GearHeads Corner

During one of your videos, you asked for suggestions of indicator design (at least I am taking it that way).

Didn't notice in the current (2.24) selection indicators that reverse back -- think something like a question mark with the head of the ? forming the indicator; and variations on that theme.  Of course, it may not be something usable with clocks and the like.  Since my caliper has a circle around the measurement lines with a v top and bottom, I thought that might be of interest.

Thanks for your work.

Hi:

  Youll notice if you look at the indicators folder, that they are simple dxf's. I will publish how to make them if anyone is interested. They follow a couple
of simple drawing rules and then can be created by anyone in pretty much any design..

  I will take note of your idea as well, and list it for further development when I revist a shapes library..

Thx
Art

Hi Art,
I would love to know how to make my own indicators.

John

John:

  Just open one of the indicators in your favorite DXF program. ( Myself and Bob vectric to make them..).
Copy it or rename it and modify it to suit.

The only important aspect of them is to not have a shaft hole, let GT deal with that, make them so they go slightly below zero on one end
which youll notice from any you open. Any contour in them must be a single contour unbroken and in CW order for the outside profile.

As I recall I think thats the only thing you need to worry about., At first your probably better off just modifying a copy o a real one till
you get the hang of it.... once you Ill tell you another secret.. Spokes too are just dxf's that you could modify or create yourself.. GT
will add any spokes or indicators to the program that it sees in their respective folders.. :)

Art

Hi Guys

If you need a specific indicator, you can also let me know by providing somewhat of an example and I'll try to add it to the list.

Cheers
Bob

Hi Art,
I seem to always need a very simple second hand with no muss or fuss so I followed you instructions and heres what I produced.

John

PS Tried to attach a .dxf of my creation but can't attach it.

HI Art,
I can see I'm going to have a lot of fun with this knowledge - probably dangerous.

John

Perhaps Art should create a download section for user contributed dxf files.  Or maybe they could be uploaded to somewhere like thingiverse.com (ignoring the former rights mini controversy...), which would give GT some additional publicity.  Putting them here might have some security issues.

Kirk

Kirk;

You can pass em on to me if you wish, we'll review them and add them to the folder for next release if appropriate.


Cheers
Bob

John T (and possibly others are) the amazing indicator designers.  Any artistic ability skipped me and resurfaced in my daughters, who are unfortunately not gearheads.

I have to wait until the CAM module lets us engrave Celtic knots and guilloche patterns on gears.

Kirk

Hi Kirk and Art
I'm having fun - thanks for the info on placing the arbor.

John

PS Kirk if you want these - what and how do I get them to you?

Nice... lol

( Me thinks perhaps I have opened a pandoras box.. )

Art

cnczone has a long topic on contributed dxf files.  I'll go start one - Art can delete or move it if it's not appropriate.

Now I really have to get that supposedly metal cutting qu-bd RPM working.

Kirk

Hi Art,
Does this work for "contributions" - or would you rather I not?

John

John:

  No, its great that way too. Bob will download anythign people put up, and he'll forward ones to me that look like they belong in
the program release. We'll keep the naming conventions the author uses as well. If it gets to be too many, we'll make a "SpokePack" download available
on the downloads page.

  I like the fact that users can contribute such things, and when CAD is done there will be a few more ttypes of sharable objects. :)

Art