Clock Face - Spacing the numbers around a circle

[highpockets]

Looking at your design, the numbers overlap the inner and outer rings. I'd suggest making the numbers stand proud of the two rings so they are more readable. Do some reading on "Text on Text" on the Vectric tutorial section. There are also a number of threads on the forum about Text on Text.

To answer your question, you'll need a profile toolpath for the outside and inner areas, for the rings and numbers you'll need a pocket toolpath.

[hoops10]

Highpockets, thanks for the reply. I have the numbers overlaping the outer and inner rings as that is how they will be attached to them, sitting on top of the rings. I want to cut around them so all you will see is the outer ring, the inner ring and the numbers attached to the rings (the center part I will deal with later.) I am not sure what you mean by make the numbers stand proud of the two rings.

[highpockets]

Hoops,

Post your crv clock face file please, I don't want to recreate it.

[hoops10]

Attached below:

[highpockets]

Wow!!! Sorry to take so long to respond. I left my trusty Track Ball at our last stop and I'm trying do this with the mouse pad on my LT. This is painful!!!!

Anyway here's an example of what I mean by Stand Proud.

Here's a better picture. I couldn't remember how to pan LOL!!!

[hoops10]

I have been busy myself as well That is exactly the look I want and I have been watching the Text on Text Vectric Tutorial since I last posted. I can say that I have figured out how to get it to 'stand proud' with the use of layers.

[hoops10]

What thickness of material do most use when making these clocks on CNC? Is it 1 in. so that the clock part on the back can be inserted into the wood on the back of the clock? I finished my clock design but it is telling me it will take over 6 hrs to machine it (using 1" material.) Thanks.

[mtylerfl]

Hi Hoops

Take a look at some of the wall clocks I designed for the Vectric Projects of the Month for an idea or two you might be able to use in your project

I use 0.75"-thick material in two layers - front face and back glued together to a total thickness of 1.5"

The two layers glued together provide ample depth for most any clock insert and also help prevent warping/cupping over time. When I cut the parts, I pay attention to the grain and which side of the board each layer is cut from and how they'll be glued together - I'll usually alternate the layers (not the grain direction, but surfaces are alternated) to create "opposing" forces in relation to each other. This tends to cancel out each layer's tendency to move (cup or warp).

[hoops10]

Thanks, do you have any links to those clocks? I can't seem to find them in the Project of the Month forum. Thanks. Also, is my 6 hr machine time normal or excessively long?

EDIT: Don't know if I mentioned this, but my project is a wall clock.

[mtylerfl]

Thanks, do you have any links to those clocks? I can't seem to find them in the Project of the Month forum...

Here is a link to a page showing all the Projects of the Month I designed for Vectric:

http://www.vectric.com/cool-stuff/projects.html

[mtylerfl]

Also, is my 6 hr machine time normal or excessively long?...

Maybe - maybe not, hoops

We can't tell if the time can be improved without seeing your actual file, the settings you have made in your toolpaths, and being familiar with what feeds your machine is capable of and what is suitable for the material you are cutting.

Also, the estimate of the 6 hours may or may not be accurate anyway. It could be shorter or longer. It depends on what Scale Factor you have set for estimating time in the software and whether that scale factor is appropriate for the job at hand.

For example, I use different Scale Factor settings for "all-vector projects" vs "all-raster carve projects" vs a "mix" of both vector and raster. At best, it is educated guesswork to set the Scale Factor at a value that will yield a good time estimate.

Many of us will compare what the software estimate is to the actual time a project took, make notes of this, and try to set a Scale Factor for other similar jobs in hopes of getting a time estimate that is close. Doing these comparisons on dozens of projects and you can usually get fairly reasonable time estimates when you have figured out what Scale Factor values are best for certain types of jobs.

[hoops10]

mtylerfl, thanks for the help. Most of the clock movement pieces (I think I am saying that right, its the small black box in the back of the clock that controls the hands) measure about 5/8" in depth, is that about normal for those pieces? It is the reason why I am currently using 1" material, but I could possibly go to 0.75" material to cut machining time down. How much material should I have between the clock movement piece and the clock face itself? Hope that makes sense.

[mtylerfl]

mtylerfl, thanks for the help. Most of the clock movement pieces (I think I am saying that right, its the small black box in the back of the clock that controls the hands) measure about 5/8" in depth, is that about normal for those pieces? It is the reason why I am currently using 1" material, but I could possibly go to 0.75" material to cut machining time down. How much material should I have between the clock movement piece and the clock face itself? Hope that makes sense.

Hi hoops

I would stay with the 1"-thick material, especially if you are going to have just the one layer. You can use two layers of 0.75" if you want to beef it up a bit. If you haven't already, download a couple of the wall clock projects and look at the files and PDF instructions. That will give you a good idea on how the two layers are laid out with plenty more f clearance for the clock movement.

I think 5/8" is pretty normal for a battery operated clock movement thickness. Using the 1"-thick material leaves 3/8" thickness left for the clock movement spindle to poke through. Is your clock mechanism sourced from Klockit? They will sometimes have diagrams with measurements as a guide for recommended material thicknesses and so on for a particular model clock movement. Otherwise, you might want to use some scrap wood that is 3/8"-thick and a hole drilled into it to test if that material thickness is going to work for the length of the clock spindle.

[hoops10]

If I stay with the 1" material and pocket into the back of it 5/8" for the clock mechanism, then I will only have about 1/8" face between the clock mechanism and the clock face (I plan to pocket about 1/4" into the front of the clock face.) Do you think that is enough material left? Thanks.

[highpockets]

Before you too carried away with detailed measurements it might be a good idea to pick out a clock mechanism and calculate your final details to suit.

Also how thin your wood turns out to be can also be dependent on the type of wood you choose to use.