Creating shadows around text??

[TheGarageBay]

Designing a sign for a farm and there has to be a faster way to create nice even shadows around the text. I have been duplicating the text, exo welding it out in place ( I think that's the correct term ) then breaking the paths and altering all the nodes. Then placing in the same text I originally had used back on. Tips tricks ??

 

[Arkansas Metal Art]

Nice sign. Really like the horse.

I believe the info below will be a great discovery for you. It was for me. All credit to dnmeisterLECS. He shared this one with me and I use it all the time. Works great!! Just don't forget to change it back. I attached an example of what you can accomplish with this technique.

Another way to do this similiar to creating a border around your shape, is to create either a male or female tool path depending on which side you want to place the offset. On the Basic tab when you select your tool path, click on the Tool Library button next to the Tool selection box, select the Plasma tool then change the D1 Kerf value to double the size you want your offset, if you want a 1/2" border then change the D1 value to 1, also uncheck the box to create Lead-in and Lead-out. Apply the tool path then click on the tool path that it creates and go to Arrange > Break Path so it is no longer a tool path and you will have your offset. Be sure to go back in an change your kerf for your plasma tool to what it wasbefore, you can do this under Machine > Tool Library.

 

[Dnmeistr-LECS]

You have some features that are going to be lost if not welded properly, such as the inside of the O and some of the features inside of the horse.

 

[OcalaWill]

Jason... Nice sign. Stainless? If I have this right, essentially you are creating a new part (the larger background) but just using the kerf settings to make the part drawing quickly? In the case of your sign you made the kerf offset then deleted the buffalo fixed the "O" and the "9" for the larger background?? I hope I have this right - thanks!

 

[Arkansas Metal Art]

Jason... Nice sign. Stainless? If I have this right, essentially you are creating a new part (the larger background) but just using the kerf settings to make the part drawing quickly? In the case of your sign you made the kerf offset then deleted the buffalo fixed the "O" and the "9" for the larger background?? I hope I have this right - thanks!

Hey Will. Just plain ole hot rolled steal (pickled and oiled), worked over with a 120g 3" roloc. Both layers 14g. Your almost there on the design. I believe the buffalo was completely seperate until the very end when I welded it on. All letters and numbers were done using dnmeistr's kerf manipulation as one group after everything was bridged. The kerf manupulation has to be the very last thing you do. If any changes are made to the main layer, the expansion has to be redone. I consider this particular sign the perfect storm for using this technique. The font bridging and layout just really flowed nicely and all the letter cutouts were big enough to cut. Doesn't always work out this well. I hated painting it, I like everything in bare metal.

And all my stuff is done using cadlite. We need to see more designs posted! Kudos to garagebay.

 

[OcalaWill]

Hey Jason, Ok so two drawings?... but the background "Howard University" is the same drawing as the front except you have the bridges in three places joining them together. Then you applied the kerf trick to it which makes it larger? This is something I will have to try to grasp fully I think. Thanks again!

 

[Arkansas Metal Art]

Here's a quick video. Maybe this will help everyone. I took the long way around on a couple of things but maybe there are some additional tips that could be helpful as well. The front/back thing gets me all the time. I always forget the last thing you touch is in the front. Control F and Control B are very handy for fixing that issue.

Don't forget to change your kerf width back to +/- .06 when your done!!!

 

[LECS-Chad]

I have a step by step for this process using the PEN tool to achieve this.

Select your item.

Duplicate it. (ctrl+D)

Select all (ctrl + A) and CENTER (c) and EVEN (e)

Off click and click one of the objects

Select the PEN tool.


Enter parameters at the top for this example I used .5 and press enter.



While still selected do a Basic Weld

Boom.

Also this is a good process to wire-frame solid objects as you would just do a MAKE PATH after everything. I included the walkthrough for the wireframe which is the majority of the steps we just talked about.

 

[TheGarageBay]

Here is what I have I will try this technique tonight ! Thank you!

 

[OcalaWill]

Chad, Jason, - Thank you!