<br clear="all">I was able to pass a file from Sketchup to Inkscape:<div><br></div><div><a href="http://mambohead.com/2011/09/cad-and-laser-cutting/" target="_blank">http://mambohead.com/2011/09/cad-and-laser-cutting/</a></div>
<div><br></div>
<div>So this means that you can use Sketchup with it's easy learning curve. Then you can go through MeshCAM or Phlatboyz for 3D, 2.5D CNC milling.</div><div><br></div><div>Or prepare it for printing (through Inkscape) <br>
<div><div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div><br>
<br><br><div class="gmail_quote">On Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 12:37 AM, Trevyn Watson <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:trevyn@dybydx.ca" target="_blank">trevyn@dybydx.ca</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">
<div>I've found that trying to use Inkscape for drafting only ends in tears. You might like DraftSight, a free AutoCAD workalike.<br>
<a href="http://www.3ds.com/products/draftsight/free-cad-software/" target="_blank">http://www.3ds.com/products/<u></u>draftsight/free-cad-software/</a><br>
<br>
It has a steeper learning curve than Inkscape because its interface is identical to AutoCAD, but there are lots of tutorials and help pages and it's worth learning if you want to do precise drafting for mechanical parts rather than drawing.<br>
<br>
On 02/09/2011 00|15, Darcy Whyte wrote:<br>
</div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div>
<br>
I wish it had the little measuring tape like Sketchup. Or that feature<br>
where you make a line then punch in a number for the length of the<br>
line.... And the snap to objects behavior....<br>
<br>
I'm going to try both Inkscape and the Sketchup to Inkscape conversion<br>
and see which one gels first.<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
On Fri, Sep 2, 2011 at 12:12 AM, Andrew O'Malley <<a href="mailto:aomalley@gmail.com" target="_blank">aomalley@gmail.com</a><br></div><div>
<mailto:<a href="mailto:aomalley@gmail.com" target="_blank">aomalley@gmail.com</a>>> wrote:<br>
<br>
+1 for Inkscape, a nice, free vector program. Bit of a learning curve,<br>
but it's what I've been using for all my laser'ing.<br>
<br>
ao.<br>
<br>
<br>
> Message: 2<br>
> Date: Thu, 1 Sep 2011 23:48:55 -0400<br></div>
> From: Darcy Whyte <<a href="mailto:darcy@siteware.com" target="_blank">darcy@siteware.com</a> <mailto:<a href="mailto:darcy@siteware.com" target="_blank">darcy@siteware.com</a>>><div><br>
> Subject: Re: [Lab] Laser<br>
> To: Jonathan Edwards <<a href="mailto:zigwhentheyzag@ymail.com" target="_blank">zigwhentheyzag@ymail.com</a><br></div>
<mailto:<a href="mailto:zigwhentheyzag@ymail.com" target="_blank">zigwhentheyzag@ymail.<u></u>com</a>>><br>
> Cc: lab <<a href="mailto:lab@artengine.ca" target="_blank">lab@artengine.ca</a> <mailto:<a href="mailto:lab@artengine.ca" target="_blank">lab@artengine.ca</a>>><div><br>
> Message-ID:<br>
><br>
<CAGTEw4yTcgysq+vC93QkxwzFo=<u></u>0mc1=Nmm1v+PiR7QV++=+<a href="mailto:C5Q@mail.gmail.com" target="_blank">C5Q@mail.<u></u>gmail.com</a><br></div>
<mailto:<a href="mailto:C5Q@mail.gmail.com" target="_blank">C5Q@mail.gmail.com</a>>><div><br>
> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="iso-8859-1"<br>
><br>
> I don't think the machine minds but if you are using a system such as<br>
> Photoshop the problem will be more at your end.<br>
><br>
> For instance if you made a circle that was 1" and the .001" line<br>
width and<br>
> then changed it to a 3" circle by stretching it you'd have a<br>
couple of<br>
> issues. One is that you'd be scaling the line width. The second<br>
is that the<br>
> raster would scale up into a lower res circle.<br>
><br>
> With a vector based system you can change the size of the circle<br>
and the<br>
> line thickness more independently. .<br>
><br>
><br>
<br>
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