[Oscar36]

I've been making patterns now for over 8 years and I can firmly say they have all been astoundingly mediocre. They are solid but nothing really with any wow factor. I want to step out of my comfort zone and start making things that really are somewhat unique so that it pushes me as an artist.

This is the model I finished today. Normally I would just pose it in either side or front view in an orthographic projection or STL slice.

I am trying something different. This is the initial draft pose I am using for the cnc pattern but will not be the final pose. I think I want a little bit more side view to be visible. I also have to tweak my work flow process since I have to use a bas relief projection to capture the image with this model. It is too deep to use an STL port. Using Blender3d, CW Designer and ZBrush to see which works better. So far Blender is winning though Zbrush wasn't horrible.

Hopefully, not too boring. I also modeled the trailer for the model but not sure if I will use it for the pattern but I may play around with it and see how it looks.

What do you guys think?

 

[MEBCWD]

Oscar, I'm sure there are few members that would think that one to be your best one yet. Looks great to me as an image.

 

[Oscar36]

Mike, thanks. I am trying to challenge myself to be more creative. Old dogs can learn new tricks but I am not quick.

The second image above (white one) is the pattern made from the height map. I can export that directly as an STL and its pretty much what you see. Patterns made from height maps are usually not perfect so I have to tweak a few things if I go with this image. I am still playing with the perspective. I normally don't use height maps myself so I also have to do some pipeline tweaks to get the best pattern possible.

Here are different views I am playing with to see what I like. I am playing with a camera 12-15mm focal length.

Sorry for all the hot air. For hobbyists, I always encourage everyone to learn how to make your own patterns. It really expands the possibilities of your machine and only takes time. The 3d modeling software starts at free. For professionals, its almost always cheaper to buy the patterns. Time is money then.

 

[MEBCWD]

I like the two bottom ones the other ones get too distorted. Of course, you're just playing around with the camera lens option

It would look good as a Tractor Trailer rig straight on from the side. That way you could carve a logo on the door and a name into the side of the Trailer.

"Happy Retirement, this is all you get!" Sort of the gold watch retirement for a trucker.

 

[marecat3]

I think they look great, I can never get the tires just right, but the ones I have tried were from pictures customers wanted and I have to deal with background and grass

 

[Oscar36]

Mike, that's a good idea. I've made some like that in the past but they were not great. My skill has improved a little bit in the last few years.

Marecat3, I work in 3d and then have to convert to 2.5d most times. Tires in 3d are relatively easy depending on the realism needed. Example below took maybe 60 secs to make.

For these, I used what I call the rotate technique. I make the outline of the tire and then revolved it around the center. Super fast. In blender the tool is the screw modifier. In Fusion 360 its the revolve tool. I still have not learned VCarvePro so don't know what tools that has. Aspire has the spin tool but don't have that one.

If you want 100% realism, the cross section of the rims and tires are available online. The tire tread would also be modeled but I would use a different technique. Model an individual section and then use a radial array to complete the full circumference of the tire. More time consuming but not super hard.

Trying to tempt you to go to the dark side of pattern making (full 3d). lol

p.s. sorry if you already know all this.

 

[Oscar36]

Mike,

Threw it into my cnc software as an STL port to see what it would look like. It would require a fairly large carve (for me) to capture the detail. This is on a 24" x 8" board. For me it would be a 4 hour carve using a 1/16 ball nose carving bit at .35" depth.

 

[TimPa]

very impressed with your work! your skill level and design software abilities are just amazing. i have only done a few 3d (or 2.5) things so far. you stuff always comes to mind when i start thinking about it.

thanks for the inspiration!

 

[Oscar36]

Thank you for the kind words. I know I still have a long ways to go to where I want to be but I hope I can inspire someone to start their pattern making journey. It is a ton of fun.

I have filled the house with furniture to the point I might be hoarding a little bit so this keeps me in the woodworking game without making more big pieces.

 

[Oscar36]

These examples are at 5" x 5" x .25". I like them as well.

 

[UglySign]

These examples are at 5" x 5" x .25". I like them as well.

View attachment 401399

Oscar... was that model a full 3D like shown in post #3? Where you can set diff positions?
That in itself is good to offer choices for special projects, no?

As for this truck design, is it possible for Laser Etch/Engraving?
I found a tiki head I started back when the virus started, figured out
how to do the greyscale approach in Carveco. It seemed to work to a degree
but couldnt get a decent shading/depth to say. It looked hideous on wood & acrylic.
It needed some tweaking but Im not up for it.

Cool deal

 

[Oscar36]

Yes and yes.

This technique is essentially taking picture of the 3d model where each pixel is given a grey scale value based on the distance from the camera. There is some math to blur out some of the further away stuff and try to keep the closer stuff clear. The ambient occlusion provides shadows to create more distinction between different heights.

If your laser can do grey scale then there is nothing to it. Just import the image into the machine.

If the laser is black and white, then there is some post work on the image using a 2d software. I still need to figure that out in the future. I have an old upgraded K40 Chinese laser that I haven't used in years (probably needs new tube) but I picked up the diode laser (b&w only) with the Axiom Iconic I purchased. Still haven't played with it.

Example of taking the front facing grey scale height map.

Edit: The math and ambient occlusion is all done automatically by the Blender software using a custom node group that was developed and shared by someone other than me. I'm not that smart anymore. So no math skill needed for that though there is a learning curve and there is customizability where different values can be changed in the node group to get sharper, darker or flatter renders.

 

[Oscar36]

I do want to mention this is not the primary way I make patterns. Its a great backup when I can't directly export the geometry to my cnc pattern because of the depth of the model. The technique is not perfect. Typically it creates a softer edge model and the ambient occlusion can create issues. But it is a great tool in the tool kit.

These are the final patterns I made for this series. The one on the far left is a straight STL port to my cnc software with some minor tweaks. The other two are created using this grey scale height map technique. I think you can tell the difference in techniques used between the patterns. For reference, the patterns as shown are around 6"-8" at .25" depth.

 

[Oscar36]

The above pattern are the ones I will be using for my collection and store. I will not be using the pattern below so maybe someone will have use for it. I have not cleaned it up so it may take a little adjusting.