Im looking for some tips on making a cool sign

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Daner
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Im looking for some tips on making a cool sign

Post by Daner »

Hey all,
I finaly got my cnc running good.

would like to make some cool looking signs.

I have a V 60 DEGREE sign bit, and that is what I have been useing so far.

Is there another bit that would work good with letter carving?

Any tips will be helpfull

Thanks

Danny

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martin54
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Re: Im looking for some tips on making a cool sign

Post by martin54 »

The best way is to work your way through the tutorials, there are several that cover different types or styles of text so you should get a good idea from those which bits were used.

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kp91
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Re: Im looking for some tips on making a cool sign

Post by kp91 »

I haven't made as many signs as some on the CNC, I started doing them free hand as shown by the Rhotens on YouTube. (youtube.com/user/oldave100) They have a lot of examples of signs you might get an idea of. They also have a few good tips on finishing and painting signs as well.

It's good to jot down notes of signs that you think are attractive, and try to figure out what makes them so.

Play around with a few bit sizes. I use anywhere fro 30 degrees on up, depending on the font, size of the sign, and depth I want to cut. The signs below are with a 60 degree bit for the stained one, a 30 degree bit for the detail on the greyhound sign, and at least a 60 degree bit on the benches.

Borders are important. If you don't treat the edge or make a border the sign doesn't look right. In the picture of the signs I made for a charity function, the ones in the upper corner without a border did not sell at all, while the same text and graphic with a border flew off of the table. I can only blame not having a border.

Stock preparation. If your board isn't flat, your text is going to look bad. Some areas will be wider and deeper, others will lose detail. A few extra minutes of prep time will save you the frustration of having to rework a sign.

Seek out critics. If someone doesn't like you sign, find out why. They are the best guide as to what makes a good sign if they give you honest feedback.

Find some cheap wood and play around a bit! If you are doing block letters, try using a pocket tool path with a small core box bit. If you have a plunge round over, that may work with a V carve bit, or it might not.
Attachments
30 degree bit in corian
30 degree bit in corian
importance of  borders
importance of borders
simple sign with 60 degree V bid for everything
simple sign with 60 degree V bid for everything
Bigger text needs bigger bits
Bigger text needs bigger bits
Doug
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Fredericksburg, VA

COWBOY1296
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Re: Im looking for some tips on making a cool sign

Post by COWBOY1296 »

When ever i need some inspiration but seeing what others can do, i check out this link.

https://www.google.com/search?tbm=isch& ... ings&cad=h

Daner
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Re: Im looking for some tips on making a cool sign

Post by Daner »

Thanks for the tips guys
I know there's a lot to know about sign carving.

Let's start with...I would like to make a sign that I will spray paint the letters then sand.

I need a beefy V bit that will make big letters on a 6'x3' slab of wood

Any suggestions?

COWBOY1296
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Re: Im looking for some tips on making a cool sign

Post by COWBOY1296 »

i USED to cut my letters over .3 of an inch deep and found that i chipped some of them out way to often. The i used a bit that would not cut so deep. For the really bigger letters i have a 120 v-bit.

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kp91
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Re: Im looking for some tips on making a cool sign

Post by kp91 »

Daner wrote:
Let's start with...I would like to make a sign that I will spray paint the letters then sand.

Any suggestions?
I have had good luck and bad luck spray painting then sanding. All of the signs in my group pictures were done that way, even the Corian ones. On one poplar bench I made the paint soaked in to the edges of the letters and bled into the end grain. It ruined that plank as a bench, I had to plane it down to much thinner stock. I have put a coat of clear on then spray painted and sanded. It depends on the wood. You can set the carving a little deeper to account for the wood you're going to sand off of the top.
Doug
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Fredericksburg, VA

COWBOY1296
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Re: Im looking for some tips on making a cool sign

Post by COWBOY1296 »

since you are just starting learn this tip that others in front of you (me) did not know and messed up sign after sign. You have to seal your letters with some kind of poly, shellac or what ever. If you dont the paint will bleed outside of your cutting and destroy the beauty of your sign

Daner
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Re: Im looking for some tips on making a cool sign

Post by Daner »

Thanks for those tips guys,
I going to order a few bits today online somewhere.
my 1/2" 60 dgree sign bit cuts in a bit too close for the few small 8" x 3" signs I made today
cutting dpth of.125
I started the first one by cutting on the outside of the line, and it bleanded the letters together,
Then I got a good sign by cutting on the line.

Heres a question that I havent found the answer to yet...
How do I adjust the workscreen in vcarve pro so the sign will be cut from left to right on the Y axis (8')
all my work is carving left to right on Z axis.

Thanks for the help

Danny

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FixitMike
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Re: Im looking for some tips on making a cool sign

Post by FixitMike »

Daner wrote: Heres a question that I havent found the answer to yet...
How do I adjust the workscreen in vcarve pro so the sign will be cut from left to right on the Y axis (8')
all my work is carving left to right on Z axis.
Danny
Lay out the sign using the format and orientation that you are comfortable with on your screen. When done, select everything (Control A) and rotate to suit your machine. Change the material width and height if necessary. Recalculate All Toolpaths. Save toolpaths to file.
Good judgement comes from experience.
Experience comes from bad judgement.

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FixitMike
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Re: Im looking for some tips on making a cool sign

Post by FixitMike »

Some tips that can help the look of text on a sign.

Kern the text so letters are not too close to each other. One rule of thumb is that the space between letters should be about equal to the width of the thickest lines making up the letters.

More than 2 fonts on a sign can make it confusing to read. Vary the letter height and use bold and italic if you need variation.
Good judgement comes from experience.
Experience comes from bad judgement.

Daner
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Re: Im looking for some tips on making a cool sign

Post by Daner »

Thanks for those tips Mike

sparky957
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Re: Im looking for some tips on making a cool sign

Post by sparky957 »

Daner wrote:Thanks for those tips guys,
I going to order a few bits today online somewhere.
my 1/2" 60 dgree sign bit cuts in a bit too close for the few small 8" x 3" signs I made today
cutting dpth of.125
I started the first one by cutting on the outside of the line, and it bleanded the letters together,
Then I got a good sign by cutting on the line.

Heres a question that I havent found the answer to yet...
How do I adjust the workscreen in vcarve pro so the sign will be cut from left to right on the Y axis (8')
all my work is carving left to right on Z axis.

Thanks for the help

Danny
Have you tried using the Vcarve toolpath? It works quite well to carve lettering as long as you aren't using single line fonts.

Art

Daner
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Re: Im looking for some tips on making a cool sign

Post by Daner »

Hi Sparky,
Im useing the Vcarve tool path now and my signs are turning out not too bad.

I cant understand why you cant set the cut depth in this tool path.
It looks like the depth is automaticly set?
One sign I did with 4" letters turned out great, it v carved to aprox .25
Then I did a 8" x 14" and the letters just barely came through.

Daner
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Re: Im looking for some tips on making a cool sign

Post by Daner »

I now have my first 1/4" tapered ball nose bit :D
It came in the mail today.
Im hopeing to try a 3d part to a sign with this new bit.


Danny

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