13 Replies Latest reply on Aug 6, 2018 9:26 AM by David Matula

    Resizing a sketch imported from DWG file

    Mark Gordon
    Mark Gordon Jul 30, 2018 11:30 AM

      I'm trying to import our company logo already converted to a DWG file that a friend did for me. The problem is that the sketch is too large for the part I'm trying to engrave it on. Is there a simple way resize or "shrink" the sketch so I can make it fit onto different sized parts?  I feel that the logo sketch is too complex to define it with dimensions and relations. 

       

      Any help would be appreciated.

       

      Mark

        • Re: Resizing a sketch imported from DWG file
          Newell Voss
          Newell Voss Jul 30, 2018 11:48 AM (in response to Mark Gordon)

          Tools>sketch tools> scale

          Otherwise just make the sketch into a block and scale according.

            • Re: Resizing a sketch imported from DWG file
              Mark Gordon
              Mark Gordon Aug 3, 2018 8:06 AM (in response to Newell Voss)

              Thank you Mr. Voss. I was able to resize it, but I'm kind of struggling with how to lock the drawing with out defining it so when I move or rotate it, the sketch doesn't blow up. 

               

              I'm willing to follow the guidance on how to properly place our logo on different surfaces, I just do not know what is the correct way.  I'm guessing I make construction lines and create relations to secure the logo sketch to those lines?

               

              Thank you again for your help and sorry about the delay, I was out of town.

               

              Mark

            • Re: Resizing a sketch imported from DWG file
              Josh Brady
              Josh Brady Jul 30, 2018 12:14 PM (in response to Mark Gordon)

              Additional cat-skinning tool: Open in DraftSight and scale it there.

              • Re: Resizing a sketch imported from DWG file
                Kevin Chandler
                Kevin Chandler Jul 30, 2018 12:23 PM (in response to Mark Gordon)

                Hello,

                 

                As an alternative to Mr. Voss' suggestion, you can edit the DWG in DraftSight and scale it before you bring it into SW.

                As a reminder, consider your scale center point selection beforehand.

                 

                Also, is it the overall width that's the issue?

                If so, then scaling will reduce the "broken glass" and the SAC as well. Is this acceptable?

                Also, you already have lines that are .014" apart, plus other smallish sketch segments. Scaling these may negatively affect the end result.

                 

                If you don't need to scale X & Y, then I suggest you edit out some of the width: some of the vapor trail on the left and some out of the bullet, too.

                The bullet measures .345 OD X 2.371 long. These aren't proportional dimensions, even if this is for a stylized purpose, you can take some length out of the ogive (and a little out of the boattail).

                 

                Also, as another suggestion: How about locating SAC with the bullet base midway between S and A?

                 

                Cheers,

                 

                Kevin

                  • Re: Resizing a sketch imported from DWG file
                    Mark Gordon
                    Mark Gordon Aug 3, 2018 8:34 AM (in response to Kevin Chandler)

                    Kevin, thank you for your reply. 

                     

                    I just downloaded Draftsight free and I'm waiting for my activation E-mail.  With my intention to engrave the logo, it may or may not work well. I am using an engraving head for my Iscar Multimaster 3/8 shank tool and it has an extremely small point, but machine time, quality of the engraved logo or the finished result may suffer depending on how well it goes. This logo we have is more for digital content where it wont matter, but I figured it would be really cool if we could engrave it. 

                     

                    I can see that you're no stranger to bullet nomenclature!! My question to you is: Can I easily lock or fix certain aspects of the sketch so when I try to move things around, it doesn't go crazy? I could, but it would be very difficult to define the whole sketch and create relations to accomplish that. I'm not sure if there is a "hack" for doing that. Thank you again for your help.

                     

                    Mark

                      • Re: Resizing a sketch imported from DWG file
                        Josh Brady
                        Josh Brady Aug 3, 2018 9:00 AM (in response to Mark Gordon)

                        Unfortunately, because it's intended for everything to be driven by constraints/relations/etc, SW is pretty terrible for modifying complex sketch geometry that has none.  You really can't predict how things will move when you move other things.  I'd say pretty much any modification that you want to do to this is going to be best done in DraftSight, then pull it into SW when it's like you want it.

                        • Re: Resizing a sketch imported from DWG file
                          Christopher Estelow
                          Christopher Estelow Aug 3, 2018 9:06 AM (in response to Mark Gordon)

                          I am on SW15 so not sure it this still exists or not but......once you get the sketch the size and location you want, while editing the sketch right click and select fully define sketch.  If it doesn't show up try right clicking on a line in the sketch.

                           

                          Chris

                          • Re: Resizing a sketch imported from DWG file
                            Kevin Chandler
                            Kevin Chandler Aug 3, 2018 12:30 PM (in response to Mark Gordon)

                            Mark Gordon wrote:

                             

                            Kevin, thank you for your reply.

                             

                            I just downloaded Draftsight free and I'm waiting for my activation E-mail. With my intention to engrave the logo, it may or may not work well. I am using an engraving head for my Iscar Multimaster 3/8 shank tool and it has an extremely small point, but machine time, quality of the engraved logo or the finished result may suffer depending on how well it goes. This logo we have is more for digital content where it wont matter, but I figured it would be really cool if we could engrave it.

                             

                            I can see that you're no stranger to bullet nomenclature!! My question to you is: Can I easily lock or fix certain aspects of the sketch so when I try to move things around, it doesn't go crazy? I could, but it would be very difficult to define the whole sketch and create relations to accomplish that. I'm not sure if there is a "hack" for doing that. Thank you again for your help.

                             

                            Mark

                            Hello,

                             

                            In DraftSight (also SW, but as you can tell because of all of the DETOUR signs posted, DS is a better route), select the localized batch of entities you wish to scale and select their local scale point.

                            Repeat.

                            More laborious, but it allows you to select piecemeal.

                             

                            Also, there's the STRETCH command (that's the AutoCAD term, I don't know DS's term but stretch is mapped as an alias so it works).

                            This command uses a crossing for selection.

                            Another tip: if you want an absolute distance, use the @ symbol for the second point.

                            Click the first point (or type 0,0), then for the second point add the @ in front of the X-Y and it will be relative from the first point.

                             

                            Go to sierrabullts.com sierrabullets.com and check their dims/proportions for .338 caliber (which are .338" which is close to your .345) under their Match series as these should have a matching profile to your sketch.

                            That should help you reduce the width w/o ruining the effect (too much). It will at least give you an idea of what you can readily reduce w/o impacting the affect.

                             

                            Cheers,

                             

                            Kevin

                        • Re: Resizing a sketch imported from DWG file
                          John Stoltzfus
                          John Stoltzfus Aug 3, 2018 8:08 AM (in response to Mark Gordon)

                          Rescale in Draftsight or AutoCAD before you import the sketch, I wouldn't recommend scaling it in SW, big pain...

                          • Re: Resizing a sketch imported from DWG file
                            Rubén Rodolfo Balderrama
                            Rubén Rodolfo Balderrama Aug 3, 2018 9:05 AM (in response to Mark Gordon)

                            It doesn't matter buddy

                            Your file has 112mm of lenght

                            Define it as block

                            When you finish it you can insert it with any scale as you need it

                            • Re: Resizing a sketch imported from DWG file
                              David Matula
                              David Matula Aug 6, 2018 9:26 AM (in response to Mark Gordon)

                              I have found that scaling sketches parts ect that needed to be cut or engraved easy to scale in the drawing. 

                              if they are going to be engraved on parts the engraving program should be able to take a file and make it fit to an area.

                              this would save you from having to put the sketch in each file, where a note can point to a general area and say to add the logo there.