# Carvewrite Lettering Question



## fishinfusion (May 19, 2006)

I'd like to have one of these machines if they can do quality lettering.

Could someone who has a Carvewrite check this website and see if this quality of work can be done? The company is P. Graham Dunn and they use industrial CNC router machines to do inspirational work in wood. Thanks in advance.

Here's their website: 
pgrahamdunn(DOT)com

Thanks!


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Scott

You may want to post your question on the Carvewright forum.. 
You will find many pros. on the forum ..

http://www.carvewright.com/forum/



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## fishinfusion (May 19, 2006)

Hmmm... I guess from this Forum's heading that this was THE place for discussion about the Carvewright.  See below..

CNC Routing at the Router Forums A place to discuss CarveWright, CompuCarve and other CNC routing devices.

Thanks for the tip though.  I check that site out.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Scott

You'er right but the question you have posted is a very hard one,,, they make so many fonts and the machine can do almost all of them but not all and the Carvewright forum is a great place to get the info you need, the software that comes with the machine as many fonts but you can inport so many more...via.the OS like windows and the software you are running...(like PhotoShop,Word,etc.)

)


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## Joe Lyddon (Sep 11, 2004)

fishinfusion said:


> I'd like to have one of these machines if they can do quality lettering.
> 
> Could someone who has a Carvewrite check this website and see if this quality of work can be done? The company is P. Graham Dunn and they use industrial CNC router machines to do inspirational work in wood. Thanks in advance.
> 
> ...


I just had some lettering done by a friend, on his machine.
This is what I did and learned:

I hand drew the letters "Tyler" on paper, scanned it, edited it making the letters solid. I specifically created BMP files so that spurious pixels would NOT be present... only those of MY content.

It would have been better if I had left the editing out making them solid and just using a pencil to SHADE the letters being light around the edges and darker in the middle. Then, the carving would have been gradual in dept getting deeper going to the middle of the letters... As it happened, there was a steep 90* angle from the top to bottom (depth) of each letter.

I also typed some text... the first time, the letters were too close together (just normal spacing), too deep, and chip-out was a problem between letters.

I retyped it inserting 2 spaces between letters and 4 spaces between words. It turned out better.

See my Show-N-Tell project Tool Tote...
http://www.routerforums.com/show-n-tell/4976-tool-tote-roy-underhills-apprentice-book.html

The first board, with lettering all over it, was the first test... followed by the 2nd test... which we went with. The lines, for the letters, are about 1/16" in width and 1/16" deep.

It's possible to get good quality... BUT, you must fake it out a bit with more spacing here & there...

I'm going to try filling my carved letters with epoxy so they will not Chip-out over the years. I will use the Test board first, to make sure I like it, etc.


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## Charles M (Apr 10, 2006)

Scott,

With the upcoming Centerline Font feature, some creativity and patience you could replicate many of those pieces. The Carvewright software uses the system fonts you have installed and I have had good success making my own fonts as well.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Joe 

Many tools inside the Designer software that comes with the machine.
You change the spacing,font size,cut the letters or just crave them in the stock.
You can also slect the router bit you want to use..

The pictures below will show two or three ways to do it.
They will come out clean if you select the right bit and the board setting,.
you will also see a shot on the back side of one board, it shows the small holes/slots that help hold the letters in place, then once it's done you can just push out the letters out the stock.

It's a fun machine and it can do just about anything you want it to do.
But you must know how to use the software. 

What you see is what you get (WYSIWYG) craved out,,


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## Joe Lyddon (Sep 11, 2004)

bobj3 said:


> Hi Joe
> 
> Many tools inside the Designer software that comes with the machine.
> You change the spacing,font size,cut the letters or just crave them in the stock.
> ...


That's really nice & flexible... but, in this case, I wanted the word "Tyler" to be in *my own hand-drawing*...  

Thank you for the lesson though... What is your finest (smallest) bit that you would use for lettering?


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Joe
The smallest bit is a ball point , like the name it comes to a sharp ball point.
see link below
http://www.precisebits.com/products...xtsearchParamVen=ALL&txtFromSearch=fromSearch

You can also use a 1/8" bit but it's main job is to cut the board to size after the carving is done.
But you can use just about any bit you want in the machine 1/4" and 1/2" shank bits.

It's real hard to use you own hand writing unless you have a computer pen setup, but if you do can copy and paste it in.

You can buy them on eBay (pen setup and they use the USB port) it's just a pad that you can draw or write on.
But you need to software as well. 






Joe Lyddon said:


> That's really nice & flexible... but, in this case, I wanted the word "Tyler" to be in *my own hand-drawing*...
> 
> Thank you for the lesson though... What is your finest (smallest) bit that you would use for lettering?


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## fishinfusion (May 19, 2006)

Thanks for all the replies. Do you happen to know if I can see a demo at Sears? I'd love to make some of my own signs for my wife's new retreat center.


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## bobj3 (Jan 17, 2006)

Hi Scott

That one I don't know , maybe call Sears and see if they are going to demo it...but I can't tell you who would know that at Sears...maybe just start going up the food chain until you get the right person  long shot...


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