I have a small image that consists of only sectors of circles and rectangles that repeat across the image in a regular pattern and all within a frame. I have intentionally deleted some of the encircled parts as I intend to cut the image using a colleagues laser printer and etch some of the image rather than cut.
An interesting thing occurs however when I then delete and replace selected parts and can be demonstrated with a simple image constructed with only the square and line tools.
In the case of my image I suspect that the problem relates to lines that do not connect correctly to circles where I might have an odd number of segments in a circle, and potentially lines connecting to vertexes rather then midpoints of segments.
As I am trying to laser cut this image I seem to need depth so am extruding a little (which is in itself a pain) but ultimately, while unrelated to my core problem is where I found this issue.
So, my simple series of images
Create a grid within a single rectangle (rectangle and line tools)
You have enabled profile edges so I can see that some edges are not connected to the plane. There’s not much we can do without having the file or watching it from another perspective, sometimes in orthographic view you draw lines that look like they’re on the same plane but you could be drawing lines that are inclined.
I had thought that this might be the reason but, when I created the demo image in my initial post, I specifically ensured that I had selected “On edge” when starting and finishing the 4 internal lines, and I was sure that the rectangles were in the same plane.
I had no issues with it mainly, just some lines get disconnected but with profiles enabled its quite easy to notice them, in that case just erase them and draw a new line.
In playing around with it a bit, I have to admit I can’t figure out the rhyme or reason with how the flooding behaves, sometimes it floods a floating rectangle, and then when I draw another adjacent to it with similar configuration, sometimes it does not. I even tried scaling it up 1000 fold to see if having a larger model would help, but no luck.
In what I do, I don’t usually run into this problem. Can you share an image of what your end goal is with the line work? Maybe one of us can suggest a different approach in SU or maybe even LO.
Hi again Francisco
if you repeat the first 20 seconds of your video but expose one more line (I had also cleared the centre top cell lower border…) I think you will see what I am bothered by.
then carry on and fill the left border and the little centre box will be filled
I want to cut out the 28 centre items (and also the little holes), I want the main border and any of the white areas to be solid and any area currently white will be etched.
I copied the left item from my original file, then pasted twice into this file. The left image is my original, the centre I have deleted one border on the top.
If you put a line between those two exposed endpoints on the centre image you will get the same as I have in the third instance - the whole image has been flooded.
The fact that is completely flooded seems to suggest that the 3 instances are in fact coplanar.
I do think it is something to do with View | Edge Style | Edges (and Profiles) as Francisco noted but I do not understand how just yet.
Slightly Off Topic: You shouldn’t be working on the .skb file, that is the backup file and shouldn’t be set to open in sketchup.
You are trying to make what you call an Image when in fact you are creating a 3d model, although it has no thickness.
How you use that Geometry in your, I assume laser software, is most relevant.
What laser software are you using? Why not use a 2d drawing application that will export the relevant file for you.
I use sketchup for creating complex laser work, but that is because I’m very familiar with sketchup and know how to work around its 2d foibles. I wouldn’t normally recommend it as a drawing program to learn for laser work.
The model you attached can be worked with by adding a face and the intersecting everything so that all the edges cut through the face.
This would give you a pattern that can be exported as an svg and opened and manipulated in Lightburn, for example. It is then in lightburn that you tell it what should be cut and what should be etched.
Hi Box, and thanks again
Sorry for the delay in getting back to you, I have been away.
You are correct on two counts (at least)
I did send the skb though by mistake, I was intending to select the skp.
I am using Sketchup to print a 2D image for a laser cut using Lightburn
I had thought that Sketchup could be used as a 2D drawing package but will use something else following this comment. I had seen this as an issue once prior but again thought it was me rather than a foible of Sketchup that required some greater powers.
Thanks also for your GIF - it does help.
Alan
Ps - I hope you are away from the drama hitting the Aussie East Coast
