Much appreciate your help John

I haven’t made any signs yet and I only want to do a few asa hobby so writing a lisp routine, although I don’t know how complicated thistask is, does not justify the effort. Since I asked for help on this forum, Ihave practice my Acad skills a lot and I see a big improvement which isencouraging. So instead of searching the Web for dxf files I would rather tryto make my own.

There is a lot to learn and time consuming between the CNCsoftware and Acad and that’s ok since as a retired man I have lots of time. Butsometimes it’s also frustrating and then you know that it’s time to ask forhelp.

Thanks again John

As I said I don’t have the Bonus Tools and when I typeTXTEXP I get “Unknown Command”

However under the Draw Menu I have the item Text and thisopens Multiline Text and Single Line Text. The Single Line Text is the DTEXTand that is what I used. The Multiline Text is the MTEXT and when I click on itI also get “Unknown Command”.

We should not forget that my Acad version is from an officeenvironment where the IT personnel used to install in our laptops what wasneeded according to our work. As a PM I was not making drawings but only neededto be able to open the drawings. Perhaps that is the reason the Bonus Tools wasnot installed and I also know that Rendering is not installed either.

Anyway perhaps we can forget about the text because the CNCsoftware has basic text abilities and that is sufficient for me at this stage.From what I described above, is that the way you would go to make the frame ofa sign? Perhaps you may have ways to make the process more efficient / faster?

 Thanks again

I guess release 14 must be an obsolete version for you guysLOL, I know its old but it does the trick for me nicely and it’s free, a giftwhen I retired from my company.

No I don’t have Express Tools, I just have the menus andmainly I work by typing the commands at the command line.

I have made about 10 samples of a simple sign in an effortto see what I can do. They all turn nicely as a drawing in Acad but I have someissues when I try to open the dxf with the CNC.

The sample sign is a 4”x 8” rectangle. I make 3 layers(Base, Border, Letters).

The base is just a simple rectangle made with the Linecommand and converted to PL afterwards. This base has no thickness (don’t knowif this is ok or not)

The border is made with the Line command too. Then I filletthe corners, add a donut at the top, trim the donut to suite and then convertall to PL. Then I use a 1/2" Offset to make a thick like border and thenconvert all to PL.

I discovered that if I use the Region & Extrude commandsto make the border a solid, the CNC only sees a single line. If I just give aheight to each border line (Modify Command, Thickness) then the CNC sees theborder properly and that is fine.

I also try to explode the text with the Explode command but theCommand says “I was not able to be exploded” So I have an issue with theletters on how to give them a “Height”

Sorry for the lengthy reply John, just try to let you knowwhat I have done so you can see my steps and see if I do it right or not.

Thank you

Thank you John

Never thought about it but you are right, the CNC softwareprefers polylines. I used to make my shapes with the Line command and the CNCcould not read the dxf and then switched to PL and all went fine. I haven’t triedto cut any text yet so I don’t know the results with text.

Much appreciate your time

I have Acad V14 and I know enough to do just basic drawings.I used to know more during my working years but have forgotten a lot since Iretire.

I would like to make some signs with my CNC router as ahobby but don’t know how to draw the body of the sign if I want it to have amixture of straight border and curves. I have no problem making the text.

So I want to make the outline of the sign which will includestraight lines and curves about 1/2" thick and it will stick up from theface of the sign lets say 1/2". Do I use a polyline, Trace, Spline orwhat? And how about the place where I will write the letters; how do Iincorporate that along with the border.

When I will finish a sign, I will export the drawing to adxf file and then the CNC software will take over

I would appreciate any guidance