trace out 6 bird images and engrave a pine screen setup

[stan kern]

going to trace out 6 bird pictures printed from a
stencil book and produce *.dxf files to cut or engrave
with a CO2 laser (digitize image scans to create *.dxf files)


https://youtu.be/YrwuQnu2zJk trace out 6 birds

[Keith Outten]

Stan have you done any intarsia projects?

[Brent Franker]

That looks like a lot of work. Is there a reason you don't just take the black and white images and do an outline clipart trace with a program like Corel? I do this often and it takes just seconds to get a very nice vector image. I've found that if I convert the bmp to black and white and then do the trace the quality of the vector pretty much matches the bitmap and it looks fantastic.

[stan kern]

I have and i will find the utubes , they are extra work because each piece needs to be a closed vector
Almost like drawing it twice

[stan kern]

Been doing it this way for so long , it does not seem to be a lot of work to me
On complex diagrams its work and remembering not to trace something twice

[stan kern]

have a look here and if you have questions let me know --

https://youtu.be/wlw5OofFEB0 tracing intarsia fat car john's new videos

https://youtu.be/LPsEcj93apw tracing the bald eagle

https://youtu.be/7ZzSQbpJonE tracing an intarsia pattern large mouth bass

https://youtu.be/6hVPPjPI36U intarsia pin cushion cat

intarsia diagrams need a lot of editing in aspire

[Keith Outten]

Thanks Stan,

I got it and picked up a couple more ideas.

I am going to try this bit to machine a slight roundover, don't want to cut out all of the parts.
I am going to use 3/4" thick PVC sheet and paint the individual parts on the Rip Van Winkle garden gnome below.

https://www.highlandwoodworking.com/productimages/routerbits/point_round/whiteside-point-cutting-roundover-d.jpg

Garden Knombs 152014.0.jpg

[stan kern]

Keith
I have often wanted to try using a round over bit , as it will give a 2D project a 3D look, I did that on a plque one time with a image of a canon 3/4 thick and it did look like it was carved

[Keith Outten]

I ordered the bit with the largest radius I could find and already have an incredibly sharp V-bit that I will use before I machine the radius to protect the fragile point at the end of the bit from breaking. I will share pictures when it done.

[stan kern]

when you trace intarsia, you have to complete each section and save it , then trace the next part to it and save it as each part shares the same line
It can be a lot of computer work