Engraving True Type Fonts.

[WilDun]

Hi, I will be using Mach3 /2 Mill, and I hope to use it on an engraving machine (as well as my mill) with a Xylotex controller.
There seems to be a host of programs out there to convert TTF to DXF and G Code. They all seem to want you to pay up front before you can check them out properly!

Can anyone tell me which ones work well? - I don't want to buy the wrong one.

I am hoping for a reply from someone who uses a good, reliable (and possibly cheap) one with Mach, which does the job well with no fuss, - at least that's the ideal !

Thanks in advance, Will.

[Torchhead]

Got CorelDraw (ver 12 or X3)? If so the Fonts are just part of the drawing and you can try our DXFTool for 30 days or 30 exports for free.

Download demo at: Http://www.CandCNC.com/DXFToolDetails.htm

The resulting DXF has full curves and circles and handles text without conversion in the master (so you can go back and change the original using the text tools). It's nice to be able to add in other elements (flourishes, scrolls, frames, etc) with the text.

DXF will import into MACH3 (LazyCAM) or SheetCAM (use on-line toolpath for engraving) or Vcarve for more carving options.

TOM CAUDLE
ww.CandCNC.com

[WilDun]

I have an old version of Corel Draw, (version 6 from memory) but I guess that won't be any good, so I need to look for a 13 or greater??

If I download your trial version, will I be able to test it in Lazy Cam, Mach 3 or whatever, without being connected to an actual machine? (mine isn't ready as yet) - I don't want to waste the 30 days of the trial version.

Can you add any fonts you like to Corel Draw, ie. does it use the fonts library from the computer itself? or is there a comprehensive one in the Corel software?
Thanks, Will.

[Torchhead]

It works with Ver 12 or 13 (X3). You can find ver 12 packages on the web for 79.00 or less (make sure it's the full suite).

CorelDRAW uses any Truetype or Adobe Type 1 font installed on your system. The CorelDraw Suites all come with over a hundred Truetype fonts and there are hundreds more available on the web for free or a small cost. You can use our software with any CAM package since DXFTool just exports good DXF files from Corel. Corel has a DXF export filter but it's really lame and breaks all objects into line segments. You can see the toolpath that would be generated in SheetCAM on screen and in MACH you could actually do a test run. The demo version of MACH is limited to 1000 lines of code to run.

Also go to www.vectorart.com and look at the Mega Collections. There are lots of neat designs that work well with engraving. You can by the designs a few at a time for a two bucks each (less for 12 or more at a time) The AI and EPS formats import directly into CorelDraw and from there you can use them intact, step and repeat or just pieces.

[lerman]

Hi, I will be using Mach3 /2 Mill, and I hope to use it on an engraving machine (as well as my mill) with a Xylotex controller.
There seems to be a host of programs out there to convert TTF to DXF and G Code. They all seem to want you to pay up front before you can check them out properly!

Can anyone tell me which ones work well? - I don't want to buy the wrong one.

I am hoping for a reply from someone who uses a good, reliable (and possibly cheap) one with Mach, which does the job well with no fuss, - at least that's the ideal !

Thanks in advance, Will.

See: http://timeguy.com/cradek/truetype

I haven't tried it; and it is intended for Linux. But it IS free.

Ken