from image to wood?

[shootingarts]

I have an older K2 39x25 CNC router that I bought used several years ago. Unfortunately Katrina and a major surgery sidetracked me before I was able to use it. I did store it in climate controlled storage but now it is time to get it going and I have lost one page of the hand written instructions and forgotten what the original owner told me about the software.

At the moment my main interest is converting some of my own images from when I was doing outdoor photography into carvings on flat blanks with sales in mind. I use PhotoShop CS(original version) for photo editing and would like to go from there to a nice finished carving moving through a minimum number of programs. I am retired so of course cost is an issue but if a few hundred dollars more for better software either substantially increases quality or reduces aggravation it will be found rather than trying to go too cheap and not liking the finished result.

I have some of the older Vectric software now and plan to call and see if it is upgradeable, however I am wondering if I should go an entirely different direction since I don't see it mentioned on here anymore. What software(s) should I be looking at to go from a Photoshop image originally shot with a digital camera to a finished product?

Any and all advice greatly appreciated!

Hu

[Greolt]

G'day Hu

I would recommend you take a fresh look at the Vetric software. It certainly has not disappeared.

http://vectric.com/

You will also need software to run the machine control, like Mach3, but you probably already have that.

Greg

[YOUGA11]

Originally Posted by shootingarts I have an older K2 39x25 CNC router that I bought used several years ago. Unfortunately Katrina and a major surgery sidetracked me before I was able to use it. I did store it in climate controlled storage but now it is time to get it going and I have lost one page of the hand written instructions and forgotten what the original owner told me about the software. At the moment my main interest is converting some of my own images from when I was doing outdoor photography into carvings on flat blanks with sales in mind. I use PhotoShop CS(original version) for photo editing and would like to go from there to a nice finished carving moving through a minimum number of programs. I am retired so of course cost is an issue but if a few hundred dollars more for better software either substantially increases quality or reduces aggravation it will be found rather than trying to go too cheap and not liking the finished result. I have some of the older Vectric software now and plan to call and see if it is upgradeable, however I am wondering if I should go an entirely different direction since I don't see it mentioned on here anymore. What software(s) should I be looking at to go from a Photoshop image originally shot with a digital camera to a finished product? Any and all advice greatly appreciated! Hu

Hello,
you can us artcam to get the photos in 3D
best regard
Mr cherkaoui

[juzwuz]

Yeah....definitely check out http://www.vectric.com/WebSite/Vectr.../pvc_index.htm for photo v carving and lithophanes. Go to the support forums for examples of what other users have made. I've been making small lithophanes so far but hopefully soon I'll be able to mess around with the v carving.

[CoulCNC]

May I suggest you take a look at VX CAD/CAM. I think it a very good value with outstanding functionality both on CAD and CAM sides. I bought it for my own business doing design and prototype work, and I was on tight budget. With VX you basically have two routes 1) Import your image and have the software convert to profiles you can extrude, then machine, or 2) with new V13 VX (currently in Beta) you can also automatically create textured surface based on pixel grey-scale brightness. Let me know if you want more info about it. It gave me such functionality that I became a reseller also, so I am probably slightly biased. It also includes post processor for several controllers, particularly Fanuc compatible, saving you even more money.

[bclark6716]

Hu,
Check out the yahoo group CNC_4_Free. Danny Lewis (Yohudi) has set up a site dedicated to image to wood using free software. This might be just what you are looking for.

Brian

[esmiller]

Well, I tried to check out this group, but my membership request was denied,
I got the following response:

*******************************************************
Hello there,

Many thanks for your interest and application to join the CNC_4_FREE
group. Unfortunately, due to exceptional demand, the group is currently
only accepting invited or recommended members.

If you are still interested in joining the group please re-apply at some point in the future, when demand has settled down a little..

Once again many thanks for your interest..

Yohudi
****************************************************
I think I will re-apply periodically in the hopes of getting in.. Thanks for suggesting it though..



Eddie

Originally Posted by bclark6716 Hu, Check out the yahoo group CNC_4_Free. Danny Lewis (Yohudi) has set up a site dedicated to image to wood using free software. This might be just what you are looking for. Brian

[shootingarts]

Thanks guys, and sorry for the belated reply. I'll look into everything recommended and do a little more checking too. A shame that there is a forum that addresses exactly what I am doing and it is too crowded to get into.

I will be contacting those of you that are resellers for additional info, I have to sell a cue lathe before buying anything new for more than a few hundred dollars. However demand is good so as soon as I can finish up a couple of projects I need the cue lathe for I should be able to sell it easily and move on.

Hu

[bclark6716]

Vectic forums have some good info. Check out this link

http://vectric.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=14352#14352

Brian

[cocodet]

I am using bmp2cnc to groove pictures into white plastic. Works fine if you have good contrast, no shade...http://www.mr-soft.net/ not expensive (36euros)

[steve323]

Originally Posted by bclark6716 Hu, Check out the yahoo group CNC_4_Free. Danny Lewis (Yohudi) has set up a site dedicated to image to wood using free software. This might be just what you are looking for. Brian

It looks like the CNC_4_Free Yahoo group has moved to a web site at http://www.cnc4free.org

Steve

[dertsap]

Originally Posted by steve323 It looks like the CNC_4_Free Yahoo group has moved to a web site at http://www.cnc4free.org Steve

take a look at this thread Direct bitmap to model conversion method

cncforfree has a tutorial available for twenty bucks using free software , the models are done in gmax which is free and what it creates using bitmaps out performs most of the pay software