Laser Cutting, or Better Model Building through Science.

[JohnP]

Yeah my parts! Now I have to scratchbuild the rest of the bridge.

My TurboCAD program can convert to the .svg Scalable Vector Graphics format. That is how Dave saved time with the set-up; his system uses that file type. I had to send the files one at a time so they were not compressed, which solved the initial problem. I always try to supply my suppliers (laser, etch) with translation-free files.

The laser works great for many application in modeling. Small quantities of 2-D parts that can be made from wood or plexi are very affordable I have found. Etching  is very expensive per part if the quantities are low due to the set up time, and it remains costly otherwise. Same with machining. And Dave's skills with the variable laser power can produce parts that cannot be done by etching. Those shingles would probably need to be made using EDM, which means you might as well make a mold and injection mold copies, or at least use one for a resin master.

John

[Frederic Testard]

Dave, this is really an interesting and very informative thread. It gave me a lot of hints about how to prepare the files for an optimal cutting job (as well as it proves your will and capacity to handle this kind of custom work).

So, let me summarize and check I've correctly understood :

You can work from pdf files.
Black lines tell the laser to cut at full power and through the material.
Grey lines will allow the laser to cut less deeply. I suppose we could use it to make the stones around a window.
You can cut parts about 0.015" thick, which is a little less than 0.4mm.

[DaKra]

Hi Frederic

I've worked from .pdf files, that's about all I can say for sure.  Adobe Illustrator or Corel are optimal, anything else and ... I only know for sure when I try to open it! 

I'm up early so here's a chart I drew up with basics of graphics for laser cutting.  I hope it clarifies things. 

[Frederic Testard]

Thanks Dave. I'll make sure my French friends have an access to this topic and your site so as to be aware of your beautiful work.

[finescalerr]

Dave, I have saved your chart for future reference. I use AutoCad and sometimes help people create artwork for laser cutting. I can save an AutoCad drawing as a PDF, open it in Photoshop, and assign areas of grayscale. I then can re-save as a PDF or as some other Adobe formats. I suspect at least one would be ideal for your laser cutter.

Guys, I don't have unlimited time but on occasion I might be able to help some of you out. I suspect others here could, too.

Russ

[RoughboyModelworks]

Guys, I don't have unlimited time but on occasion I might be able to help some of you out. I suspect others here could, too.

Russ

Yes, I can if anyone needs help with PDF, CAD  or pretty much any computer graphic file. I too don't have unlimited time but will be happy to help. Just PM or email me and we'll take it from there. And I'm not nearly as difficult to deal with as popular myth may suggest... 

Paul

[finescalerr]

Are too! -- ssuR

[eTraxx]

There's a thread on the mrrforums.com titled "Testing the water - a community laser cutter"

In response to questions about how to submit a graphic for lasering, Dave supplied a link back to this thread.

I continued to read through the thread and while it had some great information I was dismayed at the cost for the software needed to produce the graphics. Darn! (what can I say .. I'm cheap)

Anyhoo. I had fun re-reading this thread. What fun .. JohnP on the second page says .. "I wonder if Sketchup converts somehow? I could draw there" (hmm says I .. me too)

John ends up sending an uncompressed .svg file from TubroCAD which Dave used to cut the bridge parts that John needed. Cool.

So. I jumped back to the mmrforms.com thread .. wanted to double-check what software would work .. checked out the TurboCAD website .. and then re-read the post by rslaserkits (rich) .. where he says .. "I do even have a program that will open and convert Google Sketchup files into Corel Draw. "

That took me to Google .. and .. WOAH!!

Found a plug-in that converts from Sketchup to .SVG !!!!

sketchup-svg-outline-plugin

I downloaded the plugin and grabbed a gear for a quick test. Here's the Export Screen from the plugin .. note that you can set colors for the lines and line width



I then loaded that exported .svg file into Inkscape.



What do you guys think?

[finescalerr]

I need one that goes the other way: Draw it in 2-D and it extrudes it automatically into 3-D! -- Russ

[eTraxx]

Ahh. But that's what Sketchup does! You draw a shape in 2D .. 'wave' the "Pull Tool" over it and ... presto .. it magically extrudes that 2D shape into 3D!

[DaKra]

2d, 3d whatever.   

In some ways, the 2d drawing is better as it forces the designer to think in terms of flat planes, which is what kit parts end up as anyway.   For geometry of complex parts, like an octagonal roof, 3d would be a big help. Apparently a plug in like Ed's would be able to break it down into flat planes again.

Ed if you're up to it, I'd be interested in seeing if/how that would work. 

Dave       

   

[eTraxx]

Dave, sent you an email so I can my ducks lined up first!