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View Full Version : Columns, Rows, and Laser Travel.



Chuck Patterson
10-12-2009, 8:21 PM
Used the Graph Paper Tool in CDR 13 to create what you see in the attachment. Thought if I did this instead of creating 16 different individual boxes it would keep the laser from cutting twice down the Vertical lines. I was wrong. The laser travels down the verticals twice, once for each unit number. Is there a way to eliminate the laser from "double cutting"? Reducing this extra travel would save on time.

Made attempts in Sign Lab 7.1 also. Found the badges tool but I do not thinki it will solve the problem. Does Sign Lab even have something similar to Graph Paper Tool?

Assistance with either or both applications would be appreciated.

Note: Lines were made extra large so they could be seen in attachment. Hairlines were not visible after exporting to .jpg.

Doug Griffith
10-12-2009, 8:42 PM
If I knew I had to run many of these, I would first create the box, then create a single numbers column along with a vertical line to the right. Then I would step and repeat as many as needed. To take it one step further, I would change the direction the line cuts: top-to-bottom, bottom-to-top, and so on. I only know how to do that in Illustrator but there are Corel pros on here.

Cheers

Dee Gallo
10-12-2009, 8:44 PM
Why couldn't you just make individual vertical lines with a big box around the outside? I don't see the reason to make it so complicated.

cheers, dee

Juliana Costa
10-12-2009, 8:59 PM
Hey chuck and everyone, since this is my first post i hope im not braking any rules, ill proper introduce myself in another post, but i just wanted to agree with Dee ( which im a big fan :-) ) a box with vertical lines will do it, but if theres a file u wanted to just fix it, your file with some breaking apart ( as attached ) should get the results i think u r looking for ! :-)

Dee Gallo
10-12-2009, 9:10 PM
Welcome to the Creek, Juliana! I can see the guys drooling already, so just ignore that, they really are a great bunch. It's great to see you jumping in - most first posts are begging for help and here you are offering it -

Tell us more about what you've been doing with your laser!

cheers, dee

Juliana Costa
10-12-2009, 9:24 PM
Here am i again afraid of the rules, not sure if i should reply here or on a new thread :-) anyways, since my ( little stubborn ) dad is an architect and often have to build wooden models, most of the time he is really busy and this part on his work really takes time, since he was doing all by hand and on a scrollsaw, and every deadline i jump in the picture to help him, sanding, cutting and stuff, for a couple of years ive been trying to make him get a laser but no luck until now, so apparently he got it under " my " pressure ( ok ok maybe a little ) and now its my job to get the models done :-) oh well, just what i wanted since ive always enjoyed building my dollhouses and helping him out, and thanks for the reply, im glad u think i started off well, i really couldnt wait to start posting and " trying " to help since ive learned a lot from this forum, and you, once again, im a HUGE fan ! Thank u for the warm welcome and a big thanks to everyone else, this forum ROCKS !

Steve Clarkson
10-12-2009, 9:50 PM
Welcome Juliana!!!!!

I highly recommend that you join the NYS Laser Engravers Association if you live in NY.

I've spoken with quite a few architects and none of them seem to use real models anymore....I was quite disappointed when I explored that route. Any insight you could give on that aspect would be helpful.

Doug Griffith
10-12-2009, 10:00 PM
I have a friend that does high dollar architecture and his company still does models. Could be that the expense of producing models is only appropriate for big money jobs.

Juliana Costa
10-12-2009, 10:10 PM
Hey Steve, i know what u mean, most of the models now people just do it on a computer and thats it, but since my dad build and sell his own houses/condos, he believes that a person see a lot more on a real wooden model than looking at the pc screen, helping him with the sales and im a 100% with him, i see people faces when they see our models, i think they can really picture themselves on something real, and its not the same when i use to show the computer ones, reason why my father went back to the wood ! Interesting fact, everyone that closes a deal on a property, ask for the model, so they can use as a decoration, an addition to their new place, we had one that asked if we could build a big one that looked exact the same on his backyard so his daughter could play on it, from my point of view, wooden models sell ! sell and sell ! i see that often !

Steve Clarkson
10-12-2009, 10:43 PM
Would love to see one of your finished projects and your techniques for doing them.

Doug, I've spoken with people in the biggest firms near me and they all said the same thing.....they rarely use actual models unless it's for a mall. They said the time and expense of building a model didn't outweigh the 3D video models that they now have.

Steve Clarkson
10-12-2009, 10:50 PM
Hey Chuck,

Sorry for hijacking your thread!!! I hope you got the answer you needed.

Juliana Costa
10-13-2009, 12:15 AM
Would love to see one of your finished projects and your techniques for doing them.

Doug, I've spoken with people in the biggest firms near me and they all said the same thing.....they rarely use actual models unless it's for a mall. They said the time and expense of building a model didn't outweigh the 3D video models that they now have.

Sample Model Attached ! And yes, takes time, and cost more, but the boss thinks its worth, so we stick to the plan :-) but we still use softwares for the inside, floors, colors things like that !

Dan Hintz
10-13-2009, 6:57 AM
Chuck,

I believe the Graph Paper tool simply makes boxes, which takes you back to where you started. Doug has the right idea for the fastest cut... make the outer box, followed by the inner lines (alternating their direction). To make those inner lines even more quickly, make one in the desired direction (top to bottom, for example), the copy it into every other location using Corel's step/repeat function. Go back and make the second line in the opposite direction (bottom to top), then step/repeat that into the missing gaps. If you make the first line start next to where the outer box ended, you'll have the quickest cut possible.




Steve,

Never heard of that association... any idea if they're national and the one you mentioned is just the local chapter? I'll do some digging and see if I can find something closer to me.




Juliana,

I love those kinds of models, but I've never had the opportunity to put one together (barring drafting classes back in high school). My research was in graphics, so I'm a complete graphics geek, but I'll always prefer a model you can touch. Nice job!




Dee,

<in my most regal voice> For future reference, I do not drool... beg, plead, or whimper, maybe... but never drool. I have to keep some semblance of dignity!

Steve Clarkson
10-13-2009, 8:35 AM
Uhhh, Dan.......right now Dee and I are the only members.......and she just voted me out as President..........

George Brown
10-13-2009, 9:44 AM
Sample Model Attached ! And yes, takes time, and cost more, but the boss thinks its worth, so we stick to the plan :-) but we still use softwares for the inside, floors, colors things like that !

Very nice! How do you glue the pieces, wood glue or hot melt? Do the pieces have little tabs that hold the parts in place and help in alignment?

Dan Hintz
10-13-2009, 10:02 AM
Uhhh, Dan.......right now Dee and I are the only members.......and she just voted me out as President..........
http://www.thesmilies.com/smilies/angry/duh.gif

I sooooo should have caught that one...

Dave Johnson29
10-13-2009, 10:59 AM
Used the Graph Paper Tool in CDR 13

Chuck, the Graph Paper Tool generates boxes and that gives two cuts. The best idea is to create a single box large enough for all the inner grids. Then draw a single vertical line for the first box. Select that line then Ctrl-D (Duplicate) and then drag it down to the correct vertical position using the Ctrl key.

Sorry if this has already been stated, but I stopped reading at the hijack.

Chuck Patterson
10-13-2009, 11:51 AM
Welcome Juliana. I was unable to open your file. I am still using Corel X3.

Yes I believe I got my answer. Going to give it a try.

Re: Hijack....I wondered if anyone was doing models.

Michael Bareno
10-13-2009, 12:30 PM
Chuck,
The Virtual Segment Delete tool (located on the Crop Tool flyout) would remove the extra line thus eliminating that extra cut every time. Normally when cutting boxes I leave a gap in between; but when I need to use all the material, I line them up just like you did and use the VSD tool.
Hope this helps.

Juliana Costa
10-13-2009, 12:51 PM
Very nice! How do you glue the pieces, wood glue or hot melt? Do the pieces have little tabs that hold the parts in place and help in alignment?

mostly hot melt, maybe a toothpick here and there :-) no tabs on that one since it was done all by hand, it was a lot of work to align tabs, now with the laser im getting used to using them, alot easier to align, and way less melting !

Juliana Costa
10-13-2009, 12:58 PM
Note to myself, start saving files on v10, v11 so everyone can open, thanks chuck ! glad u got ur answers ! :-)

Mark Ross
10-13-2009, 2:19 PM
We do all of our models now using one of them thar fancy 3D printers from Dimension. Computer models and looking at a screen just is not the same as holding a part in real life. The machine has more than paid for itself before we cut and harden steel tools.

Plus, I engraved a piece of granite for a chessboard and used the 3D printer to make Star Wars chess pieces...can't get much more of a geek factor than that!

We've also done complete dashboards for cars. The possibilities with a 3d printer are endless. Custom XBox 360 controllers, the chess pieces, and every once in a while, something work related!

Steve Clarkson
10-13-2009, 2:42 PM
OK, that was like one of the coolest things I've seen so far this year.

Rodne Gold
10-13-2009, 3:01 PM
The worst aspect of doing models is the work you have to do on most Acad dwgs that come from architects..don't even think of importing em into corel if its not an uber simple dwg and dxf is a nightmare..
Either get the arch to use a very simple prototype dwg and save as a very early version..9 is good
Or get ACAD and work on it yourself
I use mainly 1mm -3mm pex , card , various engraving lams etc. If you have a desktop printer you can print elements on inkjet vinyl to stick on for realistic efects like windows can have a blue sky with clouds reflection and so forth.
Be prepared to do a good few revisions as things change...