Silhouette Cameo Cutter - the journey.
- Thread starter Rob Pulham
- Start date
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- Tags
- cad guide machine tools
Puddlejumper
Western Thunderer
Hi Rob
The Inkscape ones would be great, I've got access to a cutter (even thinking of getting one for Xmas) but need to get stuck in to the software and learn to draw. How are you finding the software to use?.
The Inkscape ones would be great, I've got access to a cutter (even thinking of getting one for Xmas) but need to get stuck in to the software and learn to draw. How are you finding the software to use?.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Like everything it's a learning curve but I am glad I made the effort. Getting the machine has given me a focus to do something with it that was lacking without - I downloaded Inkscape about 9 months ago but didn't do anything with it....
For the basics I can thoroughly recommend Mike Trice's thread on RMweb
I think that it also helps if you are quite keyboard orientated because it gives you so much more fine control when drawing, especially when you start edit by nodes rather than dragging by the arrows.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Subject to have a look with fresh eyes tomorrow I think that it's finished.
Assumning that I don't find any glaring errors next I need to export it from Inkscape and then re-import it into Silhouette Studio ready for cutting but that's a job for tomorrow, I need a break...
Assumning that I don't find any glaring errors next I need to export it from Inkscape and then re-import it into Silhouette Studio ready for cutting but that's a job for tomorrow, I need a break...
BrushType4
Western Thunderer
Hi Rob, are you importing DXF files to the silhouette or SVG?
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Hi Phil,
DXF, unless you buy the Designer Edition of Silhouette Studio it won't accept svg files. So far I haven't read about anyone having tried it to work out whether it's worth spending to money on.
BrushType4
Western Thunderer
Rob, to help would you be better to use autocad, turbocad or my favourite Qcad over Inkscape?
JimG
Western Thunderer
I was thinking that as well. If you don't want to spend money on a CAD program, there's Draftsight which is free to download and use. I think you only have to activate to use and re-activate on occasions to continue the usage.
Download DraftSight
Jim.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Thanks both,
I do have a copy of TurboCAD and I have tried Draftsight but couldn't get on with either - to be honest I suspect that I didn't have enough incentive at the time.
Since replying to Phil above Chris has bought me the Designer Edition of Silhouette Studio, which means that I can now open svg files directly without converting them, so I will stick with Inkscape for the time being since I am getting the the hang of it.
I do have a copy of TurboCAD and I have tried Draftsight but couldn't get on with either - to be honest I suspect that I didn't have enough incentive at the time.
Since replying to Phil above Chris has bought me the Designer Edition of Silhouette Studio, which means that I can now open svg files directly without converting them, so I will stick with Inkscape for the time being since I am getting the the hang of it.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Over the weekend I put together one of the LNER Guard's ducket's.
Actually I did two, but the first was with a solid backing piece to test/see how it went together.
I had some paint to hand so I went over it to make it better to photograph and to say that it's cut from 10thou, now that it's assembled it's remarkably sturdy
Actually I did two, but the first was with a solid backing piece to test/see how it went together.
I had some paint to hand so I went over it to make it better to photograph and to say that it's cut from 10thou, now that it's assembled it's remarkably sturdy
Puddlejumper
Western Thunderer
Looks good Rob, great bit of work.
Just a thought but perhaps it would be helpful to have a Dropbox type account where folk could upload their drawings for other people to use?? A sort of you show me yours and I'll show you mine type of thing. Just me thinking out loud and may be totally off the map
Just a thought but perhaps it would be helpful to have a Dropbox type account where folk could upload their drawings for other people to use?? A sort of you show me yours and I'll show you mine type of thing. Just me thinking out loud and may be totally off the map
BrushType4
Western Thunderer
Looks good Rob, great bit of work.
Just a thought but perhaps it would be helpful to have a Dropbox type account where folk could upload their drawings for other people to use?? A sort of you show me yours and I'll show you mine type of thing. Just me thinking out loud and may be totally off the map
If this is something people would be interested in I wouldn't mind hosting on my website.
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
I am happy to share if other people are
BrushType4
Western Thunderer
I'm all setup for online storage so I'll add a link to access the files tonight. To upload the files, please just email them to me and I'll add them.
email fileshare@intentio.co.uk
Link added
Laser and Silhouette Files share point
email fileshare@intentio.co.uk
Link added
Laser and Silhouette Files share point
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Puddlejumper
Western Thunderer
Wow, thanks Phil & Rob. It was really just a bit of a thinking out loud comment and all of a sudden it's happened!!
No more excuses for not getting stuck in with the software now
No more excuses for not getting stuck in with the software now
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
I cut out much of the CCT last night and was really impressed with the quality of the cut and the small details
To give an idea of the sizes involved the piece with the hole in to the left of the image above is 1mm wide
Now I need to remove the sides from the cutting mat to see how I fared cutting 20 thou material.
To give an idea of the sizes involved the piece with the hole in to the left of the image above is 1mm wide
Now I need to remove the sides from the cutting mat to see how I fared cutting 20 thou material.
BrushType4
Western Thunderer
Yay! Just cut my first item on the silhouette. Can you guess what it is?
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
Hi Phil,
Is that done with card? If so how did you find getting it off the cutting mat?
Is that done with card? If so how did you find getting it off the cutting mat?
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
I have spent quite a bit of time working on the NER CCT this weekend.
Like a complete numpty, I forgot to take either drawing or photo so despite spending all that time cutting detail for the ends I had no idea what went where without them......
But the main body and the side details were another matter.
Sadly white Styrene isn't the easiest to take photos of but you get the idea - It all went together just as I envisaged and the only thing that I changed was to ease a bit more from the ends of the inner sides/supports and the scored louvres which were very much an experiment to see what they looked like didn't cut it if you will pardon the pun
Like a complete numpty, I forgot to take either drawing or photo so despite spending all that time cutting detail for the ends I had no idea what went where without them......
But the main body and the side details were another matter.
Sadly white Styrene isn't the easiest to take photos of but you get the idea - It all went together just as I envisaged and the only thing that I changed was to ease a bit more from the ends of the inner sides/supports and the scored louvres which were very much an experiment to see what they looked like didn't cut it if you will pardon the pun
Rob Pulham
Western Thunderer
A session last night saw some of the end details added with the aid of the drawing - still some to go but I need to make up the chassis next because some of the detail overlaps onto the headstocks.
I am still struggling to get decent photos with the white plastic....
I also had the brainwave of attempting to cut a roof using the Silhouette reasoning that if I scored lines where the planks would be on a wooden roof it would make the styrene easier to bend. I wasn't quite prepared for just how much a success it would be.
The very nature of scoring it made it curl as soon as I removed it from the cutting mat. A bit more help from a couple of different sized rods and it fit perfectly.
Another thought was to attempt to create the gutter by using my Olfa cutter deepen the score line adjacent to each edge and then use my hold and fold to bend it into shape - another success
I am still struggling to get decent photos with the white plastic....
I also had the brainwave of attempting to cut a roof using the Silhouette reasoning that if I scored lines where the planks would be on a wooden roof it would make the styrene easier to bend. I wasn't quite prepared for just how much a success it would be.
The very nature of scoring it made it curl as soon as I removed it from the cutting mat. A bit more help from a couple of different sized rods and it fit perfectly.
Another thought was to attempt to create the gutter by using my Olfa cutter deepen the score line adjacent to each edge and then use my hold and fold to bend it into shape - another success