Creating woodgrain from photo

[MayoSouthElgin]

This is my first try at duplicating an existing sign...

Is there a tutorial that explains the process in order to get a texture (woodgrain) lower than my text and border? I don't get how the base height in the component properties relates to anything - is this only for a visual in the preview or is it included in the toolpath in some way?

I've managed to get it to this stage however I made the mistake of creating a baked component out of the bitmap woodgrain and the text and then created the tool path.

I think I need to create a different component of just the woodgrain with the text being avoided.

I want to end up with the border and the text being at the surface and the woodgrain being about 1/8 to 3/16 lower.

Any suggestions for procedures would be appreciated before I spend 4 hours machining something incorrectly!

[mezalick]

Base height is the height or thickness of the component.
I order to do what you want it would be best to keep all the components separate, not baked.
You can then adjust them to the height you want.
Michael

[TReischl]

Base height is the height or thickness of the component.
I order to do what you want it would be best to keep all the components separate, not baked.
You can then adjust them to the height you want.
Michael

Base height is NOT the thickness or the height of the component.

Once you create a component, if you click the "component properties" wrench, you will see something like the following:

Notice there is both a Shape Height and Base Height.

Here is a component that is copied, the one on the left has a base height of 0, the one on the right .24. From this you can see what changing base height does. Shape height is the height of the component. In other words, base height is added to shape height.

[Mike-S]

You did a nice modeling job. Since you baked it, there isn't much flexibility available to make changes.
Pull out the "Toolpaths" tab and click on the blue "Set..." This will allow you to slide the model up and down in the material. Since you want the boarder and letters even with the surface, just slide everything up.
Also try "scaling Z height" to see if that gets you what you want.
If this doesn't do what you need, just re-do the model (should go quick as you still have the vectors) and keep things as separate components so you can control each.

before I spend 4 hours machining something incorrectly

The pre-view shows exactly what the carve will look like. If something's off there, don't carve.

[mezalick]

Right, That's what I meant to say
Thanks for the correct explanation.
M

Base height is the height or thickness of the component.
I order to do what you want it would be best to keep all the components separate, not baked.
You can then adjust them to the height you want.
Michael

Base height is NOT the thickness or the height of the component.

Once you create a component, if you click the "component properties" wrench, you will see something like the following:

bh.JPG

Notice there is both a Shape Height and Base Height.

Here is a component that is copied, the one on the left has a base height of 0, the one on the right .24. From this you can see what changing base height does. Shape height is the height of the component. In other words, base height is added to shape height.

bh2.JPG

[TReischl]

This is my first try at duplicating an existing sign...

Is there a tutorial that explains the process in order to get a texture (woodgrain) lower than my text and border? I don't get how the base height in the component properties relates to anything - is this only for a visual in the preview or is it included in the toolpath in some way?

I've managed to get it to this stage however I made the mistake of creating a baked component out of the bitmap woodgrain and the text and then created the tool path.

The attachment SandblastedLook.png is no longer available

I think I need to create a different component of just the woodgrain with the text being avoided.

I want to end up with the border and the text being at the surface and the woodgrain being about 1/8 to 3/16 lower.

Any suggestions for procedures would be appreciated before I spend 4 hours machining something incorrectly!

I don't think any of us really answered your question!

The way I do what you are asking is:

1. Create the boundaries and the text. In the pic below this means I drew the surround box and the text.
2. Create a Zero Plane using the Model menu pick "Add Zero Plane"
3. Add the bitmap texture. Stretch and move it around to completely fill the pocket.
4. Convert it to a model
5. Select the text, boundary and texture model, then use the clear area outside of selected boundary to trim the texture model to the boundaries.
6. Select the texture model, open the Component Properties and set the base height (a minus number) to the depth you would like. (this has to be greater than the height of the model)

This will make the lettering flush with the top surface of your material.

If you want the letters to be below the material surface, you can add a pocket using the outer boundary, setting a value and using the subtract option. I find it is best to place this pocket right after the zero plane in the Component Tree. You will also need to create a component from the lettering, set to the appropriate height. And you should set the texture component to merge. The lettering component needs to be set to merge and a minus value spec'd when you create it.

C Tree.JPG (13.16 KiB) Viewed 1783 times

Here is how it looks with the lettering below the surface:

[Ms Wolffie]

I love this woodgrain, wish I had it
When I make a texture, I save it as a template, then I can use it any time I want and fit it between vectors.
This one is carved as a pockets around the vectors, then the texture is added.

These are 2 different textures on the same plane.
Cheers
Wolffie
.