Learning PVC.. How am I doing?

[huntleybill]

This is the result of my first attempt. Does this look good to you?
Attached is the original photo, the settings I used, and the results.
Honestly, it doesn't look all that great to me but I am the new guy! What do I know?

In order to not re-invent the wheel, your suggestions on how I can get better results in all my future attempts would be very welcome.

Thank you for your input
Bill

[dwilli9013]

Hmmmm did you hit that with a torch post cut or is that stain? Not a PVC pro myself but interested to see the responses.
I myself in novice mode would decrease line spacing down to 10 to 12 and then seal post cut then use a darker gel stain wiped off immediately to see the result.

[huntleybill]

I milled it out, coated the whole image with stain, then sanded it down to what you see. It is my understanding that that is the procedure.
If anyone wished to take the original image and try it out, please feel free. Please post your settings and results so we can all learn from the masters!

Thank you
Bill

[Uzumati]

Being a PVC novice myself I have been experimenting lately, here a a few I did this week. I use a 0.0313 tapered ball nose bit I just put it in the tool dB as a ball nose since at the depth I’m cutting the taper won’t matter. Max carving depth is 0.08” with 10% - 20% line spacing and a 45 degree line angle. I invert light dark on a pic by pic basis depending on which preview looks best. After carving iit i scrub it with a soft wire brush and wipe a coat of stain on and right off. After letting the stain dry it gets 1 - 2 coats of spar urethane.

[FixitMike]

Myself, I apply a coat of sealer or clear finish before I apply stain or paint to a PVC linear halftone. it keeps the color from bleeding, and makes the excess surface coat easier to remove. If the material you are carving has large pores, such as oak or even walnut, then I use a filler and sand before cutting, so the uncut surface is smooth.

Same for VCarving signs with VCarve or Aspire.

[davemartin88]

Do you have a photo of the preview from PVC? This preview picture is with 8% spacing and a 1/16" Ball Nose bit, depth of cut at .05? Trying to understand the starting point before it was sanded/finished. Not sure I'll have a better idea but thought I'd ask. Good luck!

[dah79]

Here is one I did recently using Aspire, but I believe that you can do the same with Photo VCarve.

This was done with the dark object being carved deeper. Then when finished, I used a technique (learned here) where you add a small amount of stain (in paste form) with the poly and then the dark pigment settles into the lower areas. I used a 1/32" TBN with 6% stepover.

[huntleybill]

Hi Dave. That is the preview, I just did not use any fill color. I set the depth to .05 only to cut down on the amount of sanding that needs to be done.
dah79: That looks really nice.

[davemartin88]

Hi Dave. That is the preview, I just did not use any fill color. I set the depth to .05 only to cut down on the amount of sanding that needs to be done.
dah79: That looks really nice.

I’m not seeing the actual preview from PVC in your original post, maybe I’m not understanding? After you do the calculation step, the next step is to preview and save the toolpath, that is the image I was wondering about and it wouldn’t be a color photo but be from whatever material you select. It just looks to me like the result doesn’t have all of the depth and detail that I see in the preview I posted. Trying to see if it was there before finishing or if it was never there to,start with. May not be explaining well, sorry.

[Samson]

I only have the trial version, but this is my attempt...

[huntleybill]

Wow...I think that is pretty good! What where your settings?

[Adrian]

Looking at some of the previews and results being shared here I think there is some confusion over PhotoVCarving an image and creating a lithopane/relief image. They are not the same thing.

[Samson]

Looking at some of the previews and results being shared here I think there is some confusion over PhotoVCarving an image and creating a lithopane/relief image. They are not the same thing.

That's what this software does. It cuts based on the gray scale, so the more resolution one might want, the more 2.5D it begins to show, instead of a bunch of varied depth lines.
If a person wants a true engraved photo, this isn't the correct software. VCarve Pro would be the better choice.
With Photocarve, you will always be cutting a litho, just in varying resolution and depths.

Here is an engraving, done in VCP...




Some detail will be lost with this method, because it isn't cutting based on the gray scale, only a set depth.

[potzmannwoodshop]

If a person wants a true engraved photo, this isn't the correct software. VCarve Pro would be the better choice.

So i have V carve pro, but was thinking i needed VCPhoto to improve my carvings, you are suggesting i dont, and what im doing in VCPro will not be any better with VCPhoto?

[Samson]

So i have V carve pro, but was thinking i needed VCPhoto to improve my carvings, you are suggesting i dont, and what im doing in VCPro will not be any better with VCPhoto?

I don't know what your end goal is. Look at the two images I've posted above. With photo carve, you receive a 2.5D (relief) type of image. It can show more detail, but requires a deeper cut, and a lot more time to accomplish the detail. The detail comes from the depth of cut and line spacing.
With Vcarve Pro, it does an engraving, which doesn't have the same detail (the more time spent on the image the better the detail), but doesn't give a 2.5D image. It's all cut to the set depth.

So, depending on your goal, both soft wares work well for their intended purpose. You have to decide what you want to accomplish.