I’d like to create a box to hold some tools and accessories, with a cutout that each item would neatly fit into. I started to try to redraw one of the items in Easel, but quickly realized there has to be a better way. After all, I only need a 2D outline of each item…
I don’t want to have to re-invent the wheel… or wrench outline. How can I take my Mac, multitude of photography equipment, or other things I probably already own and turn them into a life-sized SVG outline?
Probably the easiest way to do it is to either draw the outline and scan it into the computer, or take its photo and trace its outline using a computer program. Then turn that drawing into an SVG.
Most straight-forward thing to do is arrange the tools on a flatbed scanner and scan them.
My thought was that we could crowd source this: Shapeoko CNC Router, Rigid, Accurate, Reliable, and Affordable but no one else has added any files.
I’d trace each tool by hand, scan the line work, import the line work into Adobe Illustrator, trace the line work in Illustrator, then save the line work out as an SVG.
I’m working on this very technique by trying to make the X-Carve cut out perfect knife handle scales. I scanned the blade blank and tried to do an outline, but failed due to the gray fuzziness of the shadows around the handle.
Bill Doran has posted an excellent video on how to draw outlines for prop making, but it’s the same thing we’re trying to do:
I think my next pass will be Sharpie on copy paper, then scan. It’s kind of a bummer not to be able to do it the hi-tech way…
Also, some CNC machines have the ability to scan an object, then digitize that for rapid prototyping:
Inventables might look into something like that as a serious upgrade package…
