Carvings can be divided into two types, applied carvings and inset carvings.
Applied carvings are any carvings that are added to or applied to a cabinet. This includes appliqués, posts, feet, etc. Applied carvings are separate pieces that are added to a cabinet.
Inset carvings are carvings that are cut into existing cabinet parts.
Each of these is handled differently and each approach uses carving files that are in a different file format. We will cover each type, one at a time. Let’s start with applied carvings.
Applied carving files are in the .hsf file format. Basically, an applied carving is added to the workspace as a Display Object and then aligned with the cabinet. Several .hsf carving files are already available in the software. Others can be downloaded from our web site. See the section “Downloading and Saving Carvings Files” for more information about the procedure.
Start by loading the cabinet into the workspace. It is usually a good idea to also highlight the cabinet by double clicking on it before loading the carving. In this way, the carving is automatically associated with the cabinet and will be saved whenever the cabinet is saved. You can load the carving without highlighting the cabinet, but then you need to specifically associate the carving with the cabinet if you want it saved when the cabinet is saved.
Next, right click and under Load Item select Display Objects. Find and highlight the carving you want to load and press OK.
Once you have loaded the carving, you may want to scale it before you position it. Press Esc to remove all highlights, then click on the carving to highlight it. You can either select Edit – Scale Selection from the top menu or right click and select Scale Object. This opens a scale dialog where you can adjust the size of the carving.
You can change the size of the carving it two ways. You check Preserve Aspect Ratio and all axes of the carving will change proportionally, that is the carving will remain the same other than becoming larger or smaller.
You can also scale each axis independently by unchecking Preserve Aspect Ratio. This allows you to change the size of each axis independent of the other axes. In doing this, however, you will distort the carving, so it is important to preview the result to make certain it is what you want.
Note that it is common to change both X and Y but not change Z when increasing the size of a carving to keep it from becoming too thick.
Carving size can be changed using either the % or the actual size. Input the new number and press Enter. The carving display will change to reflect the new size.
The Reset button changes the carving back to its original size. The Reset button works even after you leave the scaling dialog and return. Press OK when you are done.
When aligning these carving files to a cabinet, normally there are no convenient alignment nodes where the carving is to be located. This is usually somewhere on the face of a panel. Therefore we need a technique for placing and aligning these pieces with the cabinet.
This is easiest done in two steps. First, we align the back of the carving to the face of the panel, then we locate the carving on the face while preserving alignment with the back.
There are two ways to align the back of the carving to the face of the panel. You can align a node on the back of the carving with a node on the face of the panel, even though the location isn’t correct, the back of the carving and the face of the panel are aligned. Then switch to a front view and move the carving into position on the panel using the mouse. As long as you do not use the zoom motion, the Z height will remain the same as the carving is positioned. For applied carvings, this approach normally provides adequate positioning for presentation. When you actually install the carving you will likely use more precise measurements.
A second approach is to switch to the Orthographic View and a side view of the panel. Then using the mouse, align the back of the carving with the front of the panel. Although this is done by eye, it is normally more than accurate enough for presentation. Since we aren’t using perspective, this is relatively easy to do. Then switch back to a front view of the panel and position the carving using the mouse. You can then switch back to the Isometric view. That is all there is to applied carvings except that you can actually make any of these carvings using a Thermwood CNC router and rented CNC programs. You can even scale the carving you make just like you did in the software.
The second type of carving is an inset carving. This is a carving design that is cut into an existing cabinet part rather than being a separate object. Inset carvings modify an existing part. Inset carving files must be in the csf file format to perform this operation. Carving files from our carving library that can be used as inset carving are available in this format. See the section “Downloading and Saving Carving Files” for more information about downloading these files.
Begin by single clicking and highlighting the cabinet part that you want the carving cut into. Then, right click and select Inset Carving Options – Add Carving.
This opens a dialog that defines how the inset carving is to be added.
The first step is place the insert crosshair to the position you would like to place the carving. Its position on the panel is adjusted by changing the number in the New Carving Insert Position location boxes at the top.
Once the crosshair is in place, right click in the view and select Add Carving. Locate and open the file you want. Again, these must be in the csf format.
You now see a diagram of the part along with a green bounding box showing the carving location on the part.
You can view the carving shape by right clicking and choosing Preview > Carving. This gives you a full screen view of the carving shape that you can rotate, move and zoom. Move your cursor to the lower left to open the controls you need to exit this preview screen or press ESC.
You can also preview the part with the carving by right clicking and choosing Preview > Part. This also gives you a full screen view.
The size of the carving is adjusted by right clicking and choosing Change Scale to bring up the scale dialog.
You can change the size of the carving it two ways. You check Preserve Aspect Ratio and all axes of the carving will change proportionally, that is the carving will remain the same other than becoming larger or smaller.
You can also scale each axis independently by unchecking Preserve Aspect Ratio. This allows you to change the size of each axis independent of the other axes. In doing this, however, you will distort the carving, so it is important to preview the result to make certain it is what you want.
Note that it is common to change both X and Y but not change Z when increasing the size of a carving to keep it from becoming too deep for the part.
Carving size can be changed using either the % or the actual size. Input the new number and press Enter.
The Reset button changes the carving back to its original size. The Reset button works even after you leave the scaling dialog and return. This lets you preview the new size and change it back if necessary.
Carving can be rotated on the panel using the rotate dialog.
Carvings can be selected and deselected by click on them in the view. Another carving can be added by clicking on the selected carving to deselect it. The crosshair will turn back to red. Move the crosshair to the next position and select Add Carving.
A carving can be deleted by clicking on the carving to selected and right clicking and choosing Delete Carving.
When you are ready, press OK and the panel, with the inset carving(s) cut out of it, is returned to the cabinet.