download Trial Version to fit any material size and cutter geometry and still Save the CNC Toolpaths.
Select the geometry (box or Ctrl +A)
Use the Scale and Move selected vectors to modify the design as required (S and M are keyboard shortcuts)
Calculate the toolpaths required to VCarve / Pocket / Cutout etc.
Preview the toolpath simulation to check the results
Save as G-Code or any of the standard postps
If you have any other questions or need assistance please let me know,
Tony Mac
tonym@vectric.com
-
Hello,
You can scale / resize / move / rotate the Sample files supplied using the Download Trial Version to fit any material size and cutter geometry and still Save the CNC Toolpaths.
Select the geometry (box or Ctrl +A)
Use the Scale and Move selected vectors to modify the design as required (S and M are keyboard shortcuts)
Calculate the toolpaths required to VCarve / Pocket / Cutout etc.
Preview the toolpath simulation to check the results
Save as G-Code or any of the standard postps
If you have any other questions or need assistance please let me know,
Tony Mac
tonym@vectric.com
I did try thisnthe firat time and it never worked. I have since deinstalled the program but I will re-install and tried it again.
I ended up buying an engraver attachement.
It will take at least a week and a half to modify it to fit my machine. Mean time I will try to see if this will work for me.
-
Well I must say, I tried to save the Ball TP file and it did not work.
Maybe I will try one of the standard ones and see what happen.
-
Hi again,
Oops - You are correct the Trial version will not save toolpaths for the Optical illusion files - Only the standard files installed with the software - Bulls Head, Open Sign, Clipart components and Cabinet door.
Sorry for the confusion.
Attached are a couple of photo's of some Cutting Trials we recently ran on a Roland Engraving machine into Slate and Wood.
Tony Mac
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/V2/mach23/Slate1.jpg)
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/V2/mach23/Slate2.jpg)
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/V2/mach23/Slate3.jpg)
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/V2/mach23/RusticSign1.jpg)
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/V2/mach23/RusticSign2.jpg)
-
Tony, this may sound like a dumb question, but when you paint inside the engraved letters, how do you stop the paint from creeping to the top surface?
Is it skill or is there a sneaky trick to it ?
-
Hi Ynneb,
The trick is to seal the top surface with a coat of varnish and then cut through this. The lettering can then be painted / stained and any excess on the surface is simply wiped away.
Another method is to stick a layer of vinyl / film over the bas material and cut through this, then paint etc and finally remove the mask.
Hope this makes sense?
Tony
-
Hi again,
Oops - You are correct the Trial version will not save toolpaths for the Optical illusion files - Only the standard files installed with the software - Bulls Head, Open Sign, Clipart components and Cabinet door.
Sorry for the confusion.
Attached are a couple of photo's of some Cutting Trials we recently ran on a Roland Engraving machine into Slate and Wood.
Tony Mac
I did not get it to work with even the standard files.
I would DL and try again except my v-belt is broke and I am waiting on Taig to send me another.
These carvings look good but I will never do anything on that scale.
I have figured out Mach 3 Scale Axis feature (I wasn't pressing enter after the input) so when the belt gets here I will try it again.
-
Hey here is another dumb question but.. What kind of bits are you using?
chad
-
Hi Chad,
The detail in a design is often cut using Wide angled V-Shaped or conventional Engraving cutters.
See - http://www.vectric.com/index.php?id=30,0,0,1,0,0
The software will also calculate VCarving toolpaths using Ball Nose cutters, which gives interesting results
Regards,
Tony
www.vectric.com
-
Ricky Bennett owner of SCANCAD in the UK is using VCW to engrave Memorials and Plaques on a Newing Hall Pantocut 4E with a Beyerholm & Moe Microstep controller.
Ricky is very happy with the results and commented,
"VCarve Wizard has enabled our memorial department to v carve letters on memorial plaques and headstones in Stone, Brass, Bronze and Wood."
"We consider it a vital and new ability to CNC machine V cut letters over traditional sandblasting and hand cutting."
Recent memorial projects Ricky has machined using VCW are shown below,
Hope this is interesting to the community,
Tony Mac
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/V2/mach23/memorial_1.jpg)
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/V2/mach23/memorial_2.jpg)
-
With Christmas only a couple of weeks away, why not use the Free Trial Version of VCarve Wizard 2.0 (or the full registered version), to cut some great Yard Ornaments and Decorative Festive Designs on your CNC machine.
The designs shown below can be downloaded from,
Download Christmas Designs (http://vectric.com/vcarve-download/xmasprojects/xmasprojects.htm)
Remember that these files can be scaled to any machine / material size, so you can have a go at making them for yourself. Have Fun and drop me a note if you have any questions or need my assistance.
Regards,
Tony Mac
tonym@vectric.com
(http://vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/V2/mach23/Vectric_xmas4.jpg)
(http://vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/V2/mach23/Merry_Christmas.jpg)
(http://vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/V2/mach23/Reindeer2.jpg)
(http://vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/V2/mach23/Santa_Sleigh.jpg)
(http://vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/V2/mach23/Santa_Reindeers.jpg)
-
Below is a slight variation of the Christmas Ornament design recently posted on the forum.
This sign was v-carved into a 8.5" (220mm) diameter slate blank using a 100 included angle cutter running at 12,000 rpm and 15" per minute, using multiple 0.02" (0.5mm) Z level passes.
Hope this might be of interest,
Tony
(http://vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/V2/mach23/26_Slate_2.jpg)
(http://vectric.com/vectric/images/tmp/V2/mach23/simulation.jpg)
-
I recently recieved a licence to V-Carve.
While I havnt yet cut anything with it, I must say the interface and ease of use is very impressive. This is great software for beginners and experienced CNCers
I love the way you can view your work in 3D b4 you've cut anything, and also the selection of timbers. You can even do a tool path simulation ( Great for those who dont yet have a router but want to pretend to cut something )
I will post some cuts I make with it in the next week.
http://vectric.com/index.php?home
-
2 Fantastic signs carved by Ernie and Diane Balch (http://www.balchsigns.com/) on their home
built CNC router using VCarve Wizard.
Although the software does a great job of making the basic sign shapes,
the really hard bit is in the finishing and gilding, and Diane and Ernie have
done a tremendous job on these signs.
Both signs are cut from high density sign foam and painted. The lettering
on the Oak Tree Road sign is gold paint.
The Howling Wolf Inn sign includes Gilded gold leaf lettering and Blue Smalts
which is small glass beads packed and glued onto the surface to give
a stunning effect!
Tony
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Howling_Wolf.jpg)
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Oak-Tree-Road.jpg)
-
When looking for artistic CADCAM software it's worth remembering that the results will often only be as good as the users creative mind and artistic eye + plenty of practice. Unless you purchase designs / models from a specialist supplier such as Vector Art 3D or similar.
I can't take any credit for these designs because they have been created by a customer. However, VCarve Wizard does make it very easy to program and preview the results. All I have to do is select the vectors, pick a tool and the software instantly does the hard bit.
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Carving.jpg)
(http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Carving_2.jpg)
Tony
-
I'd really like to try cutting one of those "tile" designs. Any chance that the Vcarve files would be available ?
-
Hi Lorenzo,
The top wood carving design was drawn by a VCarve Pro customer and is freely available from the Vectric Forum
See > http://vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=1871#1871
Let me know if you have any questions or we can help out,
Tony