Joining close open vector on one end

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andyb
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Joining close open vector on one end

Post by andyb »

Guys,
I'm having an issue I can't figure out and need help with. I have a file that I'm trying to create a keyhole toolpath for. The file my customer send me have a single line for a keyhole bit. To get it to work I have to offset the lines .005 and close it on one end. If I select the lines and use the Join icon it does not close the lines no matter what tolerance I use. Even if it closed both ends would work. I have a lot of files that I need to do this to. What am I missing? Any suggestions?

Andy B.
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[b]Oak Branch Manufacturing[/b]
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MarkJohnston
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Re: Joining close open vector on one end

Post by MarkJohnston »

Are you using the keyhole gadget? It's pretty easy to use. You need to draw a circle say 1/4" or whatever size keyhole bit that you have. The key hole bit will plunge into the wood at the specific area that the circle is. It will then run along under the wood the length of the keyhole parameters set on the "keyhole toolpath creator" form that opens when you select the hole or holes where the keyholes are to be.

Look at the "keyhole toolpath creator" form and run a sample to test it on your machine.
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MarkJohnston
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Re: Joining close open vector on one end

Post by MarkJohnston »

Maybe I don't understand what your trying to do. I look at your file and see all the lines but don't understand where the keyholes are going.

MARK

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Rcnewcomb
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Re: Joining close open vector on one end

Post by Rcnewcomb »

Select two adjacent lines
On the Drawing Tab under the Edit Objects section the last icon is Join / Close vectors - by moving end points to a common point
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andyb
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Re: Joining close open vector on one end

Post by andyb »

Mark,
The keyhole gadget won't work for what I need to do. It may work if I only had a couple of keyholes. What I need to do is have the start and start point in the same location or very close. That is why I have to offset the lines and join them. I have 50+ files that I have to setup and toolpath just like this one.

Randall,
That is what I have been having to do. The problem is that I have several files that I have to do this to and selecting them one at a time and joining them is taking a lot of time. When you business is cutting files time is money. :D My workaround right now is to do them one at a time.

Andy B.
[b]Oak Branch Manufacturing[/b]
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Adrian
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Re: Joining close open vector on one end

Post by Adrian »

There should be no need to do any separate joining.

To create the vector use the Polyline tool, click to start the line, click at the end, move back to the start, click again and press space to exit. That will create a double line with the same start and end point that is on top of itself. You can verify this be creating a toolpath ON the vector set to Keep existing start points and look at the toolpath arrows in 2D preview mode.

I've done hundreds of nested jobs with a keyhole toolpath made this way.

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andyb
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Re: Joining close open vector on one end

Post by andyb »

Adrian,
I'm have to edit an existing file sent from my customer. I'm not creating the vectors from scratch.

Andy B.
[b]Oak Branch Manufacturing[/b]
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Adrian
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Re: Joining close open vector on one end

Post by Adrian »

Sorry missed that bit in the original post. In that case you'll have to draw them yourself or get the customer to create them as stacked lines. There's no way to join them if they're duplicated single vectors on top of each other in one go.

How are they presented on the files from the customer? If they're equally spaced etc then duplicating a correct set should be quite simple. Otherwise the only option I see is to write a gadget that cycles through doing what the move to common point tool does on a selection of vectors.

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andyb
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Re: Joining close open vector on one end

Post by andyb »

Adrian,
They are single lines. I'm using the offset tool to offset them .005. The files are files that they are currently cutting from. They are using Enroute and have an option to cut along a single line.

Andy B.
[b]Oak Branch Manufacturing[/b]
andy@oakbranchmfg.com
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[url]http://www.oakbranchmfg.com[/url]

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Adrian
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Re: Joining close open vector on one end

Post by Adrian »

Are the distances between their single lines in a set formula or random though? If they're set you could create one duplicated vector and then use the array tools to create the others.

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andyb
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Re: Joining close open vector on one end

Post by andyb »

The lines are set inside various shapes. So far the easiest way to do what I need to do is manually.

Andy B.
[b]Oak Branch Manufacturing[/b]
andy@oakbranchmfg.com
678-971-5502
[url]http://www.oakbranchmfg.com[/url]

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