Software Tutorials

Here is a link the software tutorials from CarveWright

http://carvewright.com/cms/tutorials

FW,

I've pretty much exhausted each of these videos, along with all of the CarveWright tutorials etc, trying to find a video that deals with just actual drawing "something" from scratch using the software. In other words, how do I use the drawing tools to draw a box with rounded corners. Simple. But nothing that I've been able to find easily anywhere gives you a step by step guide to how to do this. It always seems that one has to dig and dig and dig in all the manuals, forums and tutorials to find the simplest of issues. The projects using patterns, etc are great and very informative but either I'm too dumb or am just not looking in the right places.

My project is to cut out cleats for a display stand. I can do it in CorelDraw but can't seem to be able to do it in the CarveWright designer software. These cleats are nothing more than 2" long by 1.5" high rectangles. I want to cut out a 1.24" by .5" notch from one corner and then round all of the corners. Simple. Or I thought it would be until I tried to do so on the designer software.

Is there anything out there that deals with the basics like this?

Could you please point this computer illiterate individual in the right direction???

Oh and I need to get this job done for a customer by Friday. If I can't do it on my CarveWright I'll have to work something out with my laser. Sure wish we could import CorelDraw files into the CarveWright designer software.

Dave,

Yes it can be done.. It has been discussed and shown several times on the CW forum.

let me check and see what I can find for you..

here is some links to look at:
http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?t=12478&highlight=rounded+corners

http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?t=1567&highlight=rounded+corners

take a look

FW,

Thank you very much. Now I'm going to have to find out how these folks imported their CorelDraw files into Designer. This could open up an entirely new field of work for my CW machine. I'm also wondering if Designer files can be exported/imported to CorelDraw? Any ideas?

Dave,

I did some looking on CW and came up with a couple things that might help you out..

Also there seems to be a good number over there that use Corel and I bet a few might be able to help you out..

http://www.allcw.com/Tutorials.html

http://forum.carvewright.com/showthread.php?t=5933&highlight=coreldraw

All vector has to be done (to date) in CarveWright Designer. If one makes objects in vector (Adobe Illustrator, CorelDraw, AutoCad) they have to be converted to either JPEG, GIF, or PNG formats for carving and then imported into your Library for use in your design. ALL carvings are done in raster and the head travels across in Y axis in Z height steps as the belt moves the wood in ONE direction in X axis (left to right as looking at the control pad square on). In that respect it prints (carves) just like a computer printer lays down it's dots to make the pixels, only in this case it's got Z axis height and carves (drill like) as it moves. I know you know this, but the answer is more for those that haven't linked their mind to the action yet.


I just saw your Nov. 26th post asking about gradient mesh. Somehow during the Thanksgiving period and upcoming Christmas season stuff I missed that. Gradient mesh is one of the greatest vector tools to come down the pike, although it's actually a raster tool incorporated in both CorelDraw and now Adobe Illustrator. I believe it actually was first present into the vector graphics scene by your (UK) own vector company, Xara (which I also use). You might want to check into Xara ( www.xara.com ) as they have some great 3D stuff also, which I'm just now getting into and think it can apply (especially with gradients for carving) to the CarveWright.

And Mike you really came through with a great one with your gradient example. That's taking what has been right before our faces for a long time and enlightening us all. Boy does that help showing that process clearly. I'll also see if I can make up a gradient mesh that'll look like something for demonstration purposes. With this I do believe I can be on a roll.