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

Mike Seisser · Post by **Mike Seisser** » Thu, Jun 15 2006, 12:40PM

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

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

Glenn Warner · Post by **Glenn Warner** » Thu, Jun 15 2006, 12:58PM

Looks great. please tell us how you did it.

thanks,

glenn

DanEpps · Post by **DanEpps** » Thu, Jun 15 2006, 1:04PM

Kinda makes ya wanna yell YeeeHaaaa!!!!!

Jean G Voyer · Post by **Jean G Voyer** » Thu, Jun 15 2006, 1:14PM

Mike, beautifull!
Now you have to show us, no choice, step by step.

Mike Seisser · Post by **Mike Seisser** » Thu, Jun 15 2006, 2:06PM

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.

Mike Seisser · Post by **Mike Seisser** » Thu, Jun 15 2006, 2:13PM

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.

Mike Seisser · Post by **Mike Seisser** » Thu, Jun 15 2006, 2:35PM

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)

Mike Seisser · Post by **Mike Seisser** » Thu, Jun 15 2006, 2:44PM

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!

Tom Houser · Post by **Tom Houser** » Thu, Jun 15 2006, 3:12PM

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.

Mike Seisser · Post by **Mike Seisser** » Thu, Jun 15 2006, 3:22PM

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.

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

Jean G Voyer · Post by **Jean G Voyer** » Thu, Jun 15 2006, 4:18PM

How do you guys save this page with the pictures and everything already?

Mike Seisser · Post by **Mike Seisser** » Thu, Jun 15 2006, 4:23PM

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

Jean G Voyer · Post by **Jean G Voyer** » Thu, Jun 15 2006, 4:23PM

Don't bother guys, I got it.
Thanks.
Mike, I just made a save inside my browser and everything got saved.
Thanks anyway.

Mike Seisser · Post by **Mike Seisser** » Thu, Jun 15 2006, 4:33PM

Jean,

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

Mike

Tom Houser · Post by **Tom Houser** » Thu, Jun 15 2006, 7:49PM

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 ?