A little help please

[Rickzink]

I cannot get the name in the attached to jong the box its in properly. I ahve done this many times now but for some reason I cannot get this one lined out. The spaces between the name int he box should be cut out. How can I get the name and the box to be the same piece?

I hope yall understand my explanation. I am still not familiar with how to easily explain what I need in this world yet.

[ROKCRLER]

Not sure if this is what youre after but...

I separated the groups you had, there were 3 parts

Centered the text with the black frame and unioned

The text box will drop out when cut out of the sign unless you breakup the rectangle in a few spots. I attached a sample.

[adbuch]

When I open your original file, this is what I see. The rectangular box is only 4 nodes - one at each corner. You need to use the "Stroke to Path" tool on the rectangular box first, then do your Union.

Note: I have switched from Normal view to Outline view to make it easier to see what is really going on here.

As Mo has mentioned, if you are planning to cut this from a single piece the "text in the frame" will fall out when cut. But perhaps you are planning to do a layered piece with the "text in the frame" as the top layer.

David

[adbuch]

Not sure if this is what youre after but...

I separated the groups you had, there were 3 parts
Gower1.jpg

Centered the text with the black frame and unioned
Gower2.jpg

The text box will drop out when cut out of the sign unless you breakup the rectangle in a few spots. I attached a sample.
Gower3.jpg

Mo - did you use the "Stroke to Path" tool on the black frame before you did your Union? When I opened the file, the black frame was only 4 nodes so the Union tool would not work for me until I used the "Stroke to Path" tool first. Maybe you have a different technique that I don't know about.
Thanks,
David

[ROKCRLER]

david, yeah i did, forgot to mention it

[adbuch]

david, yeah i did, forgot to mention it

Mo - thanks for that! I think that was his main problem - that he forgot to stroke to path before doing his union. I like to work in Outline view for those sorts of things as it makes it easier for me to really see what is going on.

David

[Rickzink]

When I open your original file, this is what I see. The rectangular box is only 4 nodes - one at each corner. You need to use the "Stroke to Path" tool on the rectangular box first, then do your Union.

Note: I have switched from Normal view to Outline view to make it easier to see what is really going on here.

box 1.jpg
box 2.jpg
box 3.jpg
box 4.jpg

As Mo has mentioned, if you are planning to cut this from a single piece the "text in the frame" will fall out when cut. But perhaps you are planning to do a layered piece with the "text in the frame" as the top layer.

David

I am planning to cut this from a single piece. It falling out is the problem I am having with this. I need it to not fall out. Its not a layered piece. I need the cut to stay in it.

[ROKCRLER]

david, yeah i did, forgot to mention it

Mo - thanks for that! I think that was his main problem - that he forgot to stroke to path before doing his union. I like to work in Outline view for those sorts of things as it makes it easier for me to really see what is going on.

David

David, i looked over the file i worked with and i actually differenced the two rectangles to achieve the border... but i do use stroke to path in most cases, on this one i wanted to keep the original sizes Rick was working with.

Rick, is this what youre after?

Gower Hog3.dxf

(612.65 KiB) Downloaded 68 times

[plasmanewbie]

I think thats exactly what he is after and it looks great! Nice work guys

[adbuch]

Nice work Mo! Here is my take on it. I forgot to stencil the letters.
David

Gower revised.svg

(61.71 KiB) Downloaded 80 times

Gower revised.dxf

(319.15 KiB) Downloaded 77 times

after stenciling letters

[Rickzink]

Phenomenal work guys!!! Thank you. If you wouldn't mind, can you give me a play by play on what you did? I want to learn from this so I can do it in the future.

[ROKCRLER]

I'll work on getting screenshots for the method i used in a bit.

[Rickzink]

I'll work on getting screenshots for the method i used in a bit.

Awesome!!! Thanks!!!!

[ROKCRLER]

Let see if this makes sense..
I did not completely finish this one due to all the separate splines and nodes, I can combine them all quicker in QCad than Inkscape, still need to learn that trick..

In QCad, i trimmed the extra lines to make the text and oval like you wanted.

I hope this helps a tad.

1.JPG (44.87 KiB) Viewed 3032 times

2.JPG (37.91 KiB) Viewed 3032 times

3.JPG (39.89 KiB) Viewed 3032 times

4.JPG (22.8 KiB) Viewed 3032 times

5.JPG (26.82 KiB) Viewed 3032 times

[ROKCRLER]

I redid the file, I went to QCad 100% for this one. The duplicates and disconnected segments were killing me in Inkscape... (i know... DE is one single click...)
Both were checked in Sheetcam, the drawing will need to be scaled up a tad or some small details deleted. This is approx. 27"x17"

[adbuch]

I redid the file, I went to QCad 100% for this one. The duplicates and disconnected segments were killing me in Inkscape... (i know... DE is one single click...)
Both were checked in Sheetcam, the drawing will need to be scaled up a tad or some small details deleted. This is approx. 27"x17"

Mo - I agree - for some of these "store bought" files with all the disconnected path segments - joining/linking with something like Design Edge or CorelDraw will make it much easier to deal with. I suspect the OP does not have access to either of those (or QCad) - so it is what it is. When I import his original file to Design Edge, this is how it looks.

Export from Design Edge and import to Inkscape. Now no "disconnected path segments".

[adbuch]

I redid the file, I went to QCad 100% for this one. The duplicates and disconnected segments were killing me in Inkscape... (i know... DE is one single click...)
Both were checked in Sheetcam, the drawing will need to be scaled up a tad or some small details deleted. This is approx. 27"x17"

Nice job Mo! I opened your dxf and edited to fix two small open paths and the missing part of one of the chain links. This one should cut very nicely.
David

Gower Hog_Latest_1.dxf

(199.47 KiB) Downloaded 68 times

[ROKCRLER]

David I have to agree that the joining feature in DE is pretty sweet, I know we had a similar yet but that easy way in Inkscape, but cannot remember the process.

I'm anxious to see this cut

[adbuch]

David I have to agree that the joining feature in DE is pretty sweet, I know we had a similar yet but that easy way in Inkscape, but cannot remember the process.

I'm anxious to see this cut

[ROKCRLER]

That's what I normally do, so it was quicker to bring into QCad.

[Rickzink]

Thanks!!! There is a lot of information you provided. I do appreciate it. Is QCad an easier program to use? The reason I am asking is that I am interested in using my table to be able to cut 24 and 26 guage sheet metal for square ductwork. We own a heating and air company and purchased this tbale for that purpose. The learning curve has been larger than I had anticipated but am gaining on it by the day.

At any rate, inkscape seems a little cumbersome, although effective, to use.

[ROKCRLER]

I cut duct work often, i started drawing them up in QCad but switched to SolidEdge so i can draw in 3D and flatten for cutting.
Inkscape I use only for art stuff, or signs, etc.
QCad is free, but to unlock a few cool needed tools, its only $40 for the license.

[adbuch]

Fusion 360 is another good free program for sheet metal work.
David

[Rickzink]

I cut duct work often, i started drawing them up in QCad but switched to SolidEdge so i can draw in 3D and flatten for cutting.
Inkscape I use only for art stuff, or signs, etc.
QCad is free, but to unlock a few cool needed tools, its only $40 for the license.

Thx!!! How is the learning curve on SolidEdge and what does the cost look like?

[Rickzink]

Fusion 360 is another good free program for sheet metal work.
David

Ill look into this one too.