I have just recently started trying to work with Sketchup to G-Code. After playing around with drawing buildings, and getting acquainted with the Sketchup tools, I had an idea. [That's always when my troubles begin, when I get ideas.] I have done some craft work/wood work in the past. While sitting at my computer, I thought..."wouldn't it be cool to be able to make wooden angels with Phlatprinter!! Wonder if I can scan a picture, save it to a file as jpg, import it to Sketchup, setup gcodes, and make the angels on the machine?" So, I drew a picture, scanned it as jpg, and saved to documents. Then, I imported file to Sketchup. Ok, everything is going well, so far. I sized angel to fit inside fanfold dimensions- 42"/22", rotated and placed where I wanted it. My problems started when it was time to mark inner and outer cuts. Nothing has gone right since. I've spent a week trying to figure out how to make this [ idea ] of mine a reality. Does anybody know how, and willing to tell me what to do after I've downloaded image to get angel to printer? Yep, I'm called 'slowboy' for a reason, LOL ! !
Hi slowboy welcome to the Phlatforum, If you want to post the angel pic I will try to make tutorial video for you to learn from. It sounds like you are having a hard time making the faces for the parts you want cut. Start by tracing the outside of the angel and then turn on the x ray mode, and trace the holes you want cut out. Hope that helps The following videos I made a while back are close to what you want to do and may give you an idea http://www.phlatforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=94&t=60&start=0#p225 Mark
It seems like he imported the file and didn't know he needs to trace the image. slowboy, Sketchup doesn't import images (as far as I know) and turn them into models that will work with the PhlatScript. After importing the image you have to trace the outlines using the Line and Freehand tools. This takes some time but will create parts you can mark up for exporting to GCode.
slowboy, gasmasher is right. SU treats a jpg as an entity on which you can't really work on. Try converting your image to a dxf file and then import it to SU. You may have then only to fix a few places to get the faces to complete.
Tigerpilot, I don't know how to convert my jpg to a dxf file. My scanner that I made jpg with didn't have dxf that I could use when I saved to documents. Could you tell me how to convert this file? Thanks, slowboy
slowboy, You can try this free software to convert a picture to dxf: viewtopic.php?f=103&t=989 But dxf conversion can be messy and cause problems, too. Or you can just trace over you imported jpg file. But I still don't know exactly what your problems was. It's hard for me to believe that you just sat there for a week, looking at the picture and clicking on it with the outside cut tool. You must have started drawing? -Kwok
Kwok - To begin with, my phlat plugins didn't load right. I had to get that problem straightened out. Didn't say anything like, " ...just sat there for a week, looking at picture and clicking on it with outside cut tool. " I ain't 'THAT' slow, LOL. I spent my time watching numerous videos, and reading numerous articles, thank-you. Also tried tracing over image, but it looked like crap. FYI, I'm somewhat of a perfectionist. Things have to be right with me, before I continue. Thanks for web address. I'll check it out. As I said in original post, I'm new to this, and eventually, I ' will ' figure this all out. slowboy
Adobe illistrator worked very well for this, u can load the jpg in illistrator then export it to a dwg file, which u can import into sketchup and make ur code from that. i tried some of the free converters and most didnt work well, had lots of errors, illistrator seems to do a much cleaner conversion, u can download the trial version which gives ya 30 days- Fred
You might also be able to use Inkscape (free program) and use Switchers method to output it to a dxf file. You may need to add the R12 dxf to it though. Here are some links for ya. 3rd video shows bitmap to dxf. http://inkscapedxf.blogspot.com/ and for the R12 link http://mydxf.blogspot.com/2008/11/inkscape-r12-dxf.html
Thanks Shaun, I'll check them out. I already have Inkscape on my pc. Just need to see how to use it to make the conversion. slowboy
I was able to sketch this by hand, but I could not get the gcode to output correctly. I am not sure why but none the less here it is in Sketchup Maybe Gasmasher can have a look at it and see what he thinks is going wrong Mark Attached files AngelDemo.cnc (35.6 KB)Â AngelDemo.skp (593.4 KB)Â
Mark, what's wrong with the gcode? Looks ok to me. I had a look at it and it bugs me that the outline can't be selected anymore because it's touching internal lines. Is that right? or is there an easy method. Anyways, I decided to seperated out the internal and external lines into separate groups. So say if you need to redo for a different size cutter, it would be much easier. Got 7 less lines and maybe looks a tiny bit more efficient in the order? Attached files AngelDemo_seperated.cnc (35.4 KB)Â AngelDemo_seperated.skp (588.5 KB)Â
Thanks, but I still would like to know 'how' and 'what' you did. slowboy Posts: 6 Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2009 12:46 pm Private messageE-mail
That was the intent. I was working on making a video tutorial on how to trace and image in Sketchup for but it did not work out. I did however find a tutorial PDF that explains exactly what you are wanting to do. I also found this cool little free plugin that I thought was pretty interesting and could help in getting at least the outside traced. http://www.smustard.com/script/ImageProfile Other then these two things google more tutorial videos and especially watch these. http://sketchup.google.com/training/videos.html Once you come back from these videos you will know Sketchup inside and out! Kwok, thank you for posting that. I am running a beta of the Phlatscript 923 and it was giving me some strange results when I output. I looked at the output from 922 and it looks good like the one you posted. I did post in the Code Crunchers about it so maybe Tim can shed some light on this. Thanks again Mark Attached files SymmetryFallLeaves_StudentVersion.pdf (437.7 KB)Â
Mark, the cnc code you posted, was that from 0.923 beta? That's the one in the 1st picture and looked good to me. I didn't really fix anything, as far as the gcode. Both yours and mine made the same finished product. -Kwok
Got my g-code done, and emailed to friend. He's going to try to make part on Phlatprinter. Hope it works. Now I tried pulling up gcode in files, and it said 'file was emailed without decoding', or something like that. Something else to figure out. What is decoding before emailing.
I think it may need to be zipped? I have never had that problem but then again I usually have them posted here on the board and it works fine. Just to let you know you should be able to transfer files within a private message as well. If not let me know Thank you Mark
" MERRY CHRISTMAS " PhlatForum Phriends ! ! I have one, end-of-the year question... How do I close out file that I was working on in Sketchup? I've tried saving, and selecting all/hitting delete, but everytime I reopen Sketchup, the last thing I was working on is still showing up on screen.
If you are saying it always opens up you last file, then I don't know. It doesn't do that for me. Sketchup load a template, when it opens. And so it should be the same each time.
