Dxf editing

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SONIC
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Dxf editing

Post by SONIC »

I'm a little confused by the lack of file editing ability around here. How is it that so many people have CNC plasma tables but can't edit or draw a dxf file? Seems so counterintuitive to me.

When I want to make something I just find an image, trace it, and cut it.

This is really just a curiosity question as I'm constantly editing files and cannot imagine being able to run the table without being able to change things when they don't work right.

I see requests for files all the time with a slight tweak or a different size or initials in them or whatever, which is all of 15 seconds of cad work.
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Re: Dxf editing

Post by srp »

Sales videos make it look sooo easy..
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steel 35
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Re: Dxf editing

Post by steel 35 »

That's why one should look for a slightly used machine and save $ :lol:
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little blue choo
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Re: Dxf editing

Post by little blue choo »

I believe most of the regulars on here can draw or edit about anything they want to. There's a lot of newbie's out there that have been taken in by the sales videos that tell them they can be designing and cutting their own files with just a little practice. LOL

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Re: Dxf editing

Post by beefy »

SONIC wrote:I'm a little confused by the lack of file editing ability around here. How is it that so many people have CNC plasma tables but can't edit or draw a dxf file? Seems so counterintuitive to me.

When I want to make something I just find an image, trace it, and cut it.

This is really just a curiosity question as I'm constantly editing files and cannot imagine being able to run the table without being able to change things when they don't work right.

I see requests for files all the time with a slight tweak or a different size or initials in them or whatever, which is all of 15 seconds of cad work.
I put it down to one thing. It's easier to ask someone to do it for you, than it is to learn how to do it. There's plenty of members are doing business in this game yet are asking other members to do a trace/conversion. The information is out there to learn how to manually trace yet obviously plenty prefer to get set up with the table, advertise their "services" then ask someone to do the drawing work for them. I wish I had skin that thick, maybe I'd get somewhere.

A quick look in the "help" (aka "do if for me") section, makes it very obvious most are not seeking information on HOW to do tracing but are just wanting someone to do the whole thing.

I think there's a fair few members do get a bit irritated by this but it's not politically correct to protest about it on this site. I've been attacked several times for saying stuff like I'm saying now. And that's OK with me, I now look after myself a lot more and am not as active here as I once was.

I frequent an electronics & programming related forum and it's a different story there. The guys are very helpful when you are actually trying to learn the skills but you get stuck, or don't understand something. However, if you just say, "Can you write the code for this for me", they are not so accommodating, and the moderator often jumps in and says the thread should be moved to the marketing section where the OP can request the paid services of another member. They put a strong emphasis on growing and learning, and not taking advantage of the hard earned skills of others. It's very different here.

Now awaiting the attacks......................
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SeanP
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Re: Dxf editing

Post by SeanP »

beefy wrote:
Now awaiting the attacks......................
Not at all, you are dead on there :!:
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Re: Dxf editing

Post by jimcolt »

I tell everyone that inquires with me about buying a cnc plasma machine....that the CAD drawing learning curve is the toughest part. If you have zero experience, then it is wise to take a community college course, or to just sit down at your comfortable desk (you will be there a while) and start drawing using tutorials from the software supplier. Draw often, ask questions, and all of a sudden it will become intuitive. I cannot imagine having a cnc plasma and not being able to use it to its full capability.....but there are a lot of them out there!

There are a lot of people with zero metal working experience and zero CAD experience that buy these machines! I often see "brand new" two or three year old machines for sale with zero hours on them. Jim Colt
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Re: Dxf editing

Post by tnjind »

I have trouble watching videos because of horrible buffering with my current set up so my learning is hampered. I ask questions to gain knowledge if a search does not help.
Not everyone that asks questions wants work done for free, however sometimes there are time constraints. For example, I asked for ideas in the dxf sharing section for a memorial for a good friend. I lack experience with the art type drawing and the learning curve will be too long for me as I would like to give them something in the next two weeks. I will gladly pay someone for their time if it is something I like, but I am not even sure what I want yet.

I hope to be a contributing member here someday when I gain more knowledge but until then I will be another person asking annoying questions.


Thanks and cut on.
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little blue choo
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Re: Dxf editing

Post by little blue choo »

Beefy I'm with you all the way. When I first joined this forum I knew very little but sit and read a lot and watch videos to get a good understanding of how things worked and what I should be doing. When needed I would ask for help and was very pleased with the responses I got. I was never trashed for riding the coat tails of others because people could see I was trying not just looking for a handout. I know it bothers a lot of people when a new member with 1, 2 or maybe 3 post comes on and ask for help with a trace that is so simple that the worst software would give them good results but it happens. It really bothers me when they say they have a CUSTOMER who need this fast. Well if you're asking for the simplest of traces than you are not at the point you need to be at to have CUSTOMERS! Sorry just my 2 cents.
tnjind I don't think anyone was singling you out. I have looked at your post and you seem to be legitimately trying to learn DRAVO BROTHER! I even posted a drawing for you on the request you made about a memorial and if it will work for you I will even send you the cleaned up cut ready file. I have used it several times an it has always been appreciated by the people I gave it to. All you will have to do is add your text and it will be ready.

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DXF
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Re: Dxf editing

Post by DXF »

I get a lot of requests for dxf files of pictures I post and ignore them because I've posted many dxf files on this forum. I purchased my equipment to make $ and spend a lot of hours designing files. Inkscape is free and works great to create dxf files and you can download a lot of free photography programs to manipulate photos or use windows. Some people buy their CNC cutters and the software is way above their skill level. The machines are fairly easy to operate as my 7 year old Grandaughter can operate mine but the hard part is getting a project ready to cut as a dxf file.

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Gamelord
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Re: Dxf editing

Post by Gamelord »

I feel there are a bunch of people who frequent the forum for nothing more than to download free files and then bundle them and sell them on Etsy or Fleebay. I can't understand how a file that is a custom logo of a business from podunk wherever is downloaded 100+ times? I can't see more than one of them even being cut for personal or commercial use....but whatever.

If someone is asking for help or ideas, I love to help them out. If someone has less than 10 posts and all of them are asking for simple to do traces, I ignore them. I feel that these types of people will never contribute to the forum and are just here to take.

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Re: Dxf editing

Post by solomanb »

Very well said the above comments are true and make a point. I've been in the welding trade for 30 plus years and have self taught myself a lot of welding and metal working skills including the purchase of a table and learning how to use software for art work and production pieces. I have also taken many courses through local and distance colleges and AWS and learned untold and unmeasurable tips and tricks from forums like plasma spider
Having a ticket for a trade is telling you and who you work with you are competent at the point in time you were certified. It is up to the tradesmen to continue/further their education as technology advances.
Buying a piece of equipment especially a CNC machine doesn't automatically make you competent on its full potential,as to making money and to art design and file generation that's another learned skill that requires effort and time. Once learned it's another skill that can be built on.
Not everyone that has equipment understands how it works but that's ok for them.... but not for others
Do the Time.... it's worth the Gain
Just my thought
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acourtjester
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Re: Dxf editing

Post by acourtjester »

Tnjind
There is a free program to download videos from youtube that is very fast even for large videos.

https://www.google.com/#q=youtube+downloader+free

try this for downloading tutorials from the web to help you can then watch on you PC with out delays.
You don't need to watch the video just get the web address at the start and copy and paste it in to the youtube downloaded and it will do it quickly. :D :D just store it where you want for later.
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Re: Dxf editing

Post by beefy »

tnjind wrote:I have trouble watching videos because of horrible buffering with my current set up so my learning is hampered. I ask questions to gain knowledge if a search does not help.
Not everyone that asks questions wants work done for free, however sometimes there are time constraints. For example, I asked for ideas in the dxf sharing section for a memorial for a good friend. I lack experience with the art type drawing and the learning curve will be too long for me as I would like to give them something in the next two weeks. I will gladly pay someone for their time if it is something I like, but I am not even sure what I want yet.

I hope to be a contributing member here someday when I gain more knowledge but until then I will be another person asking annoying questions.


Thanks and cut on.
tnjind,

we all start as beginners and asking questions to GAIN KNOWLEDGE is what impresses me. So don't worry, your questions will not be annoying. What I'm talking about is the typical question that goes something like this:

"Can someone just take over and trace this whole thing for me, I've been "trying" all day".

Nowhere do they ask questions to gain knowledge on HOW to trace. When someone claims they've been trying all day yet don't ask for some simple guidelines or links to teaching materials, I don't really believe they've been "trying all day". That's just a tactic to soften up the kind member with the hard earned skills.

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Re: Dxf editing

Post by tnjind »

Thank you little blue choo, what you have offered looks nice. I very well may use it with your permission.

Acourtjester, thank you. I will look into it. It is pretty annoying trying to watch a vid when the buffering is horrible.

Beefy, I did not assume anything was directed at me personally. I do understand the aggravation at the ones always wanting free work without the "sweat equity"
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Re: Dxf editing

Post by suttoncnc »

I would not think that it is even worth owning a CNC machine without CAD skills. Thankfully, my day job required me to learn 2D CAD and then 3D CAD. I can honestly say that I have spent hundreds of hours learning these skills. My best guess would be that an average person need to set aside at least 50~100 hours of time to learn basic 2D CAD to get the full use out of a plasma table. Besides CAD, I have found that inkscape is VERY powerful at producing artwork for signs and custom art of all sorts. It also has a steep learning curve, but well worth the time investment. I use SheetCam and because it can read a SVG file direct, I do not have to convert images to DXF files before cutting.

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Re: Dxf editing

Post by acourtjester »

If a question is asked that has some background that shows the person asking has tried to learn will make a difference. It is like the question “how far is up” well where are you now, so the person wanting to answer knows where you are.
There have been many question like “how do I put text inside a circle in Inkscape” and they get answered, sometime by many to show a different method.
Even posting a question in the correct category show the person did some work to place it where is should be. Many ask for someone to post a cut file, well if it is in the “file sharing forum” they have or will share. But if it is in the “Project Picture Gallery” they are just showing what they did to inspire others as to what can be done. The file may be theirs or given to them or bought and they don’t think sharing is right. This can be seen with Logos or files sold by vendors, they may reply with “I bought it here”.
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SONIC
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Re: Dxf editing

Post by SONIC »

Okay,
At least I'm not alone here! HA
Everyone here just seems so nice about it, I've never been a part of a forum where people give away their time so freely, it's crazy to me.
Call me a dick, but I'm not going to use my hard earned time, money, and software to do a trace for someone when inkscape is free and there are about 12,000 videos out there showing you how to do it.

If someone wants or needs help learning to do it themselves then absolutely, I'll spend a ton of time trying to help if I can.
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Re: Dxf editing

Post by beefy »

SONIC wrote:Okay,
At least I'm not alone here! HA
Everyone here just seems so nice about it, I've never been a part of a forum where people give away their time so freely, it's crazy to me.
Call me a dick, but I'm not going to use my hard earned time, money, and software to do a trace for someone when inkscape is free and there are about 12,000 videos out there showing you how to do it.

If someone wants or needs help learning to do it themselves then absolutely, I'll spend a ton of time trying to help if I can.
Teach a man to fish....
Ha ha, I knew you were niggled about it in your opening post :D I've been niggled about it for years. I just quit my business of 17 years because of the way the industry operates and how flooded it was. The one thing it taught me is there's never a shortage of people who'll take advantage of you if they can.
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