Looking for suggestions on tracing tablets

General software related questions should be posted here.
Post Reply
User avatar
little blue choo
4 Star Member
4 Star Member
Posts: 1460
Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2015 10:38 pm
Location: Cherryville NC
Contact:

Looking for suggestions on tracing tablets

Post by little blue choo »

Looking to step my game up and wondering who is using what for their tracings and what you like or dislike about it. I thinking a low priced graphics tablet is all I will need but not sure what the advantages of the more expensive options are. Looking forward to your comments.

Rick
Rick
Arclight 9600 4x8 table
Hypertherm PM65
Acc. Plate Marker, 4 inch Pipe Cutter, Wood Router package
Quincy Q54 compressor 2 stage, 5hp, 60 gal
Refrigerated air dryer & 4 stage filtration system
Software Mach 3, Sheetcam, Solid Edge 2D, Inkscape
User avatar
Gamelord
4.5 Star Member
4.5 Star Member
Posts: 1637
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2012 5:17 pm
Contact:

Re: Looking for suggestions on tracing tablets

Post by Gamelord »

Most of the time I use my mouse, but sometimes when I want to kick back I will use my Wacom tablet. Works excellent, you can put in any drawing and simply trace over it, or you can create from scratch.

http://www.wacom.com/en-us/products/pen ... -pro-paper
Once you take flight, your eyes will forever be turned to the sky." "Lack of appreciation is the worlds biggest crime."

Torchmate 6x14 w/THC Downdraft
Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101
Corel Draw / Adobe Illustrator
Torchmate CAD
User avatar
WyoGreen
4 Star Member
4 Star Member
Posts: 897
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2014 8:36 pm
Location: Cheyenne, Wyoming

Re: Looking for suggestions on tracing tablets

Post by WyoGreen »

I picked up a cheap Monoprice tablet a few years back. Frankly, I never use it, just tracing with the mouse on the computer screen works better for me.

Steve
Precision Plasma gantry
CommandCNC Linux controller w/Feather Touch & PN200 hand controller
HT-45 plasma cutter
Plate Marker
Router
Laser
User avatar
little blue choo
4 Star Member
4 Star Member
Posts: 1460
Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2015 10:38 pm
Location: Cherryville NC
Contact:

Re: Looking for suggestions on tracing tablets

Post by little blue choo »

I think I'll have to go with a tablet of some kind. I don't see how you guys do it with a mouse unless there's some secret I don't know.

Rick
Rick
Arclight 9600 4x8 table
Hypertherm PM65
Acc. Plate Marker, 4 inch Pipe Cutter, Wood Router package
Quincy Q54 compressor 2 stage, 5hp, 60 gal
Refrigerated air dryer & 4 stage filtration system
Software Mach 3, Sheetcam, Solid Edge 2D, Inkscape
User avatar
WyoGreen
4 Star Member
4 Star Member
Posts: 897
Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2014 8:36 pm
Location: Cheyenne, Wyoming

Re: Looking for suggestions on tracing tablets

Post by WyoGreen »

Rick,
When I trace with a mouse, I'm doing it in Corel Draw, and I use the polyline tool. I just start on one side of what I'm tracing, and just click my way around the trace, putting a node everywhere I think I need to turn a corner or make a curve. When I get back to where I started and click on the starting node, I have a closed object. Then I go thru the nodes I just made and use the node handles to make the curves match the contours of what I'm tracing. It usually goes pretty fast.

Steve
Precision Plasma gantry
CommandCNC Linux controller w/Feather Touch & PN200 hand controller
HT-45 plasma cutter
Plate Marker
Router
Laser
User avatar
little blue choo
4 Star Member
4 Star Member
Posts: 1460
Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2015 10:38 pm
Location: Cherryville NC
Contact:

Re: Looking for suggestions on tracing tablets

Post by little blue choo »

Thanks Steve, I though that was the way it was done but wasn't sure. I'm been meaning to try it in Inkscape using the bezier curve tool. Will try to find time to start playing with it tonight. Would like to go a step beyond auto trace.

Rick
Rick
Arclight 9600 4x8 table
Hypertherm PM65
Acc. Plate Marker, 4 inch Pipe Cutter, Wood Router package
Quincy Q54 compressor 2 stage, 5hp, 60 gal
Refrigerated air dryer & 4 stage filtration system
Software Mach 3, Sheetcam, Solid Edge 2D, Inkscape
BanksAg
2.5 Star Member
2.5 Star Member
Posts: 171
Joined: Fri Nov 18, 2016 5:13 pm

Re: Looking for suggestions on tracing tablets

Post by BanksAg »

Thanks for asking this question - I've been wondering the same thing, and have been looking at the Microsoft Surface for possibly drawing and tracing within Inkscape and Rhino, but the Wacom tablet might be a less expensive option.

A question, Gamelord, on the Wacom tablet: does that work within it's own software, or does it work within other programs such as Inkscape? If it works within its own software, what file type(s) does it output to?

Thanks.
Tim Eggleston
Banks High School
Banks, OR

Arc Pro 4800
PowerMax 45XP
Mach 3, SheetCam
Inkscape, Rhino 3D
User avatar
Gamelord
4.5 Star Member
4.5 Star Member
Posts: 1637
Joined: Wed Aug 29, 2012 5:17 pm
Contact:

Re: Looking for suggestions on tracing tablets

Post by Gamelord »

It works with it's own software to do the drawing, you don't need it connected to the computer to draw or trace. Once connected to your computer you an save in vector or raster format (such as PSD or SVG). From there you can then import it into your drawing program and use the tablet to edit it in Corel (probably Inkscape too, haven't tried that one though). It also auto sync's as well as long as you use the free Inkspace cloud storage (5gb).
Once you take flight, your eyes will forever be turned to the sky." "Lack of appreciation is the worlds biggest crime."

Torchmate 6x14 w/THC Downdraft
Thermal Dynamics Cutmaster 101
Corel Draw / Adobe Illustrator
Torchmate CAD
User avatar
acourtjester
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
6 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 7770
Joined: Sat Jun 02, 2012 6:04 pm
Location: Pensacola, Fla

Re: Looking for suggestions on tracing tablets

Post by acourtjester »

There are videos showing how to do manual trace in Inkscape, You do a basic trace around an object and then go back and refine it with the node tools.
Don't limit you search to DXF traces I have found great videos in other fields like "scrap booking" or "scroll saw" or "vinyl cutting" just follow some of the trails YourTube leads you on. :lol:
DIY 4X4 Plasma/Router Table
Hypertherm PM65 Machine Torch
Drag Knife and Scribe
Miller Mig welder
13" metal lathe
Small Mill
Everlast PowerTig 255 EXT
motoguy
4 Star Elite Contributing Member
4 Star Elite Contributing Member
Posts: 1184
Joined: Tue Aug 25, 2015 12:05 pm
Location: Central MO, USA

Re: Looking for suggestions on tracing tablets

Post by motoguy »

A tablet sounds appealing for large size drawings. things I currently have to use Scananything to get, or cut/make scanner-sized sections.
Bulltear 6x12 w/ Proton Z axis & watertable
CommandCNC/Linux w/ Ohmic & HyT options
Hypertherm Powermax 85 w/ machine torch
Solidworks, Coreldraw X7, Inkscape, Sheetcam
Post Reply

Return to “General Discussion”