HI. Ive done some arduino projects for quite some time, but not many interesting ones. Now im making a quite serious project and i wanted your help so i could get the best solution.What im doing? Im making a game controller thats the size of a keyboard (more or less atleast) and i want to laser cut a wooden case for it but i dont know any program to do that (plus id like to engrave a picture and more to make it look cooler). i would need a programme to sketch out the parts (i dont have the parts yet theyre still being sent to me, but i probably know their size), put them all together, make a case around them and engrave it with any picture if possible
Have you got a laser cutter or are you trying to make one?
Basically if you want to design shapes you draw them with something like inkScape (free ) and have the cut lines as 1mm thickness lines and then save as a PDF file.
The the laser cutter software takes in the PDF file and cuts it out.
At least that is what I do when I use the Eclipse laser cutter at my local Fab Lab.
This recent Thread may also contain some useful material.
If you don't have a machine that can move the cutter on the X and Y axes it would be huge amount of trouble to build and program one just to cut parts for one project.
Better to find some commercial laser cutting shop and send them a computer file.
...R
A commercial laser cutting shop is right by my home (like a min walk) so no worries. Thats where im planning on cutting my parts
REGFly:
@Grumpy_Mike How will i know that the proportions are right?
You have to draw exactly what you want. This is more like an engineering drawing than an artistic drawing. Inkscape will allow you to set a scale and draw lines of precise dimensions.
REGFly:
@Grumpy_Mike How will i know that the proportions are right?
Get advice from the people who will be using your drawings to do the cutting.
Embarrassing waste of time to turn up on their doorstep to be told "that won't do"
...R
Robin2:
Get advice from the people who will be using your drawings to do the cutting.Embarrassing waste of time to turn up on their doorstep to be told "that won't do"
...R
it is hard to top the well thought out and meaningful answers like this.
Ask the people who will do the work. pure genius !
great advice and it will work perfectly !
my guess is they will say, take a pencil, write down the dimensions and bring me a photograph of what design you want.
they will put in the coordinates in a few minutes, scan the drawing and the results will be beautiful
OK, more advise. bring beer.
ask what they drink. bring it.
many a small project is done for fun with the exchange of something personal.
remember, the boss gets to keep the money, but the guy doing the work gets to keep the beer.