Best way to convert template to cut file??

[jlogan73]

I'm looking for the best way to take a "cutout" template and turn to cut file. I tried taking picture, put into Inkscape turned out Ehhh,,,
Just trying to learn what other ways there are.
It's a spot light mount for my jeep.
3.75" wide by 6" high.

Thanks for any help

[ben de lappe]

I don't know if you may have something similar or not but this is one instance where Torchmate CAD shines with it's scan and trace wizard. I can take a piece such as this, place it on the bed of my scanner and bring it directly in to CAD. The better the template the better the part. This has saved my hide on more than one occasion.

[Capstone]

Something this basic is better designed from scratch just based on measurements.

If you have a bunch of curves, then scanning smaller parts or taking a top down photo with a hi-res smart phone is a better method.

Lastly, you could add the Scanythinghardware/software and "trace" the part using your table. with less than $50 in expense.

I use all three methods.

[acourtjester]

HI jlogan73
Here is a way to do it in Inkscape I did a screen shot of your part (jpeg) loaded it into Inkscape. Traced it to get paths of the part which also included the outside box around the drawing. Clicked on the path menu and clicked on break apart this separated the 2 paths then deleted the outside box path. Then go up to the top and click on the width and height boxes and entered your dimensions 3.75 X 6 inches and come up with a SVG file. A better image or flat bed scanner image would have been better to work with.

template.svg

(2.9 KiB) Downloaded 90 times

template.svg

(2.9 KiB) Downloaded 90 times

[jlogan73]

Thanks for all of your help!

[james.davis]

I enlarge your bracket to 3.75x6.I use coral draw x7 I still have a lot of clean up on most things I convert from pics.
Jim

[Gamelord]

Easiest way I have done it is to just place it on a scanner with the lid off and scan it directly into Corel. With the lid of the scanner off, everything on the outside will be black while the part will show up white. Once done, trace it and it should be nearly identical. If you need to do some minor tweaks then you can do that with the sizing tool in Corel.

I do echo the above though, with a part that is that basic, drawing it from scratch should take less time than the scanner thing.

[_Ogre]

when i scan or take a picture of a template or object i usually include a ruler in there to scale the pic in autocad

[Bobcat320]

Something this basic is better designed from scratch just based on measurements.

If you have a bunch of curves, then scanning smaller parts or taking a top down photo with a hi-res smart phone is a better method.

Lastly, you could add the Scanythinghardware/software and "trace" the part using your table. with less than $50 in expense.

I use all three methods.

Hey Capstone,
Do you know if Scanything will work with PlasmaCams Design Edge?
Carl

[beefy]

Carl,

I'm pretty sure it only works with Mach3 and the software from Edingcnc.

Keith.