Create 1/4" text channel

[CNCwoodpecker]

Hello fellow CNCers,

I am trying to create a 1/4" wide channel tracing text in MDF. I'm able to do so when the text is smaller, by using the profile toolpath and machining in the lines but once I transform the text to larger dimensions the channel width naturally increases. I considered trying one of the single line fonts and using machining on the line with a profile toolpath but I'm not too happy with the font choices. I tried using an inward offset to it but the offset didn't look like text anymore and I couldn't assure the channel was 1/4" wide.

Anyone have experience with trying to accomplish something similar and have any tips you could share?

Thanks!

[Adrian]

What do you mean by channel? Is it a 1/4" wide pocket that you're trying to put text in the bottom of?

I'm struggling to understand what it is you're trying to make and how you're toolpathing it. If you make the text bigger then it's going to increase in size when toolpathed. There's no way around that so I must be missing something from your description.

A picture (or even better a CRV file) is definitely worth more than a thousand words to me.

[martin54]

Funny because I was going to post earlier on to say that I didn't really understand what was being asked but thought it might just be me so left it for someone else to answer
Where it is possible the crv file or some screenshots of what you are trying to achieve are always helpful

[SawDust913]

Are you trying single line font that is .25" wide! If so I'd try single line font drawn out at the size you need then use profile and set it On Line.

[CNCwoodpecker]

Sorry I wasn't more clear. What I'm trying to accomplish is to make a custom birthday sign like these on Amazon but with a name https://www.amazon.com/s?k=neon+happy+b ... doa-p_1_14. I purchased flexible leds that are about 1/4" thick and I want to slightly recess the led strip in the MDF so I can easily and neatly follow the curves of the text. For this project, I want my sign to be roughly 24" length and 10" in height but as I grow my text to that size and I use the profile toolpath, the inside of the text is larger than 1/4".

Using a single line font and using the profile on the line works, but I'm just not happy with the font selection there. I've seen different variations of these signs with different fonts. Maybe I don't understand how this feature works but I also had a hard time finding other single line fonts that I like online.

[Adrian]

Ah ok, I see now.

Yes single line fonts are by far the easiest way to do that as you don't have to contend with varying widths etc. There are a lot around (psuedo single line rather than the Vectric style ones) that you can find with a google search like "single line CNC fonts" or "single line engraving fonts" but whether any are the look you want is hard to say.

I used to do a similar thing years ago but with individual leds so I needed to know the centre line of the letters to drill the holes for them. I used a number of techniques to do that but the easiest one to explain was typing out the words in a word processor and then taking a screenshot of the word. I then used a centre line trace tool to do a trace on the image. There are many around but I use the one at online.rapidresizer.com most of all.

That then gives you a vector of the word which looks roughly like a single line font which you can import into VCarve and toolpath. There would be more tweaking of the vector for your application but nothing that should be that hard.

I've attached an example bitmap word and the resulting vector file.

I guarantee that there are 100 ways of doing this that I never thought of as well. Hopefully there's one that is all VCarve based which someone will share.

[martin54]

How flexible are your LED's Make sure they will actually conform to the shape you want before you go spending a lot of time designing, editing & cutting your project. Not all LED's that are sold as flexible are created equally & some will not bend the way you would like them to

[CNCwoodpecker]

Thank you for the tips! I agree, a single line font is the easiest way to go. I did a search with your suggested query and came up with some great fonts that fit my needs so I think this will work. I hadn't thought about the the technique of tracing the the center of text, I'll try that if the single line method doesn't work.

Regarding the LED flexibility, I bought this one from "iNextStation Neon LED Strip Light 16.4ft/5m 12V DC 600 SMD2835" Amazon and it feels pretty flexible.

[martin54]

Thank you for the tips! I agree, a single line font is the easiest way to go. I did a search with your suggested query and came up with some great fonts that fit my needs so I think this will work. I hadn't thought about the the technique of tracing the the center of text, I'll try that if the single line method doesn't work.

Regarding the LED flexibility, I bought this one from "iNextStation Neon LED Strip Light 16.4ft/5m 12V DC 600 SMD2835" Amazon and it feels pretty flexible.

that looks to be an LED type rope which should work OK for what you want to do. I haven't actually tried it myself as most of the LED stuff I do is fairly straight runs. the main problem with the sticky back type LED's is that the LED's face upward & if you are sticking the string down with them facing up, or down if your doing backlit stuff then you can't do very tight turns