First time on the forums. I'm doing a fireman's flag for one of our local firefighters. I've created a very close version of the Maltese cross that the dept has for their logo in the flag, but it has open vectors that I can't close and still make it look right. I'd like to post the file from Vcarve Pro and see if anyone can offer advice as to how to fix this. I've tried, but not found a way to keep it true to the original.
With a design like this a lot depends on how you plan to toolpath it and the overall look you want from that.
If you just want to cut it as though it was a line drawing then you don't need to change anything as a profile toolpath can cope with open vectors.
If, on the other hand, you want to create a v-carve toolpath to get that 2.5d look then you're going to have to create some new vectors as that toolpath will only work with closed vectors.
The important thing to remember is that you can't join an open vector to a closed vector so each shape you want to machine has to be a closed vector in it's own right which means you will most likely have parts of different closed vectors (but logically the same shape) overlapping each other. That's where learning to use layers is crucial.
It's hard to offer concrete steps without knowing how proficient you are with the software and the overall look you're going for. If all the above makes no sense and doesn't help then please post back with some more details and I or someone else can help from there.
Jeff, what you have are decisions that you have to make. It all looks purty in a 2D drawing, but now you have to make it into an 2.5D object by deciding what parts are level with the surface and what parts are level with the cut out bars.
In other words, look at your drawing and decide what parts will stand out from the background and pocket around them. In the process of doing that, you will be removing some of the small vectors that you cut with the text etc.
Then you'll know which vectors to connect to each other so you can pocket with them. I'm sure that some of the vectors that make up the letters will be used in the pocket operations, but you decide which vectors to combine to make the Maltese cross object.
Its much like making the stars and stripes, but you will be doing pocket operations rather than profile operations.
Tex — Crooked Wood Products
Now there's a man with an open mind – you can feel the breeze from here.
Those fins on the D look awfully thin. I think I'd have gone the other way and made the pocket shallower so that it was on its own level above the orange level.
I will make some adjustments to the file after hearing from the original posters comments/response as to what he is looking for visually.
It maybe close to what the OP is looking for!!!
Sharkcutup
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V-Carve Pro 12.004
Took opposite approach, lowered emblem to reduce cutting time.
flag.jpg
I think that would probably be a better option, the lettering that you haven't added could then be vcarved. Those letters look very thin to be cut standing proud as they are in sharkcutups image, not sure what size the final piece is going to be which might make a difference,
I'm in the UK so not something I get asked for but they appear on other forums quite often, are the stars not normally vcarved on these as well ??
