Holy #*&% !!!!!!!

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Mike Seisser
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Holy #*&% !!!!!!!

Post by Mike Seisser »

I finally did it. Finally figured out how to make my flutes look like, well, flutes! I've been beating my head against the wall on this one for, oh, a couple of months. (Not nonstop, of course, or they would have repo'd my house by now.) I think this topic has been covered before (and somewhat even beat to death), so if any of you already had a solution and have shared it, and I missed it, my apologies in advance.

My problem with fluting has been, up til now, started and stopped flutes and in particular making them look realistic (as opposed to either chopped off ends, or in the case of the rendering below, drilled out ends - sometimes with a circle, more recently with an arc). I tried many different methods, and although in theory I thought it could be done, it wasn't until just this morning that I actually got it to work.

If any of you are even 10% as excited about this as I am :roll: I'll post the method by which I finally acheived this.

My reasoning for doing all of this? Believe it or not, I actually had a client question the 'funky little circle thingy' at the end of my flutes, and, after discussing some changes to the original drawing/layout of the job asked if I could show a couple of closeups in certain areas. I almost messed myself thinking she would never approve the drawing unless I figured out how to make the flutes look right.

Now I have.....

Geekin' bigtime,

Mike
Attachments
Flutes Side by Side.jpg
Flutes Side by Side.jpg (89.58 KiB) Viewed 11520 times
Proper Planning Prevents Poor Production.
Glenn Warner
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Post by Glenn Warner »

Looks great. please tell us how you did it.

thanks,

glenn
DanEpps
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Post by DanEpps »

Kinda makes ya wanna yell YeeeHaaaa!!!!!
Jean G Voyer
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Post by Jean G Voyer »

Mike, beautifull!
Now you have to show us, no choice, step by step.
Jean-Gabriel Voyer
Janot Interiors Ltd
www.customcabinetscalgary.com
Dell Precision PWS490, Intel Xeon CPU,3.00 GB Ram, Window XP Pro, Quadro Fx 3500
Mike Seisser
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Post by Mike Seisser »

OK, here goes.....

First make a display cube 7 1/4\" wide 35 1/4\" high 6\" deep. Then select it and enter the Part Editor. Select Contour Mode and layout your 'flutes. I want 5 flutes 3/4\" wide, with 7/16\" spacing between them. I also want to start my flutes 9 1/4\" from the bottom and stop them 31 3/4\" from the bottom.

To do this, you can either draw the contour lines using the mouse and tools, or directly input co-ordinates at the bottom of the screen. I prefer to use absolutes, so I've written a simple Excel worksheet to calculate my exact co-ords. (I'm working on updating it to make it more 'flexible', because right now if you change # of Flutes it won't automatically generate the proper number of co-ordinates.)

As you can see, the 'flutes' are a combination of 3 paths. A top 3-point arc, a straight line, and a bottom 3-point arc.
Attachments
Contour Layout.jpg
Contour Layout.jpg (114.31 KiB) Viewed 11483 times
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Mike Seisser
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Post by Mike Seisser »

Now we exit Contour mode, and once back in the Part Editor we simply select our paths and apply our tools. There are 2 tools used here, and I've included a picture of both below.

It's important when we select our arced paths which direction the tool will travel. (It determines whether it cuts inside the arc or outside.) Pictured below is the proper selection method. Simply put, select the left half of the arc. (For both the tops and the bottoms.) I've created my tool so that it needs no offset or plunge depth changes, simply apply the tool.
Attachments
Select Single Arc.jpg
Select Single Arc.jpg (122.82 KiB) Viewed 11475 times
Proper Planning Prevents Poor Production.
Mike Seisser
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Post by Mike Seisser »

The result is pictured below.

Next, select the bottom arc and apply the same tool. (3-4 Core Box Ends)

Last, select the line and apply the full tool. (3-4 Core Box)
Attachments
Result.jpg
Result.jpg (115.67 KiB) Viewed 11460 times
Select Single Flute.jpg
Select Single Flute.jpg (162.71 KiB) Viewed 11460 times
Select Single Arc 2.jpg
Select Single Arc 2.jpg (124.61 KiB) Viewed 11464 times
Proper Planning Prevents Poor Production.
Mike Seisser
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Post by Mike Seisser »

Here's a closeup after all tools have been applied to all paths, and the display cube with flutes back in the Cabinet Editor.

There are a couple of things to keep in mind that I failed to mention when explaining the layout. The tool you use for the ends of the flutes should be exactly half the width of your full flute tool. I made my full tool first, then used it as a pattern to create the 3 point arc to create the half tool, erased the old tool, then closed my path with straight lines. Also, the arced paths for the ends of the flutes should be the same width as your actual flute. Meaning, the distance between your first and third points of your arc should be the same as the overall flute width (in this case, 3/4\"), and they should be centered on your straight flute contour line.

If anyone (newbies especially) needs an even more detailed version of how to do this, including making the tools etc, I'd be happy to post it.

Mike

I'll have a full drawing incorporating my new flutes sometime tomorrow!
Attachments
Results.jpg
Results.jpg (122.02 KiB) Viewed 11452 times
Result 2.jpg
Result 2.jpg (140.88 KiB) Viewed 11453 times
Proper Planning Prevents Poor Production.
Tom Houser
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Post by Tom Houser »

Mike what a fantastic job of engineering. I don't understand it but the end product looks great. This is one of those like bow front doors that I con do quicker in the shop than the program and then
the client gets to see the real deal.
Thom Houser
http://www.thouser.com
A person who never made a mistake
never tried anything new.
A. Einstein
Mike Seisser
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Post by Mike Seisser »

Tom,

ROFLMAO!! You have know idea how many times I said, aloud, \"I can go setup a router RIGHT now and actually DO this in 30 minutes!\" And this morning, over my first cup of coffee, it hit me like an 18 pound sledge, right between the eyes. :shock:

The one thing I've been afraid to mention thus far is that it's so freakin' simple I'm almost embarassed I didn't think of it earlier......

Oh well!

Mike
Proper Planning Prevents Poor Production.
Jean G Voyer
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Post by Jean G Voyer »

How do you guys save this page with the pictures and everything already?
Jean-Gabriel Voyer
Janot Interiors Ltd
www.customcabinetscalgary.com
Dell Precision PWS490, Intel Xeon CPU,3.00 GB Ram, Window XP Pro, Quadro Fx 3500
Mike Seisser
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Post by Mike Seisser »

Jean,

I use the Print Screen key, then paste into a new document in Adobe Photoshop. Someone here the other day made a brilliant demo using (I believe) Macromedia Flash. I used to do that sort of thing for a living before I became a wood butcher, but no longer have any authoring software. Otherwise, I think MicroSoft's photo editor will allow you to paste a frame grab.

Mike
Proper Planning Prevents Poor Production.
Jean G Voyer
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Post by Jean G Voyer »

Don't bother guys, I got it.
Thanks.
Mike, I just made a save inside my browser and everything got saved.
Thanks anyway.
Jean-Gabriel Voyer
Janot Interiors Ltd
www.customcabinetscalgary.com
Dell Precision PWS490, Intel Xeon CPU,3.00 GB Ram, Window XP Pro, Quadro Fx 3500
Mike Seisser
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Post by Mike Seisser »

Jean,

Oh, sorry, I misunderstood you. Yup, save the whole page is probably about the best way.

Mike
Proper Planning Prevents Poor Production.
Tom Houser
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Post by Tom Houser »

Now remember I'm CNC illiterate but you don't have to go through all this work to make a CNC router cut flutes do you ?
Thom Houser
http://www.thouser.com
A person who never made a mistake
never tried anything new.
A. Einstein
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