Has anyone been to Vectric's new page? They have a fantastic new product called PhotoVCarve! All I can say is WOW!!!
Just like VCarve they have a free-trial version of the new software at www.vectric.com.

Bill Schober

The quality on the websites photo gallery, wasn't all that.

They should change the step over or something. One or two photos looked ok, but most had lines, that just kept me focused on the lines, not the photo subject.

I'm not knocking the software, they should just put their best photos up, to show what the software can do

http://www.vectric.com/WebSite/Vectric/pvc/pvc_gallery.htm


.

They should change the step over or something. One or two photos looked ok, but most had lines, that just kept me focused on the lines, not the photo subject.

.
Think you have missed the function of the software.
It is not 3D image software. Its designed to give a good replication of a photo. Its 2D in presentation. It is producing lines of varing widths dependant on shade. It will always have lines but I assume you can change the spacing to suite your requirements. An interesting idea. May have some application in memorial work.

The software’s pretty cool, you can change the line spacing and the cut depth to get different effects. I'll attach two screen shots. One is using a 60-degree Vbit with a line spacing of .05 inches. It gives a pretty cool effect and I've actually cut this one and it comes out really nice. The smaller the bit and the more lines you can get the sharper the image seems to get. It seems part of the trick is making sure you have enough contrast between the cuts, so painting or staining your cuts something darker then the surface is the way to get the best looking piece. The second image is using a 1/8-ball nose bit with a line spacing of .013 (so it overlaps). You can see you can get some cool 3d effects too.

It takes a little playing around with the software to find the settings you like. But compared to some of the other photo to gcode programs I've tried this one actually creates something that looks like your photo and without much work at all.

I think the type of cut, I like best is the one with 674 lines, and 4 steps in "Z", Looks way better to me.

I noticed you can adjust the angle of toolpath, can that be a different angle in each "Z" pass?

What kind of limit is on the trial version?

.

Nice Jay,
As I understand it, if your varnish your wood first then cut it and stain it the stain is only applied to the cut areas. I think this would work nicely on your first one. My CNC machine is down at the moment, so I can only play with PhotoVCarve and imagine what might work... :violin:
Bill

Thanks for the positive response!

Hi Switcher,

The Trial version of PhotoVCarve will allow you to cut the 4 samples shown below, at any size on your own CNC machine. It will also open your own photographs, calculate and preview the toolpaths, but not save the cnc code.

The key factor about PhotoVCarve is that it machines very realistic results using lines much quicker than any of the grayscale height map products that typically have cutting times of many hours+, with results that are very dependant on the lighting and shading in the original photograph.

The technique used in PhotoVCarve works regardless of what the photograph looks like. Having said that, high contrast photographs / images will give better results, and the software includes an option to increase the contrast and instantly preview the results so you can see what the finished piece will look like.

We have a web page that explains how the process works,

See > How PhotoVCarve works (http://www.vectric.com/WebSite/Vectric/pvc/pvc_features.htm)

Hope this answers your questions,

Tony Mac

Can someone do a tutorial, or demo from start to finish, not of the actual program workings those are clear on the program website, but of material setup, preperation and how to get the proper shading. (materials and applying the effects) that is what i'm inclear about. pictures would help alot.

Thanks, Joe

Edit: i just looked at the link Tony provided and it explains some of it, but like to see pictures of the proccess and all steps.

Joe,

The general procedures are outlined on our web site.

See the link > How It Works (http://www.vectric.com/WebSite/Vectric/pvc/pvc_features.htm)

Things to remember are,

Material / Machine Table must be Flat

The machined grooved must be a different colour to the material surface

Typically fairly shallow grooves,
0.020" for small designs around 3" high
0.080" for designs around 12"

Experiment with different depths in the software to see how a deeper cut produces fewer lines and less detail.

You must use a V-Bit / Conical Cutter otherwise the width on the lines will not vary

When cutting wood the Line Spacing needs to be 120%+ to leave a small flat region between each line / groove, stopping the wood from going fuzzy.

Engraving Brass, machine the part, paint the grooves / piece black and polish the surface to remove the excess paint. Altenatively, use a 'Blacking Fluid' to etch the brass to black, then polish the surface clean leaving the balck in the grooves.

Hope this helps,

Tony

I believe i will be purchasing the software this weekend. Looks really good.

Just curious, how do you enter a License Code?

When you click on "Help | Enter License Code" Nothing happens.





.

The Trial Version cannot be turned into a working version.

Customers receive a new download link to the Full version + license code.

Regards,
Tony

Thanks, Tony :)

Tony,

How can I add multiple "Z" passes?

And:

I noticed you can adjust the angle of toolpath, can that be a different angle in each "Z" pass?

Thanks.

Hi again,

Good question.

The maximum depth a tool can cut is specified in the Tool Database.

For example, entering a Carving Max Depth = 0.080"

Selecting a cutter that has a Pass Depth = 0.040" = 2 passes

Editing the parameters for the cutter to have a Pass Depth = 0.020" = 4 passes

The Tool Database is fully editable and yo ucan setup your own tooling list.

Hope this makes sense?

Let me know if you need more guidance,

Tony

Hi again,

Just realized that I made a mistake when stating that the Trial version will only let you cut the 4 sample files - NOT TRUE

The Trial Version will let you CUT ANY Photographs but the results will be watermarked.

So you can actually cut yor own pictures!

Sorry about that,

Tony

Thanks, I was adjusting the wrong form. For anyone that needs to know how to add multiple "Z" passes try this.

(1) When you get to number 3 (Set Cutting Parameters), click on "Edit..."

(2) Go down to "Cutting Parameters"

(3) Then make your numbers smaller, like Tony said in Post #15




.

Still playing with this software, kinda embossed:

What you have shown is exactly why PhotoVCarve is different to the many other grayscale > emboss products (which as you can see PhotoVCarve can also do).

Cutting the picture of the puppies as an embossed toolpath would probably take at least 2 hours and the results would look very different to what you are expecting to see. For example, the eye's and nose will be sunken into the head and the higher the relief the more pronounced this type of problem becomes.

Trying to cut faces will often fail with the embossed approach becuase the eye's stay low, the teeth jump out (if smiling), the hair stays low and maybe the cheeks are high. If you are an expert photoshop user it is sometimes possible to 'fix' the photograph to make it work with the embossed technique, but this is not something many people have the skills to do.

Using PhotoVCarve the picture can be machined in minutes and although created by lines, the results will look as expected. Also, when you look at signage, memorials, pictures etc from a distance you can't actually see the lines!

Tony

Yeah, the photo in Post #18 was over 8.0mb :)

Still playing with this software, kinda embossed:
Try using a small ball nose bit.

The 2 images below show the effect of changing the stepover on quality.

The first image shows a design 10" wide, cut with a 60 degree V cutter and small stepover = high resolution and good quality

The estimate machining time is approx 12 minutes.

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/image_1.jpg


The second image is the same design and cutter settings, but using a larger stepover, hence lower quality and will take approx 6 minutes to cut.

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/image_2.jpg

Cutting the same job using an 1/8th Ball nose cutter to get the 'Embossed look' would take around 2 hours to machine.

Hope this helps with the difference between the grayscale emboss approach and how PhotoVCarve works.

Tony

Tony,

Something I noticed in your program, when you have the cursor over a dark space (Cut) after it has generated a cut path, at the bottom it shows in the right hand corner, the usual "X" & "Y" cursor location.

What I found unique, was your also showing the depth of cut in "Z" (See photo). Ive never seen anyone do that. :) Cool!







.

Hi,

I have a question: If the background is many colors and shapes and shades, how I make it transparent. I could not do it. If I selected one color outside of subject it affects also the subject and the transparency is where areas of same color are. In all examples I have seen i.e. baby head the background was one color, it means that I must prepare the photo before with some other software? If yes, what are the recommendations?
Zoltan

Switcher - Well spotted. The X, Y and Z coordinates are displayed in real time as the cursor is moved over the design in the 3D window. This is also the same in VCarve Wizard, and is very useful for seeing exactly what the depth of cut is at any point on a design.

Zoltan - If the background colours in a picture are very similar, for example a blue sky, then the using the Transparent Tool multiple times with Shift + Ctrl pressed will make multiple colours transparent.

If the background is very 'busy', for example lots of different shapes / things and colours, then we recommend using something like Corel Photo-Paint, PaintShop Pro, PhotoShop etc. the paint a solid colour around the 'subject you wish to carve or engrave.

We did this for the Baby Boys face - painting the background yellow. Making the yellow areas transparent then limits the toolpath inside the required detail, giving very good results and reducing the cutting time.

Tip - The toolpath can be viewed on its own by using,

View > Toggle Preview / Toolpath


Hope this helps?

I will make a video tutorial and post the link later today.

Regards,
Tony

All of the examples above are still displayed from the program's generator. Does anyone have some actual photos of the completed piece? I would be interested in the final rendering on different materials.
A few examples of different settings rendered onto a specific material would be nice!
To see what effects regarding constrast using stains would also assist in getting an idea of how this works.


John (bloy)

John have you been to their gallery yet: http://www.vectric.com/WebSite/Vectric/pvc/pvc_gallery.htm
It shows a few examples in real (not virtual) wood and metal.
Bill

Hi John,

This PhotoVCarve (http://www.vectric.com)design is based on a Free Clipart sample from Dover Clipart (http://www.doverpublications.com/sampler1) and I would recommend registering as you get free samples every week.

I'll try and get the design machined this week and post the results.

Apart from Laser Machining, I'm not aware of any other way that this type of pencil sketch can be CNC machined?

The design below 24" high and cut 0.08" deep and should take less than an hour to machine!

Ths image below steps through the process of loading the image, sizing, toolpathing and previewing the results.

Tony

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Golden_Cat.gif

Zoltan - The link below will run a short tutorial showing how regions of a photograph or image can be made transparent using image editing software such as Corel Photo-Paint, Paintshop Pro and PhotoShop etc. to paint over unwanted areas.

Video Tutorial (http://www.vectric.com/vcarve-download/photovcarve/Cute_puppies_no_background.html)

Hope this is useful,

Tony

Great. Thank you.

Zoltan

I cut the Pencil sketch of the Golden Cat into Clear Plexiglass / Perspex today using a 60 degree included angle 0.1mm tip diameter cutter.

The material is 100mm x 100mm x 3mm thick the Max Carving Depth = 0.3mm with 120% line spacing and it took just over 10 minutes to engrave.

The key to making the process work is 'Creating the contrast' between the material surface and the machined areas. For this project I simply painted the machined grooves with black paint and wiped the excess off the surface using Thinners.

Here is the Finished piece

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Cat_painted.jpg

The engraved surface doesn't look very good untl it's painted, as you can see below,

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Cat_engraved.JPG

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Cat_engraved_2.JPG

Tony

Ah! Now that's nice!! I've heard of putting light to the edge of the glass/plastic which causes the cut areas to highlight! But anyway, I'm impressed!

John (Bloy)

Hey Tony attached is the cat engraving inverted as a negitive...
I wonder if you inverted it in PhotoVcarve that it might look like this without the black paint since the plexiglas turns white when etched this would work well with side lighting too.
Bill

All of the examples above are still displayed from the program's generator. Does anyone have some actual photos of the completed piece? I would be interested in the final rendering on different materials.
A few examples of different settings rendered onto a specific material would be nice!

John (bloy)
Hi John,

A PhotoVCarve customer has cut these designs into aluminium and posted the pictures on the Vectric Forum (http://vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=163)

The trick is simply painting the groves.

Tony

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Tiger.jpg

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Gandalf.jpg

A couple PhotoVCarve designs engraved by - Hood - in Scotland.

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Buzzard1.jpg

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Shamara.jpg

"The picture of the Buzzard is carved into 5083 Alu and size is 160mm x 132mm (6.5" x 5"). It took about 30mins to alter in a graphics program and go through the steps in PhotoVcarve then only took 12mins to machine and probably about the same to clean up the paint."

"Next time I will mask a bit round the edges to make things quicker. Will also make the lines closer so that the detail stands out even more."

"Impressive program"

General question about photovcarve and vcarve. I have not downloaded a trial version yet because I still have to finish making my cnc router first. My understanding is that the trial version is fully functional. Is there a limit on how long the software is active (does it shut down after a number of carvings) or are we left on the honor system as to actually purchasing it.

Personally I've worked with a number of pieces of software that were on the honor system and if it was found to be useful have always purchased it. But I was wondering on how ling a trial period we could work with the software for.

Also, I assume that photovcarve is a standalone piece of software and does not require anything from vcarve to run (i.e. photovcarve is not a plugin to vcarve or anything like that), so you can purchase only photovcarve and not be required to get both as a package.

Steven

Hi Steven,

The Trial versions of both VCarve Wizard and PhotoVCarve are not time limited. However, VCW will only let you save the CNC Toolpaths for the sample files that are provided. It will load your own designs, calculate toolpaths, preview the results but not save these.

PhotoVCarve will save toolpaths for the sample files so you can cut these, plus your own photographs, but these will be water marked.

Yes, PhotoVCarve is a stand-alone product so you don't need to have both.

Hope this helps,

Regards,
Tony

I've always have been interested in engraving picture's and such! When V-carve came out I thought "Just another topography program trying to do the impossible" So I tryed the demo and thought ,NOT BAD, but still waited to buy!
Then V-Photocarve came out and the price isn't to steep, so I said what the heck!!!
The photo has not been touched up any, I purchased the program online at around 10:00am and just after lunch I was able to download and install!
I created a custom tool size and feed and speeds adjusted in the program.

I used a custom post that I had requested for V-carve and saved the program
to floppy!
I then put on our Haas router and ran graghic mode, no problems there ,so I set up a tool and let it run and in about 45 minutes It was done!

This is just the begining!

I like it! :)

Hi Larry,

Nice one and thanks for the positive appraisal.

Tony

where is an in-expensive place to get 60° v-bits and also 1/8" ball nose?

Thanks, Joe

Hi Joe,

You could try these suppliers,

http://www.2linc.com/engraving_tools.htm

http://www.bitsbits.net/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=3&zenid=ad504767e113d2091b97ae10f0d328b5

http://www.gspinc.com/products/routers/bits_engrave.html

Hope this helps,

Tony

The Keep Sake below has been engraved into brass for a friend and the results look very good. In fact much better than the photograph shows.

The face was cut using a 60 degree included angle 0.1mm tip diameter cutter.

The material is 75mm high x 50mm wide and 3mm thick the Max Carving Depth = 0.3mm with 110% line spacing and it took just over 12 minutes to engrave on a Roland EGX engraver.

It's amazing how the initial result after machining looks like the process hasn't worked, then when the black paint is applied it suddenly comes to life. The excess was wiped off the surface using thinners, then polished.

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Portrait_2.jpg


http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Portrait_1.jpg

Tony

Great work Tony, I am a still swamped at work now but will post some results as soon as I have some.

Was the brass polished with brass polish or just buffed with a soft cloth?

Jason

Hi Jason,

The excess paint is wiped off using a cloth and when the paint has dried the top surface is polished using a very fine sand-paper. Here in England we call it Wet & Dry, which is a fine grit paper and you add a little water to help with the polishing.

To maintain a flat even polished surface. Put the sand-paper on a flat surface and rub the job over this.

Hope this helps,

Tony

We tested the PhotoVCarve process using a piece of translucent Plexiglass (Perspex in the UK) and the results were very impressive. Interestingly we also found that the process of carving grooves into this material very quickly creates an effect that is very similar to Lithophanes!

The piece shown below is 5 1/2" high x 4 1/2" wide, Carving max depth of 0.030" and was cut using a 60 degree engraving cutter running at 3/4" / sec and took around 10 minutes to engrave.

Leaving the Plexiglass unfinished works very well as Lithophane when lit from behind.

Painting the grooves black and wiping the excess off the surface makes the picture more visible without having to change the lighting. However, I did find it tricky to leave the paint in the grooves as it tended to wipe off. Maybe, using a flexible scraper to apply the paint will also scrape the surface clean.

Finishing this type of material needs more investigation and any ideas would be welcome?

I must add that as always, the actual piece looks much better than the photographs.

Tony


http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Plexi_1.jpg

Results straight off the machine do not look promising, but..

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Plexi_4.jpg

Holding to the light reveals the Lithophane magic!

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Plexi_6.jpg

Painting with black paint produces the finished result.

Tony can you tell me the exact bit you are using so i can order some?

thanks alot.

Joe

Hi Joe,

I used a standard carbide engraving cutter - 60 degree included angle with a .1mm flat tip diameter. When engraving 'small' designs It's important to use small tip diamters of less than 0.005" if possible.

Looking around for suppliers in the US and found,

http://www.2linc.com/engraving_tools.htm#engraving%20tools

Catalog No. 10134 .005" Tip, 1/4" (.250") Dia, 2" long, 60 degree angle - $16.35 ea

Catalog No. 10108 is the same tool but 1/8" diameter at $9.55 ea.

Looks like the min order qty is 3 tools

**************************
http://www.bitsbits.net/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=3&products_id=219&zenid=ad504767e113d2091b97ae10f0d328b5

This company offer even smaller Tip diamters which is better for small jobs, and you can order single cutters at $12.50 ea.

Hope this helps,

Tony

Hello all,

I have really enjoyed look at the results everyone has made.

...was wondering what it looked like if you ran two cutter paths 90 degrees to each other. For example, from the upper left to lower right then another pass from the upper right to lower left. Does this destroy the effect or create a different cool result?

Henry

Hi Henry,

PhotoVCarve does include the machining option Cross Hatch, which cuts two sets of lines at 90 degrees to each other - exactly as you have mentioned.

In theory this approach will double the cutting time (twice the number of lines), but the line spacing can be increased so the actual cutting time is more like 50% more. This cutting strategy gives very interesting results and the brass picture of Marilyn Monroe shown below has been cut using the Cross Hatch option.

This design is 3" high, was cut using a 60 degree 0.004" tip engraving cutter and took around 30 minutes to engrave.

Tony

Please remember it's pretty difficult to take good pictures of these designs (for me at least) and the actual piece looks much better than it appears below.

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Marilyn_2.jpg


The original picture shown below was found on the internet.

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Marilyn_1.jpg

Tony,
When I choose Mach2/3 processor I get some strange gcode for my machine. I choose regular gcode and everything seems to run fine. I tried the photo of the small boy and it sure looks great! I am going to purchase the product soon but would like to know why the post processor file for Mach2/3 is so odd. By the way these were both for inch measurements and not mm.

We certainly have customers running both VCarve Wizard and PhotoVCarve with Mach2/3, so not sure what's causing the problem.

If you could e-mail the toolpath file to support@vectric.com we will take a look at what's causing the problem.

Thanks for reporting this,

Tony

Tony,
I emailed the code but it was not the original because I had deleted it already. I tried to re-create the code by using the same settings I had when I got the strange code. It may have been something I did but I'm really not sure. The code I sent may be fine, I never tried it. Anyway here's the picture I carved using the gcode processor. As you say, the picture doesn't do the product justice. Very Nice! This was done on a scrap piece of MDF. Size was 6 inches by 5 inches. Cut time was about 20 min using Mach 2. I sanded a little and used steel wool to bring out the picture. I am a novice to picture engraving and still have alot to learn but not too bad for my first attempt.

Another example of what I have made with my Photocarve software. After using it for several days,I now see that it is my finishing technique that must be perfected. The picture is there just as seen in the rendered image on the computer screen just need to find the ways to bring it to life. This software really is great and EASY to use. These pictues again do not look as good as the real product.

More pics of what I've done so far. This one cut into pine. Cut time about 15 min. Size is 6" square.

I am impressed by some of the examples shown here and have downloaded the trial version of Vcarve Photo to try out. I have found the program to be very easy to use, and I had what I thought was some good code within 10 min of installing the program but I am having a problem cutting anything out. I used the provided Big Ben example and had the program create the code for Mach2, and later plain inch g code, but I have strange results when I get to the mill. When I open the file up with Mach2 it displays toolpaths that look like what I would expect to see cut, however the bit just sits down in the lower left corner cutting away for the whole duration of the program and I end up with a little cut out about one quarter inch in size( I was trying for a 3" square size) I have doouble checked to make sure that I have everything set to inches as that is my preferred format, and I don't have any luck. I hope that I am just missing something simple, Please Help!

I will also attach the gcode file

Thanks

Trevor Hinze

Hello Trevor,

The toolpath file looks fine and includes, G70 = Inches and seems to run from X 2" to Y 3".

Is there an option on Mach 2 to set the units as it sounds like the file might be running in Metric on your machine?


Dman - Can you shine any light on this as it sounds similar to the problem you originally encountered?

Tony

Thanks for getting back to me, I do have Mach 2 setup to accept inch units as that is what always use for milling, The strange thing is that the toolpath displays fine on the screen, and looks about like I expected, but the machine doesn't actually follow the path drawn on the screen, but rather stays in the lower left corner near the orgin of 0,0. I am fairly sure that my machine is functioning properly since it has no problem with code generated by sheetcam, and I am sure that I am somehow missing something simple somewhere along the line.

Thanks for getting back to me, I do have Mach 2 setup to accept inch units as that is what always use for milling, The strange thing is that the toolpath displays fine on the screen, and looks about like I expected, but the machine doesn't actually follow the path drawn on the screen, but rather stays in the lower left corner near the orgin of 0,0. I am fairly sure that my machine is functioning properly since it has no problem with code generated by sheetcam, and I am sure that I am somehow missing something simple somewhere along the line.

Is Mach2/3 set to absolute units? I remember having that problem in EMC

That is exactly the problem I had also. I since have been using the Gcode processor instead of the Mach2. I will look into what Joe suggested when I get home tonight (at work now). I have not had any problems since using the Gcode (inch mode) post processor though. Everything is working great for me. Everybody I show my pictures to wants me to make them some. Sounds like I might be able to pay for the Vcarve software with the Photocarve! I hope so.

I have Mach set to Inc units, as this is what works with sheetcam, should I try to set them to Abs, or is Incrimental the correct setting? I would really like to get this to work since I think that the results look really neat.

I have Mach set to Inc units, as this is what works with sheetcam, should I try to set them to Abs, or is Incrimental the correct setting? I would really like to get this to work since I think that the results look really neat.

here are my settings (defaults of mach3). and it worked for me with the demo. I did not use the Mach2 post processor because it slows the machine down. I use g-code inch/arc.

I would change it then do an air cut, meaning set Z 0 to 2" above material and do an air run you do not even need the cutting tool on.

Trevor,
Did you try to use the gcode processor instead of Mach2/3? If not, try that. I seems to work OK for me that way. I'll see what else I can find out tonight but I am a new user to both Mach2 and Photocarve. Hope this works for you. Once you get it to work, you'll want to buy it. It is awesome.

If you look at the Post Processor for "Mach2/3", it already is set to Absolute (G90),

Look at line 64"G00 G21 G17 G90 G40 G49 G80"

Also If you guys want to add line numbering to your Post Processors, let me know. (some have them, some don't)

You can also Add/Change the background image (JPEG), might help you when your doing work for your customers, you could put your company Logo/Info on it, print the page so the customer could have a copy. Could help advertise what you can do, for the customer, they could show family/freinds. :)

Look at attached image:

Thanks to the help I have recieved here I do have the software working with mach2 now thru the use of the inch gcode processor, but now I am haing another problem. I am having a problem when trying to engrave an image into some sheet aluminum. I am using a small dremel brand 30 degree v cutter, and I think that I have all the settings correct in Photo Vcarve, but I don't care for the results that I am getting. I end up with a picture engraved in the sheet of aluminum, however there are not any gaps in between each pass, so as a result there are not any "High" spots left on the surface of the engraving. I had planned on filling the grooves with black paint, and then sanding the paint off of the surfae of the plate to expose the natural aluminum color on all of the high spots but it is not working out since each pass overlaps the one before. I have played around with both the contrast and line spacing percentages and the results on the screen during the preview look fine, but the finished results do not look good. Please lend me some advice once again, and thanks in advance.

Trevor,
In the Cutting Parameters section of the process. Move the slider up to increase the line spacing. In wood, I will run 120% to 140% depending on the resolution of the bitmap picture. Also, make sure you have the cutter specs setup correctly. The tip dimension on an engraving tool will alter the line spacing as well. In other words, from what I have noticed, if the cutter specs are off then the picture rendered on screen will be much different from the real life cut. I would check those two things out first. Maybe Tony can help on this also.

Damian

Hi Trevor,

As Damien said, the cutter geometry is critical to the finished result, especially when cutting small pieces where the cut depth is likely to be pretty shallow.

Setting the Z 0 on the material surface and Flatness of the machine table also need to be set very accurately.

If you don't see any 'Flat areas' on the surface ie the grooves all merge into each other. Then the problem could be due to,

1. The included angle of the cutter is greater than the angle programmed in the software. Or the cutter has a Flat Tip Diameter larger than specified in the software.

2. The Z0 setting is set to low and moves at Z=0 are actually cutting the material.

You could try increasing the Line Spacing to be say 150% to see if this leaves flat areas on the surface?

What size are you cutting the design at?

Your finishing technique should work, althongh I would try using a black spray paint if possible as this will produce a thinner coating on the surface, which will be easier to sand off.

Hope this helps,

Tony

Although we have been promoting the new vcarving method of machining permanent pictures with PhotoVCarve. This software can also be used to machne Lithophanes - Photographs machined into Translucent materials such as Corian, Avenite, Plexiglass, Perspex that create photo-realistic images when lit from behind.

This short video shows the lithophane effect

Video clip (http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Lithophane/MM_2.html)

The Trial version of PhotoVCarve (http://www.vectric.com/) lets you machine your own test pieces.

The User Guide Manual can be downloaded from,

User Guide (http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Lithophane/Machining_Lithophanes.pdf)


Some pictures

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Lithophane/Lithophane_4.jpg

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Lithophane/Lithophane_3.jpg

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Lithophane/Lithophane_1.jpg

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Lithophane/Lithophane_2.jpg

Tony

Those are some spectacular results Tony. I think I will have to try these to believe these results.
The plaque n the first picture is the same plaque on the CNC machine bed but with a light behind?
Amazing results Tony.
What are the machining specs,material speed, time etc.

Jason

Hi Jason,

Yes, the piece on the machine table is what the 3D machining looks like without any back lighting. The piece then magically turns into a beautiful image when held in front of a light.

This piece is cut into 1/4" thick Avenite, could also be Corian or Plexiglass (plexi can be a pain to machine and if you can get 'Cast' instead of 'Extruded' this will be easier to cut).

Each picture is approx 8" x 6"

I ran a Roughing pass usining a 1/8" dia ball nose cutter with 50% stepover, 20k rpm cutting the top 0.08" away. This ran at 1" per sec and took around 30 mins to cut.

Then a Finishing pass using a Conical 15 degree 0.04" Tip Diameter cutter (see picture) with a 15% stepover, 20k rpm to get a good surface finish. This also ran at 1" per sec and took around 3.5 hours to cut.

Important The key to making this process work is to machine the 3D effect into the material, but leavng around 0.04" on the back surface - almost cutting through.

****************************************************

If you have thinner material, say 1/8" then you don't need the roughing pass.

The smaller the design the smaller the diameter cutter is needed.

For example, you could machine a larger design - say 20" square using a 1/8" dia ball nose with Carving Max Depth = 0.08" and the results would be perfect.

Hope this helps,

Tony

The picture below is a mix of PhotoVCarve and VCarve Wizard.

This piece was machined by Dimensional Design in the UK and was their 1st commission using the software. The owner Warren Smith commented,

"My customer wanted a wall hanging picture of her daughter and granddaughter. After photovcarving the picture I thought it needed something extra, so I then added a frame and a little detail with VCarve. Just a few calculations and that was it."

"Nothing really special but the customer really loved it. (Shed a few tears)"

The picture is 800mm (31") wide and cut into 19mm (3/4") laminated MDF

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/pmachinist/Photo.jpg

The corner decoration and rectangle have been added using VCarve Wizard.

1/8" thick corian 4" wide 5" tall. Cut with a .047 ball nose bit at 50 ipm. About 1 hr cut time.

Hi Tony,

Getting back to the Marilyn Monroe litho's you did (and I hope this doesn't come off like a stupid question).

for your finishing pass (3.5 hours), I'm assuming you didn't run your router full tilt for that entire period. Do you use a variac or some other speed controller (or do you have a variable speed router) and if so, what speed did you run at.

One of my worries about doing something like this is to let a $200 router run full tilt for several hours and burn it out.

Steven

Tony,

Never mind... Now I do feel really dumb because I just say the speeds listed in the next posting.

Steven

Hi Steven,

I understand your concerns about running the router / spindle for such long periods of time as this will have an impact on the life of the motor.

PhotoVCarve can be used in 2 different ways.

1. Machining Grooves with variable width into solid materials such as wood and metals to create the effect of the photograph. This process is very quick to machine because you don’t need many grooves to represent the picture.

2. Machining Lithophanes using a Ball nosed cutter into Translucent materials such as Corian or Plexiglass, and lighting the piece from behind. This process takes much longer the cut the design as it needs a small cutter to define the detail with a small stepover.

To compare the 'ball-park' machining times for a 8” x 6” panel.

PhotoVCarve Grooves = 30 mins

PhotoVCarve Lithophane = 4 hours

I hope this helps,

Tony

Second Litho. These work out great.

PhotoVCarve and VCarve Wizard user Dave Rodda (http://www.dkpokertables.com/) has just completed his First Lithophane project using the software to machine a special permanent Graduation present for his neice.

The Oval measures 16" x 13" and is from a scanned picture.

The overall frame size is 21" x 18".

The lithophane is machined from 1/4" white Corian using a 1/16" Ball nose cutter and took around 8 hours to cut.

Photograph without flash
http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/cnczone/litho_1.jpg

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/cnczone/litho_2.jpg

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/cnczone/litho_3.jpg

Dave commented "The price of PhotoVCarve makes you think that this is a basic program. The results tell a very different story"

Tony

Holy cow that is awesome! I can not wait to get my table done :)

Nice work!

All I can say is WOW!
I just got my CNC table back up and running!
I can't wait to try MY first lithophane project!
When I first saw PhotoVCarve I thought it was fantastic, then I saw the lithophanes...
they are simply wonderful!

Bill Schober

Again another WOW from me ....and just incase you missed ot WOW again...

I have been around to a few kitchen places and scrounged (asked for samples -for nothing) through their bins looking for offcuts but it appears this stuff can be reused I did find one place that gave me about 10-15 pieces for nix ...On the condition I show him some of the stuff I did (guess I really have to finish my machine and start cutting )

Hi Salty72,

Thanks for the positive feedback!

When your machine is ready to cut I'd recommend you take a look at the video tutorial and pdf documents that will show you how to cut lithophanes. It's really very easy to do, but there are a couple of tips that will point you in the right direction.

Video Tutorial (http://vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=766#766)

PDF Manual (http://vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=765&sid=c1ca5d3ee0712820ce64086136a08e70#765)

Let me know if you have any questions,

Tony

will do,

One Q' I do have is... are the litho's cut as a -ve image? and if so could you reverse this to cut it as a +ve image and would you therfore create an image something simalar to the likes of MasterCam Art

http://www.mastercam.com/Products/Art/default.aspx

You certainly can cut +ve images in exactly the same way as Mastercam Art, but you need to understand that the results from this approach are very dependant upon the highlights and shadows in the original photograph. In fact mastercam cleverly point this out on their web page ".. sculpted piece using the highlights and shadows as guidelines for height."

What this really means is that most photographs will look a bit strange when machined because the dark areas such as hair will cut very low and light areas such as teeth and eyes will be high. It is possible to use image editing software such as PhotoShop to enhance images to make them work with the light = high and dark = low concept, but this is pretty difficult to do.

Having said the above, when machined to a relatively shallow depth the photographs do look ok.

If cutting wood it is also possible to stain the surface with a dark colour and sandpaper / polish the high points, and this gives interesting results

Take a look a the carved designs > http://imagecarve.com/id17.html

PhotoVCarve will let you do all 3 processes,

PhotoVCarve lines / grooves - Very quick machining times but needs stain applying to the grooves for contrast
Lithophanes with a ball nose cutter - long machining times but good results and no finishing required
Greyscale 3D height map with ball nose cutter - long machining times and variable results that depend on being able to stain and polish the piece

I hope this helps,

Tony

Here's an interesting job Randall Newcomb at 222 Artisans (http://www.222artisans.com) has recently completed using a combination of vcarving and PhotoVCarved grooves to very quickly transfer the picture of a customers dog onto a wooden panel.

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/cnczone/Copper.jpg


Tony

Have you guys heard the news?!?
VCarve Pro 3 will be out around the end of June and it is a free upgrade for all Vcarve Wizard owners!
It has many new features which can be seen here:

http://www.vectric.com/WebSite/Vectric/whats_new/VCarvePro/New_in_V3.htm

Bill

...
PhotoVCarve will let you do all 3 processes,

PhotoVCarve lines / grooves - Very quick machining times but needs stain applying to the grooves for contrast
Lithophanes with a ball nose cutter - long machining times but good results and no finishing required
Greyscale 3D height map with ball nose cutter - long machining times and variable results that depend on being able to stain and polish the piece

I hope this helps,

Tony

The lithopanes look great. One question: Are you indicating that the software does not use a greyscale 3D height map?

Hello rweatherly,

PhotoVCarve can be used to machine greyscale images. The 3D shape is simply calculated from the variation in the shades of grey in the image, with Black being the lowest and White the highest.

We have just release VCarve Pro 3.0 and this version imports PhotoVCarve designs so additional elements such as text and decorative borders etc. can be added to make a complete design.

See What's New in VCarve Pro (http://www.vectric.com/WebSite/Vectric/whats_new/VCarvePro/index.htm)

Hope this helps,

Tony

.

Tony Mac,

Can you tell me how this was done (any video) ?

http://www.vectric.com/WebSite/Vectric/whats_new/VCarvePro/images/Texture_4.jpg



How did you get that random look?






.

Hi Switcher,

The Random Texturing is a new machining strategy in VCarve Pro. It's very, very easy to create and produces stunning effects very quickly. Other design software will allow 3D textures to be modelled, but these then have to be raster machined using relatively small stepovers and typically take hours to cut.

The totally new approach in VCarve Pro results in very quick machining times.

Here's a short video (no audio) showing how it's done in the software.

Random 3D Texturing Video (http://www.vectric.com/vectric/video/3D_Texture/3D_Texture.html)

Note - We launched VCarve Pro on Friday as a free upgrade for all customers.

The Free Trial Version will be updated next week so you can make the texures for yourself.

I hope this helps,

Tony

The attached sign was made with the some of the new text features of VCarve Pro3. It is 4 feet long and made of pine with a blue deck stain and clear lacquer finish. The new software is GREAT! It is user friendly and has fantastic new features. Good job Tony!
I made the sign for my favorite charitable organization (The Sonora Alano Club) as a way to hopefully help increase the number of people who pay the non-compulsory dues. The names below the sign are some of those paying members.

Bill schober
Sonora, California

Tony Mac,

Thanks for the video in post #89, Very cool software!

Jerry

.

The hardest part of machining a lithophane is often sourcing the Corian or Plexiglas material. Corian will usually give the best results but is also the hardest to find and most expensive.

PhotoVCarve customer Stew recently found a great source of excellent Low Cost material,

Cutting Boards from the cheap dollar store!

Here are a couple of lithophanes machined by Stew on his Home built router.

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/cnczone/litho1b.jpg
http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/cnczone/litho1a.jpg

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/cnczone/litho2b.jpg
http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/cnczone/litho2a.jpg

Fantastic lateral thinking by Stew!

Tony

Those are great. I found my Corian only after many phone calls to counter top contractors, most of whom had no interest in dealing with me for their scrap material.

I will be raiding the dollar stores this weekend. :D Brilliant.

If you want to try a small piece of Corian, you can order a 4x4 sample for $2.00. It's 1/2 inch thick. Someone needs to try both and compare the results.

http://www.coriansamples.com/prostores/servlet/StoreFront

White Corian definitely gives the best results, but it's difficult to get hold of and pricey when compared against the plastic chopping boards.

Tony

Although most of the posts in this thread talk about and show PhotoVCarve being used for lithophanes. The software can also be used to machine 3D grayscale images like the one shown below by customer Damian (Dman).

This method simply machines light regions of the photograph high and dark regions low. Damian has then stained the wooden panel and and wiped / sanded the higher regions to create more contrast in the finished piece.

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/cnczone/New_Router_179.jpg

Some CAD systems have the option to export a 3D model as a height map / image file and these can also be machined using PhotoVCarve as shown in the images below,

3D Carving

http://www.vectric.com/WebSite/Vectric/pvc/images/3D_carving_1.jpg
From this image,

http://www.vectric.com/WebSite/Vectric/pvc/images/3D_Grayscale.jpg

Tony

That gives a really cool looking effect Tony.

Tony Mac,

Is it possible to contain the "Texturing Toolpath" to a specific area? I don't need to add texture to the waste part of the material, that just adds time, tool/machine wear to my projects (see attached image). In my image, I only need texture inside the tabs.

Also is it possible to add texturing to a bmp/jpeg in "PhotoVCarve"? This link is close to what I would like to make (only, with my own image), look at the 4 wildlife scenes at the bottom of the bar.

Link:
http://www.carvingpatterns.com/images/bar-lg.jpg

Thanks, Jerry










.

Jerry, as for your first question do you mean you want to have a textured background around some other stuff? If so check out Vectric How-To on pocketed texturing: http://www.vectric.com/WebSite/Vectric/support/ht_texturing.htm

Hi Jerry,

Yes, as Jay has said, the texture can be limited to cut inside a specific
area by selecting the required vectors. In the Open Sign example shown
below I offset the vectors for the Oval & Text Inwards to stop the Ball
nose cutter gouging into the walls of the VCarve regions.

The offset process is very easy - select the text and oval and the offset
tool automatically does the correct inwards offset for all the selected
vectors. For a more detailed explanation take a look at the Tutorials (http://www.vectric.com/WebSite/Vectric/support/ht_texturing.htm) on
the web site

The Bar looks fantastic and I'd recommend taking a look at the 3D models
on the Vector Art 3D web site (http://www.vectorart3d.com). There's some amazing wildlife designs that
will make fantastic panels.

I hope this helps,

Tony

Tony Mac,

(1)
Actually, your example is the opposite of what I need, I need the raised surface to have texture (not the pocket), I just don't want to machine the scrap material outside of the tabs (with the texture). Compare my image of the "Open sign" to yours, and you will see what I'm referring to.

(2)
As far as the bar image, that was just an example of what I would like to do, I don't want the wildlife carved, what I plan on doing is taking a family portrait and carving it on a cnc the portrait will be a Bitmap image (Has to be my own image), that I will need to convert to g-code. The link to the bar was just a referance on the size/style, depth of cuts, etc.

So my question is, does the texturing feature exist in "PhotoVCarve"?

Sorry, for the confusion.

Jerry



.

Hi Jerry,

Sorry about the confusion.

1. Yes, to texture the raised regions just select the 2 outer ovals + the Open text and the toolpath will be calculated inside these regions. So you don't waste time cutting the unwanted outer area.

See the picture below.

2. The Texturing is a strategy in VCarve Pro and not available in PhotoVCarve

However, the PhotoVCarve files can be imported into VCarve Pro where Text, Frames, Borders etc. can be drawn or imported. The Textures can then be machined around the PhotoVCarve designs.

The picture below shows a PhotoVCarve design imported into VCarve Pro with a simple border draw and textured. Not the most exciting design but shows the technique of being able to combine the files together and preview the results before machining.

I hope this helps,

Tony

1. Yes, to texture the raised regions just select the 2 outer ovals + the Open text and the toolpath will be calculated inside these regions. So you don't waste time cutting the unwanted outer area.

Thanks Tony,

Thats just what I need.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Do you think you might ever add the texturing to "PhotoVCarve" in the near future?


Jerry

.

Hi Jerry,

It's very unlikely that texturing will be added to PhotoVCarve because
the vector drawing and editing tools would also be needed, making the
interface requirements substantially different / more complicated.

For information - We are considering increasing the price of PhotoVCarve
as the $149 was an introductory price when the software was released
back in January.

Tony

Hi Jerry,

Not sure if you spotted my recent post showing another imaginative use of the 3D Texturing in VCarve Pro.

See > http://www.cnczone.com/forums/showpost.php?p=194021&postcount=124

Tony

Tony,

That is very cool! I like that rustic look. I think a glass top would go good with what they already have.

Do you know how long it took to cut the desk?

Is that plywood, they have used for the desk?

I've been trying to think of a way to use texturing in a family portrait, with a very light touch of texturing to simulate a chisel.




Jerry

.

I just found this link, over at Geralds site, it has a bunch of the texturing. I gotta get my cnc table together, so I can try this!


http://www.mechmate.com/Forum/messages/32/690.html

Jerry

.

I've been editing a postprocessor for a Roland EGX-20 engraving machine
and ran this PhotoVCarve design to check that it all worked correctly.

The toolpaths for the photograph were calculated using PhotoVCarve
then imported into VCarve Pro where the text was added and engraved.

The material is 200mm x 150mm (8" x 6") ColourRout (Veneered MDF)
Cutter was a 60 degree 0.2mm (0.008") flat tip
Carving Max Depth = 0.7mm
Stepover = 110%

It took 1 hour 30 mins to engrave and could certainly have been run faster.

Tony

http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/cnczone/Engraved_EGX20_zone.jpg
http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/cnczone/EGX20_zone.jpg
http://www.vectric.com/vectric/images/cnczone/VCPro_Preview_zone.jpg

Very Impressive Tony. I will attempt a similar plaque for my 6 week old baby girl.
What was the actual feed rate?

Jason

Very, Very nice work.

Hi Jason,

The toolpath was calculated with a feedrate of 10mm / sec (around 3/8ths / sec) but the machine has a manual override which was set at around 50%, so I'm not totally sure what the feedrate was.

Tip - I'm finding that a 60 degree cutter seems to be the best for this type of work as it allows a deeper groove to be cut. A 90 degree cutter cuts shallower for the same groove width, which is ok on very flat materials but not so good for wood.

Tony

Hi Jason,

The toolpath was calculated with a feedrate of 10mm / sec (around 3/8ths / sec) but the machine has a manual override which was set at around 50%, so I'm not totally sure what the feedrate was.

Tip - I'm finding that a 60 degree cutter seems to be the best for this type of work as it allows a deeper groove to be cut. A 90 degree cutter cuts shallower for the same groove width, which is ok on very flat materials but not so good for wood.

Tony

Hi Tony.

I visited your site a couple of times after reading about it here. I've been building a 4 axis cnc solsylvia kit with the 4 axis hobbycnc package and was looking for software. I'm interested in your vcarve and photovcarve, but I'm a little..put off...by the price (over $700 Canadian). Why is it so expensive? Seems to me you could sell 4 times the amount if it was less expensive (this is just a hobby for me after all), and your overhead must be less since you don't actually provide me with a disc. I have to download the files. What happens if something happens in the download process. Do I have to re-buy it?.. Please don't take this as an insult though. The software looks good, I'm just wondering if there's a less expensive version of this.

Tercero

Tercero,

For the price VCarve Pro is the best software you can possibly purchase by a long way. I paid $1000.00 BDS for the software and have not regretted it since. It took me a few months but I put aside a set amount until I had enough to buy the software.

Jason

Hi Tercero,

We do appreciate that the software might appear expensive to some of the hobby users, but as far as we know you would have to pay much more for other products offering the same level of functionality. Setting a price that maximises the sales opportunities is very difficult and we really believe we have set a new price point for this level of functionality.

As for shipping CD's, instant downloads are the most efficient way of providing customers with the most up to date versions of the software, without having to try and ship CD's and manuals to the far corners of the world.

Plus the customer gets to use the software within minutes of making the payment, which really is a BIG Plus for most people.

The software is regularly updated and customers get all updates Free for a year after they purchase. Shipping new CD's for every release would be invariably result in us having to charge more for shipping.

We guarantee to make the software available to customers. So if you have a problem with the download failing or your PC crashing, simply contact Vectric and we will make a new download link available.

I hope this helps answer your questions.

Tony

[QUOTE=tercero;206099]

" I'm interested in your vcarve and photovcarve, but I'm a little..put off...by the price (over $700 Canadian). Why is it so expensive? Seems to me you could sell 4 times the amount if it was less expensive (this is just a hobby for me after all), "


To gain a level of reference here it might help if you looked around for other sign carving and decorative cutting software.

At one end of the spectrum you have ArtCAM priced at $7500 per set (no, that's not a typo)

There are other less feature rich offerings or ones that do some V Carving

You can look at Vcarvz for $395.oo but you will have to still add a 3D CAM with post processor to use it and it won't do the peck-engraving.

There is Rhino3D at about $895 and you need a 3D CAM like MeshCAM (more $$)

In the Sign industry there are packages like EnRoute Pro for $5995.00 for the 3D stuff or EnRoute Basic for $2495.00.

No, I think the boyz at Vetrix have done a good job of writing a good program and finding a price structure that does not price it out of reach for the small shops or serious hobby guys.

Tom Caudle
www.CandCNC.com

Hi Tercero,

We do appreciate that the software might appear expensive to some of the hobby users, but as far as we know you would have to pay much more for other products offering the same level of functionality. Setting a price that maximises the sales opportunities is very difficult and we really believe we have set a new price point for this level of functionality.

As for shipping CD's, instant downloads are the most efficient way of providing customers with the most up to date versions of the software, without having to try and ship CD's and manuals to the far corners of the world.

Plus the customer gets to use the software within minutes of making the payment, which really is a BIG Plus for most people.

The software is regularly updated and customers get all updates Free for a year after they purchase. Shipping new CD's for every release would be invariably result in us having to charge more for shipping.

We guarantee to make the software available to customers. So if you have a problem with the download failing or your PC crashing, simply contact Vectric and we will make a new download link available.

I hope this helps answer your questions.

Tony



Thanks Tony.

I like what it can do, but I'll have to wait to purchase this. Again, I'm just doing this as a hobby.

Regards,

Tercero

Something that Tony Mac did not mention, but applies to software in general is that although the consumer sees it as just a download or a CD, there are hundreds to thousands of "manhours" dedicated to developing a sound piece of software. Programmers, graphic artists, tech support, etc. need to eat (earn a paycheck); it's more of a service industry in that respect.

With a niche market such as hobby CNC, you're not going to have as many potential customers compared to the general public who use Word, Excel, and other general apps. Yet, the development costs do not change. And, a company who puts out a good application also has to take in account lost sales due to pirating. All those "Aww, they won't care if I install Bubba's copy" folks add up fast. But, the paychecks still have to be written out to the company employees.

Hope it helps explain a bit re: the higher costs.

Something that Tony Mac did not mention, but applies to software in general is that although the consumer sees it as just a download or a CD, there are hundreds to thousands of "manhours" dedicated to developing a sound piece of software. Programmers, graphic artists, tech support, etc. need to eat (earn a paycheck); it's more of a service industry in that respect.

With a niche market such as hobby CNC, you're not going to have as many potential customers compared to the general public who use Word, Excel, and other general apps. Yet, the development costs do not change. And, a company who puts out a good application also has to take in account lost sales due to pirating. All those "Aww, they won't care if I install Bubba's copy" folks add up fast. But, the paychecks still have to be written out to the company employees.

Hope it helps explain a bit re: the higher costs.



Thanks for the reply. I understand you're just defending what you believe in. I, however believe that it's a bit over priced, but I respect your opinion.

Thanks,

Tercero.

Tercero,

I guess the question to ask yourself is - Do you have a requirement for the tools in VCarve Pro - vcarving, engraving, pocketing, cut-outs with tabs, drilling, 3D texturing, bevel edge machining, robust import and export filters, realistic 3D preview with cutter animation, drawing and layout tools, estimated machining times + and very, very important stable and very easy to use with reliable drivers?

If the answer is yes then we are confident that the software will pay for itself very quickly and allow you to make very rewarding and interesting projects with your CNC machine. If the answer is no and you aren't looking for new opportunities or ways to use your CNC machine then you should stick with the free or lower costs products.

Thank you for the feedback,

Tony

Tercero,

I guess the question to ask yourself is - Do you have a requirement for the tools in VCarve Pro - vcarving, engraving, pocketing, cut-outs with tabs, drilling, 3D texturing, bevel edge machining, robust import and export filters, realistic 3D preview with cutter animation, drawing and layout tools, estimated machining times + and very, very important stable and very easy to use with reliable drivers?

If the answer is yes then we are confident that the software will pay for itself very quickly and allow you to make very rewarding and interesting projects with your CNC machine. If the answer is no and you aren't looking for new opportunities or ways to use your CNC machine then you should stick with the free or lower costs products.

Thank you for the feedback,

Tony



Thanks Tony.

I understand what you're trying to say. I'm just saying that if I wanted to pay for all that you've described, I'd probably be using this for a full time business, and I'd probably invest in ArtCam.
Vectric seems to be aimed more at the Hobby user. And as a hobby user, I can't justify spending that much on software, after spending X amount on building a cnc router.
I'm not arguing the point that it's not a great package. Don't get me wrong. I think it's very robust (from what I've seen in the forums, posts pics, etc), but I really believe if you wanted to hit your target user and up your sales, you'd half the price.
I don't know. It worked for me, but everyones business model is different.

Thanks again,

Luck,

Tercero

Thanks Tony.

I understand what you're trying to say. I'm just saying that if I wanted to pay for all that you've described, I'd probably be using this for a full time business, and I'd probably invest in ArtCam.
Vectric seems to be aimed more at the Hobby user. And as a hobby user, I can't justify spending that much on software, after spending X amount on building a cnc router.
I'm not arguing the point that it's not a great package. Don't get me wrong. I think it's very robust (from what I've seen in the forums, posts pics, etc), but I really believe if you wanted to hit your target user and up your sales, you'd half the price.
I don't know. It worked for me, but everyones business model is different.

Thanks again,

Luck,

Tercero

I to only do this as a hobby, I have a full time job and I don't want another. But, at the same time when people I don't know approach me and ask if I would make something special for them...i don't mind charging a few bucks.
Vcarve Pro and Photo VCarve have been paid for for sometime now...it only took a few orders to show a profit in my investment. And I don't charge very much for my work...like I said...it's a hobby, I'm not out to get rich.
It was a wise investment...that a hobby cutting guy like myself is very pleased with. I have never purchased a piece of software and received this type of support...that in itself is worth the price IMO.

Chuck

For those having trouble finding Corian scrap, I bought eight pcs. of 1/4" Corian from this ebay web site:

http://myworld.ebay.com/sanjac1620/

I won the bid for about $31, including shipping. Not free, but reasonable price, considering the value of the finished product.

Nice Jay,
As I understand it, if your varnish your wood first then cut it and stain it the stain is only applied to the cut areas. I think this would work nicely on your first one. My CNC machine is down at the moment, so I can only play with PhotoVCarve and imagine what might work... :violin:
Bill

Is this how they get those "black lines". I was trying to figure that out. I'm going to try out the carve product today or tomorrow, but was definitely looking at the photovcarve.

-Matt

Hi Matt,

The key to the PhotoVCarve process is to have contrast between the surface and the machined grooves.

The best way to achieve this is to varnish / seal the top surface of your wood.

Machine the grooves

Apply a dark stain and wipe / sand off the excess

Machining 3D Lithophanes with PhotoVCarve is a very different approach, and there's a tutorial on this off the web site.

Let us know if you have any questions,

Tony

Here is the Photo i cut into Corian (8.5"x11" White) using the Photo-Carve, I could not believe how It came alive, and the cuts were great in Corian.

I cut the file, then blow out the Corian dust from groves using compressor, then just use plain old fast drying Flat Black paint i had sitting around. Then used sand paper sounge to sand the surface back down to the white Corian, took over to the sink rinsed off, and wiped dry. And you see the results, when you start looking you can see details in the picture, Even lettering on the Boy's shirt. The preview in the software looks good, but the finished product is even better.

The whole proccess works best when having a nice material to start with.

60deg. V-bit, 20ipm, took 56 mins

1st picture is after cut and corian dust blown off.
2nd picture is finished product.

Joe

Awesome results Joe. The entire Vcarve collection is great to use. How'd you have time to cut the picture with all the kits your making? One word of advice- once you start cutting the PhotoVcarve and lithophane projects you get an addiction and want to do more. With the results like you have here, I'm sure the addiction has already started.

Awesome results Joe. The entire Vcarve collection is great to use. How'd you have time to cut the picture with all the kits your making? One word of advice- once you start cutting the PhotoVcarve and lithophane projects you get an addiction and want to do more. With the results like you have here, I'm sure the addiction has already started.


Yea I really like it, now i need to figure out how to make some money to pay for the software and a little pocket change.

Sometimes when you spend alot of time for others (kits) you need to take a little for yourself. The Kits do take a while to cut, anyone who has made it themself can testify to that.

Show around that picture and I'm sure the $$ will be there for you. The orders will snowball for you just the way your router plans/kits have.

Wow Joe, that pic in corian came out great.

Jason

Here is the Photo i cut into Corian (8.5"x11" White) using the Photo-Carve, I could not believe how It came alive, and the cuts were great in Corian.

I cut the file, then blow out the Corian dust from groves using compressor, then just use plain old fast drying Flat Black paint i had sitting around. Then used sand paper sounge to sand the surface back down to the white Corian, took over to the sink rinsed off, and wiped dry. And you see the results, when you start looking you can see details in the picture, Even lettering on the Boy's shirt. The preview in the software looks good, but the finished product is even better.

The whole proccess works best when having a nice material to start with.

60deg. V-bit, 20ipm, took 56 mins

1st picture is after cut and corian dust blown off.
2nd picture is finished product.

Joe


Wow, That came out great Joe.

Pete Peterson used PhotoVCarve to engrave this memorial for
his son who lost his Dobie last year.

A permanent picture that will be treasured by the family.

Pete said it's hard to take a picture that represents how nice this
piece actually looks.

Tony