Wizard Tips and Techniques--all Wizard Users

Create a Post
W

William Ross

CGF, Certified Grumble Framer
Joined
Oct 30, 1999
Posts
173
Loc
costa Mesa, Ca, USA
Last week I asked about starting a Wizard Users Group, but maybe the best method to exchange ideas is this forum.

I have received private messages about how we use the cutter, what pens work best and do we have a problems with the cutter. I think it might be best to open the subject for all users to exchange their ideas.

One person wanted to know if we have cut other materials other then matboards. Does the cumputer run slower with the 9000 than it did with other Wizards? How much do we charge other framers for our services? Do we exchange designs with other framers and if so how much do we charge them?

I'm sure there are many more questions and ideas that you would like to share .

This is why I hope to start this forum subject
 
Head aligment problems

The problem most people have is that the head doesn't start from the resting location. When you start in the correct location and then move to the cutting location (blade install location) and the head "jumps" when it turns this might be a sign the blade will not cut correctly. When cutting the blade may break or bend causing the open not to cut-out. Another thing that can cause the head not to stay aligned is if the cutting board has cuts in it the blade try to follow.

Another problem that head alignment can cause is when using the pen tool. When you use the set-up program to install a pen it sets only the #1 & #2 pens. All other pen settings require you to adjust for dial changes by increasing or decreasing the horizonal / veritcal settings. Depending on you base setting the settings will be different---Wizard Tech will give you the numbers. **(starting ideas)** Look at the pens you plan to use and set the holder for the longest tip as your base pen---this way you will be able to use the widest range of pens. We set our system with soft-tip pen that would give us the wide line we wanted for our writing & designs.

Idea:

We wanted to add a painted panel on french mat. Designed mat with a very wide "V" between the lines drawned. When we set up the "v"--we used "1" for the dial setting, but first we placed removal tape where the "v" was going to cut. After cutting we removed the tape where we wanted to paint. The cut lines held the paint and didn't allow it to run into the mat.

Please add your ideas to this thread. I know most items will work on other CMC's
 
I am experiencing some quirky issues, probably (and hopefully) due to damage in shipping (which is being rectified as we speak thanks to Elizabeth and Ken in tech support). However, even with these quirks, I am having a blast with this machine. It's taking me a LOOOOOONNNNNNNNGGGGGGG time to design great mats, but GREAT MATS I AM DESIGNING!

Love it!!!
 
I just used a Y&C Niji 2mm black calligraphy marker with my 9000 to do a name & date. It worked well. Used Ariel type font & put the point in so it was at a 45 degree slant.
 
Rick Granick said:
I'll second that!
:thumbsup: Rick
Click to expand...

I'll third that !

I thought the manual I had was a copy of the complete works of Edgar Allen Poe that had gone through the online Klingon translation project. Clearly I was mistaken, it is Romulan, after all. I thought it was me being a bit thick.

and thats before we translate the american english to british english..... :shrug:
 
One way I used to design in path Trace.
I make a square the size I want the design. Then send it to path trace.
I would then take a peice of acetate and draw my design the size I want it and then tape it to the front of the monitor. Then I just draw the lines.
 
another method to use with path-trace

Gumby has a very good method and we use one like his.The first thing we do is place the outside box, then we add a group of elements that make up the design. After we take them into path-trace and break the designs down----we now have points to start our drawing of the object. By using both methods you have the outside firm and the points to draw your design and a copy taped up to look at when you draw.
 
This may make your day (I'm already signed up!) ...

Designing with PathTrace Series (MD301w) - WEBINAR

Instructor: Brian Wolf, CPF, GCF
Dates: Wednesday, September 7, 14, 21 and 28
Times: 11:00am-12:00pm PDT

Description:
This four-part series covers PathTrace, the creative side of MatDesigner™ software. After the first session you will find yourself adding something extra to your designs.
• Learn the tools and functions of PathTrace along with many practical design ideas
• Discover how easy it is to change a bevel, alter a design and draw from scratch
• There will be handout articles and a portfolio of designs to download after every session
• After each session there will be a link to the webinar video for a two week period for your review

Duration: Four (4) 60 minutes webinars once per week for 4 weeks.
Fee: $195.00

Each registration fee is good for one (1) Web and one (1) Audio connection.
Wizard University Webinars are available to Wizard and Eclipse customers in the US and Canada only.

Location: WEBINAR - attend online
 
Advanced Wizard Path Trace?

I have a pretty ornate boarder that I am trying to get into my Wizard 9000. It is an OTF font from Letterheadfont.com.

http://www.letterheadfonts.com/fonts/classicpanels2.php
It is the letter "U" that I am trying to get open.

Since this is an OTF font and not a TTF it is not recognized by the Lettermat feature. My though was to open this up in Corel Draw and then export it as a DXF file. When I do this however Path Trace only opens a blank screen. So I am obviously not saving it correctly or need to convert it somehow.
 
I'm nop expert on this, but from what I've heard there are different "flavors" of DFX files, and they don't necessarily play well together. I had a similar experience trying to load a file someone sent me, and never spent a lot of time trying to resolve it.
Just one thought... are you SURE it was a blank screen? Could it be a resolution issue? Since the item you're trying to open is filled with white, maybe you are really seeing the white center, and if you zoomed out you would see the border. This is only a theory... probably wrong, but thought I'd just mention it.
:cool: Rick

Interesting stuff on that site, BTW!
 
If you bought the subscription for that border group, can't you just call the company for help?

If you can open the file in Corel Draw, you should be able to export it to your Wizard. Which Corel Draw version are you using?

When saving in DXF format, my Corel Draw X4 asks for the AutoCad export version, units of measurement, bitmap format, and whether to export text as text or curves. Maybe the key to your dilemma is in one of those factors. If you don't have X4 and want to send the file to me, I'll try to save it in a DXF format you can use.

You could just ask Brian Wolf. He knows how to make DXF files work.
 
Hu, I didn't realized a DXF would work! COOL (still learning).

Wizard Question = Call Wizard. They are AWESOME!
 
if you save it as a jpeg I believe you can import it into path trace.

If you can not contact Brain W contact Dani she is a Guru of path trace & Vcad I know she has been at it for at least 12+ years
 
Called Wizard before I posted here. They would not transfer me to Brian W and Dani was off yestereday. :)

Yes Rick, I tried zooming to all, nothing there.

Jim, I have Corel X5 and do see all those options. I tried saving it 8 different ways and none of them worked. I think what Rick was saying about the different "flavors" of DXF is at work here. Yes it is a fully paid for font. LHF fonts are not free and are coded to the person that purchases them. I have not contacted them as their "help" section makes it pretty clear that they don't care if my equipment/software can't use OTC.

stcstc, I have not been able to fine a converter when I googled it. Could you post a link?

Thanks for the help.
 
Well I changed what I was searching for and found http://www.freefontconverter.com/

This worked and now I have a sample being inked as I speak. I will post some photos when it is done. I would not suggest such an undertaking if you are on any kind of corner program. :)

Again thanks for the help.
 
This is the test mat. The real one will be much larger with multi-openings for a collection of Lincoln and McClellan presidential election ballots.

IMAG1888.jpg


IMAG1889.jpg
 
Wow, that is cool, Dave. So this border pattern is actually a font glyph? And you do it as a "letter mat" at a giant point size? And then you open it in PathTrace and tell it how to handle the bevels, etc.?
:cool: Rick
BTW, what kind of pen are you using for that? It looks nice.
 
Dave, that is ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!! What a great idea (I may have to steal it!).

I would also like to know what pen you are using. I have tried several, and what I am having the best luck with is Pilot G2's. I got a pack with a bunch of colors from Quill.

:thumbsup:Good job!! :thumbsup:
 
Yes, the boarder is a font.

http://www.letterheadfonts.com/fonts/styles/panels.php

These are the panels that they have. I use a lot of these for signs, but have always wanted to use them with the Wizard pen tool. There are also other ornaments on the site. LHF is one of my favorite font companies so much so that I have actually purchased several of these.

As to the pen, this is just the one that Wizard sent with the tool. It is a Pilot "precise" fine.

The ones that I have been happiest with so far are the Pilot Hi-Tec-C that I have gotten from http://www.jetpens.com

They seem to have the best smoothness and color selection.
 
I also love LHF. We used them a lot in the sign business.

Thanks Dave!!

PS, the pen I got with my Wizard was NOT my friend, lol.
 
Dave, did you have to trace this all in pathtrace in trace and draw? I am so curious as to how this is done.
 
No Lisamarie, this design is a font. I just put it in as a true type font from the Wizard design page and then scaled it.

After I got this to work, I have not taken the same design and broken it into elements using Corel Draw and saving it again as a TT font. This way I can add each corner element to the mat without distortion from resizing it.

There are hundreds of free corner element & boarder/panel fonts available too. They may take a bit of looking around though. LHF has the best of them IMO, but they have to be purchased.
 
Very good point. Wonder what the cost for that would be on a per-corner basis. :icon9: If I were on a corner-limited rental program I think I would feel really restricted in using the machine's capabilities as a design tool. The "R&D" costs of practicing designs would be "up there".
:popc: Rick
 
Create a Post
Back
Top