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Post by gullyfoyle on Mar 12, 2013 6:37:12 GMT -8
Yes watermark will come out in the carving. Google GRAYSCALE and check through the image section. The simpler the image the better. You could try X-Ray images as well. Try this www.kasterborous.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2010/dw-3drs-promo.pngset it at about .125 rotate it so it is longer, y axis, that it is wider, x axis. It turned out pretty decent for me. It's a good test of what something found on the net will look like without manipulation. Anything in the public domain, old movie star publicity shots for example, should be non watermarked. Actually there is lost of stuff that is shared which are fun to cut. Landscapes, panoramas,old film stills, and various art pictures all exist free to use. I'm not sure you want to sell some, but for personal use or as gifts no one cares. |
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Post by irestore on Mar 12, 2013 13:24:44 GMT -8
Gullyfoyle, That makes sense. So I shouldn't use those pictures otherwise the watermark will show up! I tried to do a search for Free Raster Files for CNC but didn't have alot of "hits". I'll keep searching though. I'll also try to convert color images into black & white or grey scale. Not sure which will provide better quality?  That's a classic picture. I'll bet that was cool! |
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Post by Greg on Mar 12, 2013 22:02:08 GMT -8
I normally set depth to around .280 on those xray looking files, all pictures are raster, vectors are made with cad programs.
For photo's I set them to around .060-.080 then stain/dry/sand.
You can learn how to make those files at cnc4free.org and get the help file about 12mb.
You can use an image editor to remove anything you want or don't from those pics.
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Post by gullyfoyle on Mar 13, 2013 4:57:47 GMT -8
I ran a couple Grayscale test patterns. The white side is way off, and looks as if the center gray colors read better. The first three whites are not read correctly.
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Post by gullyfoyle on Mar 13, 2013 5:03:21 GMT -8
I You can use an image editor to remove anything you want or don't from those pics. Not watermarks. They are there to protect copyright. Even purchased pics have information in the image file itself. If you have a decent digital camera you can include your name and other information to prevent unlicensed use. Say you download someones sunset photo to print and sell t shirts, if you aren't paying the royalty you get sued. These days everyone wants a cut of the profits. That's why free or open source or creating your own are the only safe routes. |
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Post by Greg on Mar 13, 2013 14:03:51 GMT -8
I ran a couple Grayscale test patterns. The white side is way off, and looks as if the center gray colors read better. The first three whites are not read correctly. You need to go real deep on those pics to get the effect they produce. At .280 you'll get a cut with sloping edges that is more 3d than just a plain vertical type cut. |
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Post by gullyfoyle on Mar 13, 2013 16:21:45 GMT -8
You missed the point that the Grayscale patterns were for calibration, same as you would calibrate a television or image software and printer.
Run a couple at the standard setting of .118. The first white bar should be a minimal cut,if at all, the final black bar the deepest. each bar should have a regular step down the ladder.
On my cut the first three on the white side were off. Then around the fifth step it deepened then deepened again from ninth to ten.
It looks as if those shades of gray are recognized better by the algorithm I-Picture uses, than the lighter side.
Taking a micrometer to the grayscale print will give exact numbers on what the steps are. In theory they should all be the same, the color should be shifting darker by the same amount.
To truly test it I should run the pattern with color temperature for each on the chart. Then I-Picture can be more accurately gauged as to where the algorithm falters.
I-Picture will also convert color pictures. I'll run a color scale and see how that cuts. I-Picture should just interpret all colors in light and dark shades.
But maybe its algorithm recognizes say a shade of light yellow better than white. So instead of using white/black better results could be obtained by say yellow/red.
Those were just examples. But we don't know until it's tried.
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Post by Greg on Mar 13, 2013 17:32:02 GMT -8
I was telling Irestore to make a deeper cut with the xray pics.
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Post by irestore on Mar 13, 2013 19:29:50 GMT -8
Can you use a CNC for "Engraving"?
I have made a sign already where it cut the material around the letters giving the appearance of raised letters. Can it JUST CUT the letters & leave the surrounding wood at the existing height?
I used a transparent background I created in Photoshop Elements & then added black text & saved it as a .png file but that didn't work.
Any insight, direction or help is appreciated.
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Post by Greg on Mar 13, 2013 21:10:04 GMT -8
You can use white letters since white is tall and black is low or just pick the reverse tick box in I picture befoer you make your gee code.
On stuff like that I normally make the board bigger than I want and cut the border off when its down with a regular table saw.
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Post by irestore on Mar 14, 2013 8:02:28 GMT -8
Greg,
Thanks, I can give that a try. I assume I will still want a transparent background?
I was thinking it would have to be black letters since I wanted to have the letters cut into the wood and thought with the transparent background, it would do this. Your instructions sound like they would make the letters "stand out" above the surface of the wood. I am wanting to "engrave" them into the wood and am doing it on box lids so I can't "cut off the ends of the board".
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Post by gullyfoyle on Mar 14, 2013 8:14:19 GMT -8
Standard setting has whites/light color raised and black/dark colors removed.
Inverted raises black/dark and removes white/light.
Use preview to examine your work. If you can't see it zoom in.
You can spin the preview work space to see the peaks and valleys from any angle.
For just signs use an endmill. For detailed signs use a smaller bit, cut slower and lower the scan step. 0.007874 default, 0.0039 almost halved.
The General CNC forum has a guideline in one of the posts. I reposted it here somewhere.
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Post by Greg on Mar 19, 2013 15:33:13 GMT -8
OK just installed the newest version of Gimp and I like it the most, I made a greyscale image with just one click from a plugin.
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Post by irestore on Mar 22, 2013 20:59:44 GMT -8
Ok, I've finally got some time to "play around" with my quest for engraving. It would seem to me that I could get the same results as an engraver with my CNC but maybe I am wrong. I came across this which leads me to believe that with my standard CNC machine, maybe I can't engrave??? www.widgetworksunlimited.com/CNC_Diamond_Drag_Engraving_Bit_p/cnc-dmnd_engrv-250.htmAny one have any more information on engraving with a CNC? |
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Post by Greg on Mar 24, 2013 22:39:21 GMT -8
You can't do it with I-picture but you can use other software and run it through I-picture to make sure the code is right then cut it.
I noticed that bit is 1/2", there are several free programs you can use but I use cut3d for this type of work.
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