3D FILE HELP

Post by **Kimon** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 2:25 am

I am working on a project (personal) and need a file for a colonial pineapple in 3d, I want to make finials for the top of a couple of 5x5 posts and now that we have this great new tool thought I might get lucky and give it a try.

Something similar to this

Anyone have a file to share?

Post by **Peter Stenabaugh** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 3:16 am

Wow, nothing like gettin kinky right off the bat...

I would think you are going to need a rotary axis to do that one properly as you will need to keep the cutter perpendicular to the cut edges of the leaves...

Pete

Post by **joenagel** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 1:49 pm

Give this place a try. http://www.dncbychina.com/default.asp

There is plenty of stuff to keep you busy.

Joe

Post by **Kimon** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 3:29 pm

Thanks for the great link, it does have some really cool stuff on it.

4 axis is probably the best way to accomplish many designs but with the new Cut3d I thought I might give it a shot and stylize a pineapple finial and try to cut it.

Found a good file on the link above although its a 2d dxf might have to explore flushing it out in 3d myself. I know it can be done just need to wrap my mind around it. Anyone wanna recomend a simple 3d generating program prefferably one with a trial period? I do have access to a freinds machine with Artcam but its Greek to me and to him and he doesn't use it anymore and wont spring for the training after his last couple of guys went to work for someone else after he paid for the seminars.

I might give James B a project but I would really like to be able to toy with this one myself.

Post by **Paco** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 4:12 pm

Kimon,

there are numerous 3D CAD to choose from. I'm currently testing SILO which I found quite interesting and at a very fair price (trial available). I have used mostly RHINO so far but I find it a little cumbersome for some of my projects.
3D modeling isn't a day practice away productivity; one got to spend quite a load of time to get the very full benefit of 3D modeling. If ArtCAM sound Greek to you, you might not find the other products very much more easy to use without spending some time (weeks) before creating something that'll make you happy. I do believe that it's at anybody reach to get into 3D modeling though.

The part above shouldn't be too complicate to built from someone who have been modeling for some time.

If you want to get into 3D modeling, I would recommend either RHINO or SILO. Both have a lot of tutorials available.

Practically speaking, you may have to remove/avoid that much detailing on the model...

Post by **joenagel** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 4:23 pm

I found that If I downloaded the dwg file from http://www.dncbychina.com/default.asp it would be a 3D model and for some reason the dxf files are 2D

Joe

Post by **js11110** » Wed Nov 22, 2006 8:44 pm

joenagel wrote:I found that If I downloaded the dwg file from http://www.dncbychina.com/default.asp it would be a 3D model and for some reason the dxf files are 2D

Joe

Now thats a great site! I grabbed everything.

Jason

Post by **Peter Stenabaugh** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 3:07 am

Kimon, take a look at TurboCAD. The basic program is a full 3D modeller for aroung $169 or so, then there is an advanced level you can expand into should you want to, but the basic program may do what you need, and it is also available as a demo.

Pete

Post by **Peter Stenabaugh** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 3:32 am

Joe, I also went to that site and downloaded all the 3D files. When you bring them into Autocad, in order to use them as a 3D model you must 'export' the model as an .stl file or one of the other options that are available under the 'file' 'export' command. The stl file format will be recognized by most cam programs, and as such it will be recognized by C3D.

I think though that to machine things like the finials, you will need to use a rotary axis in order to achieve the proper level of detail that the model provides.

I dont know how you are going to do that with C3D though as it only supports 4 sided machining at this point. Rotary machinng is another animal all together.

Until Vectric is able to offer us a rotary axis optons, one choice would be to take a look at other software. They are currently working towards the 4th axis, although it is not finished yet. In the past I have used other software for full 3D work, but now that we have C3D, this may well become my new standard program.

Pete

Post by **Paco** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 6:01 am

Kimon,

while playing with SILO this evening, I tried myself on something like your project; there no better training than real life projects. It lack the details but I did this in about 5 minutes or so... SILO is currently sold at 109$usd.

Peter,

you shouldn't have to wait for Vectric to handle rotary 4th axis; just merge your toolpaths and put a 90 deg. rotation in between each toolpath. I don't think that Vectric is planning on handling "real" 4 axis machining but you can use an 4th axis indexer system to make the accurate 90/180 deg. rotation needed for 4 sides projects. All you need is to rotate the indexer axis 90/180 in between each toolpath. That's about one line of code away for each rotation...

Post by **CRFultz** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 3:03 pm

Kimon...can you tell folks this is a pineapple.

Post by **Kimon** » Thu Nov 23, 2006 3:49 pm

Cool, I might give it a shot if I can sneek away from holiday festivities. Thanks

Post by **darde** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 7:55 pm

Hi paco. I have been wondering how your silo experience is going. I have been watching it for awhile as well. I see where the marlin and chicken were made with it but he also mentioned using another program. Can all the stl model be done in silo for milling or was the other program just for rendering.

Post by **Paco** » Fri Nov 24, 2006 8:29 pm

So far I like SILO a lot but I'll keep with the learning version for a moment. I'm not sure it'll be well suit for relief kind of project such as most of the designs Vector Art 3D is offering (2-1/2D) but rather more """true""" solid 3D models. Again, I may be wrong. More to come as I play with SILO. So far, with all the 3D modeling software I've played with, SILO is in the top 3.

I'm unsure of what other application you refer to and I don't know much about the rendering capabilities of SILO. I believe SILO is limit at that but I may be wrong. There are applications that are oriented for this purpose, why not ask Dasch or the SILO community?...

Post by **dasch** » Sat Nov 25, 2006 6:56 am

Hi Guys.
The Marlin and the Rooster were both built in Silo; a polygon modelling app.
I also use Strata CX, which combines modelling with rendering capabilities. I only used it for rendering in these models.
Silo is becoming the app that I do most of my modeling in. It just feels less 'scientific' than some other programs.
Wings3D is a free modelling program - very powerful for generating these kinds of models, but personally I find the interface a little too mathematical. Some folks like that. I'm more of a playdoh sort of modeller, push and pull things til they're right.

Wings or Silo will give you the ability to build these models. Keep in mind that 3D modelling can be a heck of a learning process.