I would like to import a jpg image and then modify it to use it in vectric cut2d to generate the gcodes for my cnc router. The image is a picture of a template that I was using to make toys for my grandkids. I would like to remove the background from the picture. I am a newbie to both SU and cncing. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Here is the pic. Thanks
Hi,
I can’t advise on the steps required to get the best results transitioning through SketchUp into the cnc world.
But I am able to help in terms of getting your template on a transparent background. . . That’s a job better suited to a program like photoshop (which is what I used), rather than SketchUp.
A couple of tweaks were made along the way… 1) was to increase the margin around the template – I think you had it too tight, and some clipping might have occurred due to the tight cropping that took place… 2) I rotated the image so that the holes you drilled out are better aligned with the horizontal axis (which probably doesn’t matter very much).
One might rightfully argue that the shapes outline should have been smoothed out to match the path which your router is truly capable of.
I didn’t do any smoothing at all, and just traced the image as closely as possible. I couldn’t bring myself to the point of editing the outline in any way. I still remember the toys my grandfather made for me – and looking back on them now, they were the best presents I ever got from him (though when I was younger, I did tend to like the money gifts more). Oh, My Foolish Youthfulness.
Take Care,
Jim
You can simply drag & drop the .jpg image file into the SketchUp model space.
Then trace the outline and Push/Pull the resulting face into 3D.
This plugin may be what you need to get from SketchUp to G-Code
2.5D CAM Plugin v0.5 — SketchUp Plugin by jgro11
Hello
Thanks for the help, I really appreciate it. I am not familiar with
photoshop at all. Where can I get a copy of it as I will be doing a lot
more of this type of conversion. Thanks again.
Mike
To learn where you’re going,
you have to know where
you’ve come from!!!
hugibear;
Some other comment that may help you. I think Photoshop may not be free so look at GIMP it is free, it has an edge detection algorithm so when you import to SU it will help with creating the model you need;
You will aslo have to set the scale of the imported image. That is usually done by drawing a line of known length , using the tape tool to measure the length and then immediately input the real length in the measurement box. There is a plugin by Fredo call curvizard that you should use to clean up the edges before extruding. BTW you can just save you image and then import w/o using gimp or Photoshop
Just some thoughts.
GIMP edge detected version, I would sugesst using the Bezier spline tools to draw edges
Geo
If I can conveert the face or image only to an .skp then I can import it
into vectric cut2d which will do the conversion too g code. If I
push/pull the image can I save it to skp?
To learn where you’re going,
you have to know where
you’ve come from!!!
FYI, left hole axel holes and window out thought you may want to mod some’car template.skp (988.5 KB)
You cannot push / pull an image which is a raster image , so you have to fist convert to vector. There are some plugins that will do that but I have not had good luck with them. The attached skip I traced around the outline.
Note it is not scaled yet which you will have to do,. 
BTW next time you do this make sure you take a photo perpendicular to face avoid the distortion.