Puzzle Joint Generator

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Adrian
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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by Adrian »

Beltramidave wrote:
Sun Nov 29, 2020 6:26 pm
Adrian wrote:
Sun Nov 29, 2020 3:24 pm
Beltramidave wrote:
Sun Nov 29, 2020 2:02 pm
Very cool looking program, but I must be missing something as I can't find a way to save the design. Program window is maximized, but I don't see a Save option??
What screen resolution are you running? The save should be under that About button but from what I can see the program doesn't add scrollbars if the vertical resolution is too low to display it and requires a vertical resolution of at least 900px to display properly.
My screen resolution appears to be plenty high for this, not sure what else to check.
You have font size at 125% which basically has the same end effect as too low a resolution as the size of everything in the program window increases. Set that to 100% and you should be fine. I run 1920x1080 on my laptop with 100% fonts and I can see the Save buttons.

Beltramidave
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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by Beltramidave »

Adrian wrote:
Sun Nov 29, 2020 6:46 pm
Beltramidave wrote:
Sun Nov 29, 2020 6:26 pm
Adrian wrote:
Sun Nov 29, 2020 3:24 pm


What screen resolution are you running? The save should be under that About button but from what I can see the program doesn't add scrollbars if the vertical resolution is too low to display it and requires a vertical resolution of at least 900px to display properly.
My screen resolution appears to be plenty high for this, not sure what else to check.
You have font size at 125% which basically has the same end effect as too low a resolution as the size of everything in the program window increases. Set that to 100% and you should be fine. I run 1920x1080 on my laptop with 100% fonts and I can see the Save buttons.
Thanks Adrian. Just tried that and it worked. Going to have to put my glasses on now, lol. Excited to see what I can do with this program.
Dave
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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by Tailmaker »

bob.cooper wrote:
Sun Nov 29, 2020 5:35 pm
Nice Job, I have tinkered and was able to produce a dxf and import vectors into Aspire,
in the future, might be nice to be able to manually adjust the lobe diameter,

well done, and thanks for sharing your work.

Bob
The "lobe diameter" box is read-only by necessity. You can not change the diameter directly. The software goes through following steps to determine this value:
a) calculate the joint length based on board width and miter angle
b) determine the minimum inside straight cut to ensure the first (inside) lobe is fully contained in its own board width and does not protrude (mainly for acute joint angles).
c) determine the minumum inside straight cut to ensure the lobe stays within the edge margin of the joining board (mainly for obtuse joint angles).
d) use the larger of b) and c)
e) determine the minimum outside straight cut to ensure the last (outside) lobe stays withing the edge margin of the joining board
f) determine the remaining length of the joint and devide by the number of lobes, i.e. the repeat distance of the lobes
g) calculate the lobe diameter based on f) and the overlap percentage
h) calculate the fillet arcs at the beginning and end of the lobe chain.
You can probably imagine there is a little trigonometry involved.

But you can change the lobe diameter indirectly by the "number of lobes" and the "edge margin" parameters.
Puzzle, Finger Joint, Maze and Guilloche freeware at https://fabrikisto.com/tailmaker-software/

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scottp55
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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by scottp55 »

I personally think that this free application Tremendously adds to Vectric's usefulness!
I don't think it impacts Vectric's market in ANY way except Positive!
I respectfully Disagree with Vectrics decision to remove these posts!!
Faithful User of VCP for years,
scott
I've learned my lesson well. You can't please everyone,so you have to please yourself
R.N.

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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by jfederer »

scottp55 wrote:
Wed Dec 02, 2020 10:17 am
I personally think that this free application Tremendously adds to Vectric's usefulness!
I don't think it impacts Vectric's market in ANY way except Positive!
I respectfully Disagree with Vectrics decision to remove these posts!!
Faithful User of VCP for years,
scott
I agree completely.
Joe Federer

www.fabrikisto.com incl. Tailmaker software
www.federer.ca

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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by ZipperHead55 »

Am I missing something here? Why were the links to the app removed? I did have to allow MalwareBytes an exemption for the .EXE file (as Malwarbytes tagged it as some form of generic virus, etc), so perhaps that is the issue.

Allan

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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by Tailmaker »

I guess I violated forum policy for non Vectric software. And no, it is not a virus. Maybe the anti-virus software just does not know it.
Puzzle, Finger Joint, Maze and Guilloche freeware at https://fabrikisto.com/tailmaker-software/

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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by wilkigr »

This is a great app, Tailmaker. However, I just went to the link you posted on November 27 and I get a dropbox message saying that the file has been deleted.

Am I doing something wrong, or have you withdrawn the file?

Tks.

jdonaldson
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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by jdonaldson »

I also just tried to download it and was told it had been deleted, was sure looking forward to
creating some puzzles using my wife's art work. :(

Thanks

wilkigr
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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by wilkigr »

I am about to cut my first test, but can anyone who has done a jigsaw puzzle tell me what settings you used to cut out the pieces. I chose a 1/16" end mill cutting a profile pass on the outside of the line. I'm not sure, though, if the pieces will fit together.

I opened a couple of the files in the garden cart folder and it looked like the "puzzle" parts were done using a pocket tool path.

I'm quite new to all this, so I appreciate any and all ideas.

Thank you.

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gkas
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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by gkas »

wilkigr wrote:
Thu Dec 03, 2020 7:06 pm
I am about to cut my first test, but can anyone who has done a jigsaw puzzle tell me what settings you used to cut out the pieces. I chose a 1/16" end mill cutting a profile pass on the outside of the line. I'm not sure, though, if the pieces will fit together.

I opened a couple of the files in the garden cart folder and it looked like the "puzzle" parts were done using a pocket tool path.
The cutout can be checked with the 2D Toolpath Drawing Style. It's in the center top of the display. It displays the tool cut path for the selected toolpath. If the 2D Profile Toolpath is too tight, the fit can be modified using the Allowance Offset. You certainly want to do a sample cut with a couple of pieces.

2D Drawing Style
2D Drawing Style

Tailmaker
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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by Tailmaker »

wilkigr wrote:
Thu Dec 03, 2020 7:06 pm
I am about to cut my first test, but can anyone who has done a jigsaw puzzle tell me what settings you used to cut out the pieces. I chose a 1/16" end mill cutting a profile pass on the outside of the line. I'm not sure, though, if the pieces will fit together.

I opened a couple of the files in the garden cart folder and it looked like the "puzzle" parts were done using a pocket tool path.

I'm quite new to all this, so I appreciate any and all ideas.

Thank you.
Keep in mind, my garden cart was a project some 4 years ago and I drew the puzzle joints by hand (not with the new app). And yes, the Vectric files are mostly pocket tool paths. I would be carful using a 1/16" endmill to cut such tightly fitting joints due to bit flex. A 1/8" or even 1/4" bit (assuming it fits into the puzzle coves) is usually more precise and you can run it faster.

Be aware the joints are not only between the sections of the two halves of the rim but also between the two halves themselves to assure alignment. Admittely this assembly is a tricky one and you can probably simplifiy this a bit. Also, the spokes are 2-sided with chamfer, cutout and dowel hole tool paths to get the skewed ends for a double spoke dish. Not exactly trivial as well.
Puzzle, Finger Joint, Maze and Guilloche freeware at https://fabrikisto.com/tailmaker-software/

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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by ThomasScott »

I to would be interested in trying this out. I don't post alot but follow these forums, you guys in one way or another
have taught me CNC ! Awhile back I got into the jigsaw craze, tried a few methods but nothing really seemed to
actually work, and I gave it up as a future project to return to . This app seems like it has promise and thank you
Tailmaker for taking the time do this. I have been a faithful Vectric supporter, bought all the upgrades and have
been very happy with them, their support, upgrades, patches etc.. . But to delete a members posts that adds
functionality / and features seems kinda wrong . Can only guess maybe that this feature might be in a future
version ?? anyway if anyone could send me the app, would love to try it, if that's allowed

Thanks , Scott

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Adrian
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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by Adrian »

If it was a gadget rather than a stand alone program there wouldn't be a problem IMO.

The problem with it being a standalone program is that a lot of trust has to be placed with the author of the program and, because it's linked from the Vectric forum, a lot of that trust is implied in a users eyes from Vectric.

Now Tailmaker is known and trusted so when he says to ignore the virus warnings I 100% believe him. But if someone else comes along and posts a link to a program that is a virus/malware/counterfeit and people install that there is a big problem.

If it were my forum I would take the view that it's far easier and safer to block all program downloads rather than trying to sort out the good from the bad.

It's not as though the program is no longer available at all. You just can't download it from a link from this forum.

Just to stress that I don't work for Vectric (many people who contact me seem to think I do) so all the above is my opinion only.

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Re: Puzzle Joint Generator

Post by wilkigr »

Thank you, Tailmaker.

I wasn't thinking anyway. I make scroll saw jigsaw puzzles from time to time. However, they only work because the scroll saw blade is so thin. I print a picture onto paper, glue it to the material, then cut it out in jigsaw puzzle pieces. I was hoping to do this with my CNC router. It cannot work, though, since even the smallest mill that I have takes too much away from the pieces. When they are fit back together, the picture does not work.

This is in no way a criticism of your application. It just does not let me do these the lazy way. :D

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