Shoppin'

The next letter for this sign were for the word 'SHOP'. The 'S' is a length of hose, bent into an 'S' shape. A round fitting on each end looks snazzy.  These were created using the dome tool To create the fittings on each end I created a longer vector, used the dome tool to create the relief and then overlaid a zero height smaller shape, By merging the longer shape to this I could effectively clip the ends square.

The 'H' is a combination of various shapes which were then MERGED HIGHEST to the base relief as a last step.

The 'O' and the 'P' were created at the same tile as the gears were similar. The 'O' gear then got a raised hub with a hole drilled into it by using the merge lowest tool and a zero height relief of that size.

The stroke of the P was created as a separate relief and then the center portion of the shape was dropped using the lettering vectors as a mask. leaving them the same height as the border.

That completed the lettering and I was happy with the result. Then it was on to the border - a simple domed and raised border. I built it as a separate file as well as the rivets, then merged highest.

The gear was the last relief I created. All of the reliefs were then merged highest onto a zero height relief. This made the file ready to tool path and route.

Give the file a try - it's great fun!

-dan

Work should always be this much fun!

The workshop/tool file was fun to do - just the kind of complex file I love to do. The key to doing this kind of work is to first have a clear idea of what you intend to do and then think about the order in which you need to do it. Understanding what a program like EnRoute can do is important. A file like this can teach us a lot in a hurry. Since there were so many steps and pictures I'll be posting this in two steps. We'll start with the word 'WORK'.

The vectors were done last time. Now it is time to create reliefs and then combine the various shapes to get the tool forms I want. I started with a zero height relief. This panel will be thickened up eventually but the math is a lot easier if I build everything on to of a zero height platform.

The 'W' resembles the old metal folding measure sticks. Starting on the left the heights of each piece decreases by 0.1" I first did the plain pieces, then subtracted the center portions. Lastly the washers and bolts were added.

The 'O' is a simple gear but it meshes with the back of the 'r' - just for fun so these two gears needed to be the same height..

The center of the gear was dropped and then the hub was raised up. Lastly I drilled a hole through the center by merging lowest with a zero height relief. The body of the 'r' was created as a little higher relief than the gear rack. The rivets were added last. All the pieces were then merged highest to the background.

The vice grips 'K' were fun to create.I started with the main handle using the dome tool used to create a shallow round shape.

Then each element of the vice grips were created as individual reliefs in varying heights as appropriate. I then merges highest with the background. The last step was to add the rivets.

The next post will cover the creation of the 'SHOP' file. Stay tuned...

-dan

Workshop sign lettering

The gear sign has lain dormant for a week while I was very busy with other things. Today I finally had time to work a little on it but in last week's business I must of stuck the file somewhere that I simply couldn't remember. So I had to build another.

Then it was on to the tool lettering. The first was the 'W'. I built one leg and then duplicated, rotated and flipped it.

The 'O' and the 'R' were pretty simple,using many of the same steps we used to make the gear for the background border. The vise grips look really complex but the reality is they are not. I first used the vector drawing tool to very quickly draw our the rough pieces we needed. The most important aspect of this is to get the right number of nodes. I then used the vector editing tool to tweak the placement of the nodes and also form the curves. In a few minutes I had everything I needed.

The 'S' was dead simple and then it was on to the 'H' Once more I simply thought about the shapes I wanted and then built up the shapes I needed. The create relief tools will do the rest. Once all the different shaped reliefs are built I'll combine them in a hurry.

For the 'P' I duplicated and resized the gear I had created for the 'O' The handle was built of smaller shapes which were then combined. Lettering was added as a last step.

 The lettering was then resized so they looked good together. The last step was to resize and place them onto the base plate vectors.

Next time I'll start in on creating the reliefs. Stay tuned...

-dan

Workshop gear - part one

At our last workshop one of our attendees really fell in love with our workshop door signs. He asked me for the file. Sadly it is long since gone but I offered to create another and post it here on the blog. The original sign was obviously inspired by the movie 'Robots' which was a little more current at the time.

I created the danger lettering vectors in Illustrator as I am used to the way it handles lettering. This file was imported into EnRoute.

The rectangles were built using the rounded corners mode. To create the teeth of the gear I used the multiplier tool, checking the appropriate boxes to get the gears to wrap around the circle and align correctly.

The teeth were then merged with the circle.

I then used the chamfer vector tool to round off both the inside and outside of the  gear teeth.

Lastly I added the rivets to the inside of the rectangular frame.

 Next time I'll be building the custom tool and gear letters. Stay tuned...

-dan