DXF Format/Yag lazer

[NightWinder]

anyone have a DXF program handy for a YAg lazer? I'm also looking for DXF format for a fibre lazer. HAndy for baseplates to put your company name and logos one/ . Figured I'd ask, and see what pops...

[Possum]

Macs...

I am pretty sure that Adobe illustrator will save DXF files from vector art, in fact I just looked and it will. I've never done it for PC before but probably will work....

[NightWinder]

I'll send you a picture of the product when its done. This guy leaves for france tomarrow to calibrate another Yag, but will be back by the weekend. I'm supper stoked!! He has the Yag permenantly now....SUper duper nice guy, and a user ofcoarse. You must have been talking about a Fibre Lazer...they are drastically cheaper. When I meet with him, I'll take some pictures of the Yag too. Post it here so some can get an Ideal how it works. New territory for me!!

[Steve Conner]

A DXF file is a DXF file, so anything that outputs them will do. I've used Autosketch to give DXF files to a guy who laser engraved plexi faceplates for my amps.

With the laser guy I worked with, his laser had two different power settings: one to engrave the plexi and another to cut it. So I used two different layers in the DXF and he assigned one power setting to each.

[jonson]

Way to go Wade. Same way I did those plates you saw, drawing on the pc and gave my lazer guy the files on a floppy. Wish he would cut composits but he hasn't got the extraction for that so just does the metal. Gonna be good seeing this done should be real clean and as accurate as hell. He could also do it if he fitted a small scanner to the machine my man says an a4 would be big enough.

[NightWinder]

I'll be taking lots of pictures, and I think it would be helpful to see the lazer, what it does, how it does it, and most importantly the finished product. Its been mentioned here before....But I think having some pictures may push a few here into action for better parts. I sold this guy some pickups well over a yr ago, and he mentioned when he got another laser at his office he would let me know. He sure did'nt forget about me. That always brings smiles, as in this business, we are too used to getting it pulled.
A4? is that a 2d scanner? I'm still clueless to the whole ordeal, but I'm sure I'll get educated soon enough. I was told to bring parts, material, and all drawings

[jonson]

Yes thats it mate. standard pc size scanner. My metal laser guy say's if I have an origional he can scan it and go from there. Not sure how and pity for him as he has an a4 scanner which is about 12" x 8. 1/2" and an 8foot by 4 foot bed laser. He does end up spending a long time plotting most of his work.
The guy that does my vinyl mask logo cutting just scans an origional into his pc then plots and picks up points all round the lettering and ends up with a perfect copy so maybe its the same method, gonna have to ask and find out more.

[kevinT]

got a Sears catalog today and came across this computerized carving machine that i found interesting. might have some relevant applications in cutting forbon as well as plastics for bobbins. take a look at the video.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...d=00921754000#

[jonson]

Seems worth a look Kevin but in the back of my mind I am sure I have come across this one before and am sure it's a converted Timber thicknesser.
It does not show anything that has been cut right through as forbon would be and only shows relief carving and I think I would want a vacuum hold down system on any form of cnc carver as when bits are cut right through they are gonna be sitting loose in there and gonna end up being slung about.
That is def one you would need to check before investing in it. Vacuum system is very easy to make but would have to be fed through with the workpiece unless you could double sided tape the whole kit and caboodle down.

[David Schwab]

got a Sears catalog today and came across this computerized carving machine that i found interesting. might have some relevant applications in cutting forbon as well as plastics for bobbins. take a look at the video.

http://www.sears.com/sr/javasr/produ...d=00921754000#

My friend showed me that a while back. Word is that if you go the the manufacture's forum (not Sears), there are a lot of complaints about the thing.

I haven't looked myself.

http://www.carvewright.com/

[NightWinder]

Expandable 3d library too!! Never surprises me about the cheap r. bits though. I'll tell ya...I've alwaya said."Good tools, to good work", but slept on bits and drills for quite some time til recently. Honestly could stress that enough. Kev, you dig up the best shit!!!!OMG!!LOL. Thanks for sharing that

[NightWinder]

You now have a new name...LOL. The Machinists Machinist!!! Steve Rocks!! This is a good thread! Gonna get better with some pictures....Can't wait.
Side note- Its new to me too, so curiousity and overall knowing How these machines work is a learning too. Like I said, give me a week or so. Remember, I'm just as curious : )

[Possum]

Sears....

there was a long thread about those things about a year or two ago, bottom line was they were flimsy and had alot of problems with them, maybe they've improved them by now, maybe not....

If you're submitting stuff for laser cutting like strat bobbins you can't scan something like that in, you have to spend a bunch of hours precisely drawing that stuff out. I have some stuff I drew a long time ago when I started to laser print then spray mount onto materials and then cut out. Never did get anyone to cut laser fiber for me, I had a friend who has a laser printer but his house blew up and the fireball nuked the laser cutter. Most laser cutting companies ream you for set up charges and not many cut forbon....

[jonson]

I agree with you Possom you can't just scan in and expect the laser to do the job, but, you can save yourself some initial hours. Watching my guy and trying it myself it's a case of scan the flatwork and bring it up in the drawing program and then switch to draw mode. yo have now got something to work with. Using the mouse click on all the relevent points of the outline and all the holes etc. Join up the dots and get rid of the origional scan as it gave you something to work with at first. My print man does this and it even sorts the curves out. Just down to the drawing programs I think so gonna have to find out a bit more. If any of you guys Want a 1 to 1 copy of something to use as a jig or even a small batch of plates done (I ain't got the time to do hundreds) then I will be quite happy to do it on one of my overhead routers and I can handle stuff up to 8feet long but thats a f#*** big pickup. I run all the wood and plastic composits and aluminium is not a problem either. Sorry another long one but prob don't explain myself too well at times.

[Possum]

scan....

well thats a crude way to start I guess. But you need to use precise mechanical drawing tools like illustrator has, so you can position the magnet holes at exact spacings in the thousandths of an inch etc. Curves need to be bezier curves with just two points etc. So basically its a mechanical drawing and should be dead on precise in the finished art. I used Lollar's book and drew over that but used his measurements in making the drawings. I ended up changing some things I didn't like in his version...