SegTurn User Guide (Ver 1.10)
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SegTurn is a Microsoft Windows program that makes it easy to design segmented wood turning projects from bowls to vases. Starting from a simple design defined with basic parameters you continually make changes until you are satisfied with the design. As you are making changes a 3D image of the design is updated so you can immediately see what the final result will look like.
The program can be used to create traditional segmented vessels or 'Painted' segmented vessels. You can also combine elements of each within the same vessel. A traditional segmented vesel has a small number of segments in each ring and many of the segments are similar and the vessel typically has a feature ring. A 'Painted' segmented vessel has a large number of thin rings with a large number of segments per ring. This allows a pattern to to be created over the entire surface through the placement of segments made out of different woods.
It is assumed that you have a general understanding of the basic concepts involved in constructing segmented vessels. If that is not the case I recommend reading some of the many excellent books on the subject such as ‘Woodturning with Ray Allen’ by Dale L. Nish and ‘The Art of Segmented Wood Turning’ by Malcolm Tibbetts. There is also a significant amount of information available on the internet.
Run the program and select the ‘App Defaults’ Button and define the parameters that will apply to the application as a whole. While some of these parameters can be changed at any time, others will only apply when creating a new vessel.
Next select [File][New] or [File][New Painted] from the main menu.
Profile - The initial profile. After the vessel is created this can be changed at any time
Ring Height - The height of each ring created
Number of Rings - The number of rings in the vessel
Number of Repeating Groups - The number of times the specified segments are repeated on ring
Number of Segments - The number of segments in the number or repeating groups
Wood - The default wood
The values specified in this dialog for ring height, number of repeating groups, and number of segments are saved in the vessel parameters where they are used when inserting rings
Profile - The initial profile. After the vessel is created this can be changed at any time
Number of Rings - The number of painted rings in the vessel. Two additional rings are automatically included, one at the top and one at the bottom.
Number of Repeating Groups - The number of times the specified segments are repeated on the ring
Number of Segments - The number of physical segments in a repeating group
Ring Height - The height of each ring not counting the top and bottom rings
Open Segment CheckBox - If checked a void (open) segment will be added after each physical segment in the repeating group based on the relative ratio of the physical segment to the open segment. A 4:1 ratio indicates a physical segment arc length that is 4 times the arc length of the open segment. Another way to look at it is the physical segments are 80% and the open segments are 20% of the ring circumference
Open Segment Type - The open segment can be either a wedge or relative block shape
Wood - The default wood
The values specified in this dialog for ring heigt, number of repeating groups, and number of segments are saved in the vessel parameters where thay are used when inserting painted rings
The program does not impose any constraints on the approach used to make modifications. As changes are made the two side views display the current design. At any point during the design the current state can be saved to a file that can later be opened.
File Type |
Extension |
---|---|
Vessel File |
‘.vsl’ |
Pattern |
‘.ptn’ |
Profile |
‘.prf’ |
Plan |
‘.txt’ or ‘.csv’ |
The program enforces the following constraints
Field |
Minimum |
Maximum |
---|---|---|
Number of Rings |
5 |
no limit |
Number of Profile Points |
3 |
no limit |
Angle Offset (degrees) |
-180.0 |
180.0 |
Base Height (inches) |
0.25 |
2.0 |
Block Length (inches) |
0.025 |
5.0 |
Number Repeating Groups |
1 |
200 |
Offset (inches) |
0.125 |
0.5 |
Relative Size |
1 |
100 |
Ring Height (inches) |
0.025 |
10.0 |
Saw Kerf (inches) |
0.0625 |
0.25 |
Vessel Wall Thickness (inches) |
0.0625 |
0.5 |
Work Area Height (inches) |
1.0 |
36.0 |
Work Area Width (inches) |
1.0 |
36.0 |
The program is structured with a main menu at the top followed by a row of buttons under the menu and the remaining area divided into three view ports. The three areas have adjustable borders allowing the user to resize the viewports. The main viewport on the left is the work area and allows the user to select the content through the buttons. In this viewport you can select ‘App Defaults’, ‘Profile’, ‘Ring List’, ‘2D Ring’, ‘3D Rings’, ‘Final 3D’, ‘Parameters’. The viewport in the upper right contains a 3D view of the current design. The viewport in the lower right displays the current profile.
The program saves the application defaults externally so any changes made will be retained when to program is closed. The following default will be immediately applied.
Field |
Description |
---|---|
Length: Format |
Controls the display format of length fields in the application (Decimal or Fractional). Note that length values can be always be input in either format. |
Length: UOM |
The units of measure specified applies to the entire application for both input and output of length values. If the Format is Decimal the available units are inches, centimeters and millimeters. If the Format is Fractional the units are inches |
Length: Precision |
Controls the display precision of length fields the application. If the Format is Decimal the available precision options are '0.0', '0.00', '0.000', and '0.0000'. If the Format is Fractional the precision options are '1/16', '1/32' and '1/64'. When values are displayed normal rounding rules are applied. |
Angle (Deg.): Precision |
Controls the display precision of angle fields in the application. The precision options are '0.0', '0.00', '0.000'. When values are displayed normal rounding rules are applied. |
Vessel Folder |
The default folder used for vessel files and plan output files |
Pattern / Profile Folder |
The default folder used for pattern and profile files |
The following application defaults are used when creating a new vessel. The defaults are:
Field |
Description |
---|---|
Work Area Height |
The height of the display area in the profile view. This should be larger than the expected vessel height |
Work Area Width |
The width of the display area in the profile view. This should be larger than the expected vessel width |
Saw Kerf |
The saw kerf used when determining board length calculations |
Offset |
The offset from the vessel walls (both inside and outside) used when determining segment size. |
Vessel Wall Thickness |
The wall thickness of the finished vessel |
The vessel parameters are properties that apply to the current vessel.
Changes to the following fields apply to the current vessel. Changes to these values will be immediately applied to the current vessel.
Field |
Description |
---|---|
Base Height |
The height of the bottom of the inside of the vessel |
Offset |
The offset from the vessel walls (both inside and outside) used when determining segment size. |
Wall Thickness |
The wall thickness of the finished vessel |
Work Area Height |
The height of the display area in the profile view. This should be larger than the expected vessel height |
Work Area Width |
The width of the display area in the profile view. This should be larger than the expected vessel width |
Changes to the following field apply to new ring only
Field |
Description |
---|---|
Wood |
The wood used for a new ring |
Default Saw Kerf |
The default saw kerf that applies to new rings. Once a ring has been created the ring saw kerf can be changed in the ring grid. |
The profile view displays the outer profile along with the points that are used to create the profile. The display also includes the inner wall profile along with the offset curves that are used to determine the minimum outside radius and maximum inside radius for each ring. Both sides of the outer profile are displayed although the points, rings, inner wall profile and offset curves are only displayed on the right side.
The image is displayed on a grid that is based on the units of measure defined in the ‘App Defaults’. The vertical center line is displayed as a red line.
The height of the profile is determined by the stacked ring height. The profile shape is independent of height and will proportionally change as the height is increased or decreased by changing ring height or number of rings. Therefore increasing the height of the vessel increases the width.
The points are displayed as red circles and when the mouse is hovering over a point it turns green. When the point is green the point can be manipulated with the mouse.
The view can be zoomed in or out with the mouse wheel.
The points are stored as an ordered list and the user does not have the ability to change the order. When inserting a point the location in the list is based on the height of the new point. Using an ordered list of points allows the profile to rise above the vessel top. Unfortunately it also allows loops to be created in the profile that are not physically possible and causes calculation errors.
The Profile View has four modes that are selected on the view task bar and two icons for undo and redo options.
The pointer mode allows the modification of the profile curve. Point positions can be changed or points added or deleted.
When hovering over a point the point will turn green and can be moved by holding the left mouse button down and dragging the point to a new location. As the point is being moved the shape will continually be evaluated and displayed. After a point is repositioned the inner wall profile and minimum ring profile is displayed.
A new point can be added by positioning the mouse on the right side of the vessel and pressing the control key and left mouse button. The point will be inserted at the specified height. If the point is inserted at a location that is higher than the vessel height it will be inserted before the top point. Once the point is added the point can then be moved.
When hovering over a green point and pressing the control key and left mouse button the point is removed and the resulting profile is reevaluated and displayed.
The horizontal scale mode allows the movement of all points to the right or left. Selecting the horizontal mode draws a box around the right side of the profile with a rectangular handle in the middle of the right side. Position the cursor over the handle and hold the left mouse button down to scale the profile as the mouse moves.
The pan mode allows the viewable area of the Profile View to be repositioned by holding the left mouse button down and moving the mouse.
The measure mode provides a measurement between two locations by selecting an initial location by depressing the left mouse button and then dragging the mouse with the left mouse button down. A line is drawn with the current distance displayed.
You can undo changes to the profile points while the view is active. The icon becomes enabled when there are changes to undo.
If previous changes have been undone they can be redone unless a manual change has been made. This icon becomes enabled when there are entries in the list that have been undone.
Select a profile from a set of defined profiles and update the current vessel.
Save the profile to a file.
Retrieve a profile from a file and update the current vessel.
Optional gray guide lines can be drawn based on the golden ratio of ~1.618.
Selection |
Description |
---|---|
None |
No guides are displayed |
Height L |
A golden rectangle with the height as the longer length. Also inner lines based on the golden ratios |
Height S |
A golden rectangle with the height as the shorter length. Also inner lines based on the golden ratios |
Width L |
A golden rectangle with the width as the longer length. Also inner lines based on the golden ratios |
Width S |
A golden rectangle with the width as the smaller length. Also inner lines based on the golden ratios |
The current wall thickness of the vessel.
The current height of the vessel.
The current width of the vessel.
Clicking on the display surface with the right mouse button opens the context menu.
Item |
Description |
---|---|
Zoom Full Extent |
Fill the current display space to the full extent allowed |
Undo |
Undo last profile change |
Redo |
Redo the last profile change that was undone |
The ring list view contains a top grid that contains the attributes of each ring and a bottom grid that displays the details of the repeating group of segments for the selected ring. Once a row is selected the attributes can be changed directly or row operations relative to the selected row can be performed through the buttons or the context menu.
Changes to the attributes on a row in either grid will not take effect until a new row is selected. You can also cancel the current changes on a row with the Esc key.
The ring grid contains a row for each ring with the top vessel ring at the top of the grid. Note that the ring numbers start at the bottom of the vessel with the bottom ring being ring 1.
When a row is selected in the grid the corresponding ring will be highlighted in the Profile view in the lower right viewport.
Attribute |
Display Only |
Description |
---|---|---|
Ring # |
yes |
Ring number starting at 1 at the bottom of the vessel |
Desc. |
yes |
An optional text description that can be added to identify a ring. A description can be helpful when the vessel has a large number of rings and you want to quickly identify particular rings |
Repeating Groups |
The number of repeating groups that make up the ring |
|
Height |
The ring height |
|
Inner Radius |
yes |
The minimum radius of the inside profile of the ring |
Outer Radius |
yes |
The maximum radius of the outside profile of the ring |
Angle Offset (deg) |
The angle to rotate the ring to stagger the glue joints. The angle can be either a positive or negative value. A positive angle rotates the ring in a counter clockwise direction when viewing from the top. |
|
Alternating Cut |
Specifies how wedges will be cut. When checked the wedges are cut in a way to reduce the quantity of wood required |
|
Saw Kerf |
The width of the saw blade used to cut the segments |
|
Ring Type |
The type of the ring and the orientation of the wood grain. The ring can be created with either horizontal or vertical segments. A horizontal segment is cut from a flat board with the board edge visible in the vessel. A verticle segment (stave) is cut from a flat board with the board surface visible. |
|
Painted |
Indicates if the program considers the ring as a painted ring |
|
Row Block Ind |
The row block indicator is a number that indentifies rings that belong to the same sequential block of rings. Rings with the same number are treated as a group for 'Painted Block' or 'Row Block' operations |
|
Physical Wedge Count |
yes |
The total number of physical wedges that make up the ring. Void wedge segments are ignored |
Physical Block Count |
yes |
The total number of physical block types (Block and Relative Block) that make up the ring. Void block types are ignored |
Side Slope (deg) |
yes |
This applies only to vertical ring types. The angle is measured from the horizontal plane |
Side Length |
yes |
This applies only to vertical ring types. The side length is the actual outside length of the segment. When the side slope is 90 degrees the side length is the same as the ring height. |
Max Radius Unturned |
yes |
The maximum radius of the ring prior to being turned. |
Woods |
yes |
Images of all of the woods being used in the ring |
Error Message |
yes |
An error message if the ring calculation failed |
Button |
Description |
---|---|
Insert Above |
Insert a specified number of rings above the selected row. This option displays a dialog that allows the specification of the number of rings, the number of repeating groups, the number of segments in the repeating group and the ring height. The fields ring height, number of repeating groups and number of segments are defaulted to values from the vessel parameters and the values specified are used to update the vessel parameters ![]() |
Insert Below |
Insert a specified number of rings below the selected row. See Insert Above for the a description of the dialog |
Insert Painted Below |
Insert a specified number of painted rings below the selected ring. This option displays a dialog that allows the specification of the number of rings, the number of repeating groups, the number of segments in the repeating group, the ring height and an option to have open segments with a specified ratio. The fields ring height, number of repeating groups and number of segments are defaulted to values from vessel parameters and the values specified are used to update the vessel parameters ![]() |
Copy Below |
Insert one or more copies of the selected row below the selected row. A dialog allows the specification of 1 to 12 copies. The default is 1 |
Move Row Up |
Move the selected row up one position |
Move Row Down |
Move the selected row down one position |
Delete Row |
Delete the selected row |
Clicking on the selected row with the right mouse button opens the context menu.
Menu Item |
Description |
---|---|
Insert Above |
Insert a specified number of rings above the selected row. This option displays a dialog that allows the specification of the number of rings, the number of repeating groups, the number of segments in the repeating group and the ring height. The fields ring height, number of repeating groups and number of segments are defaulted to values from the vessel parameters and the values specified are used to update the vessel parameters ![]() |
Insert Below |
Insert a specified number of rings below the selected row. See Insert Above for the a description of the dialog |
Insert Painted Below |
Insert a specified number of painted rings below the selected ring. This option displays a dialog that allows the specification of the number of rings, the number of repeating groups, the number of segments in the repeating group, the ring height and an option to have open segments with a specified ratio. The fields ring height, number of repeating groups and number of segments are defaulted to values from vessel parameters and the values specified are used to update the vessel parameters ![]() |
Copy Below |
Insert one or more copies of the selected row below the selected row. A dialog allows the specification of 1 to 12 copies. The default is 1 |
Move Row Up |
Move the selected row up one position |
Move Row Down |
Move the selected row down one position |
Replace Wood |
Allows the replacement of one of the woods in the ring woods with another wood |
Delete Row |
Delete the selected row |
Painted Block |
Opens up a submenu listing the operations that can be performed on the current painted row block (see below) |
Row Block |
Opens up a submenu listing the operations that can be performed on the current row block (see below) |
Menu Item |
Description |
---|---|
Convert Painted to Closed |
Convert the painted rings in the current row block from open to closed |
Convert Painted to Open |
Convert the painted rings in the current row block from closed to open |
Add to Start |
Add a segment to the start of the painted rings in the current row block. If the ring is open a void segment will also be added |
Add to End |
Add a segment to the end of the painted rings in the current row block. If the ring is open a void segment will also be added |
Remove from Start |
Remove a segment from the start of the painted rings in the current row block. If the ring is open a void segment will also be removed |
Remove from End |
Remove a segment from the end of the painted rings in the current row block. If the ring is open a void segment will also be removed |
Menu Item |
Description |
---|---|
Modify Ring Heights |
Modify specific ring heights in the current row block. A dialog opens that allows the selection of the ring height value to be changed and the specification of the new value |
Modify Num Repeating Groups |
Modify specific number of repeating groups in the current row block. A dialog opens that allows the selection of the number of repeating groups value to be changed and the specification of the new value |
Replace Wood |
Replace the specified wood in the current row block. A dialog opens that allows the selection of the current wood to be changed and selection of the new wood |
The repeating group contains a row for each segment in the group. The order of the segments determines the order in which they will appear in views that display the rings
The segments that make up the repeating group can be either wedge or block segments with at least one segment being a wedge. For any given ring there is a limit to the total outside lengths of the block segments. as the block lengths increase the inner length of the wedge segments decreases until it becomes zero and further increases in the block lengths results in an incorrect calculation and the segment will not display in the 3D view.
Attribute |
Display Only |
Description |
---|---|---|
Segment # |
yes |
Segment number starting at 1. The segments are drawn starting at 1 in the counter-clockwise direction |
Desc. |
yes |
An optional text description that can be added to identify a segment. A description can be helpful when the repeating group has a large number of segments and you want to quickly identify particular segments |
Segment Type |
Wedge, Relative Block or Block |
|
Wood |
The wood making up the segment when the segment does not have a pattern. If the wood selected is 'Void' the segment is open. If the segment has a pattern defined this attribute will display 'Pattern' and will not be able to be edited |
|
Relative Size |
A integer indicating a size relative to other relative segments in the repeating group. This field is only available for Wedge or Relative Block segments. |
|
Block Length |
The actual outside length of the block. This field is only available for Block segments |
|
Pattern Cut |
Straight or radial. Radial is only applicable to segments with a pattern |
|
Miter Angle (deg) |
yes |
The angle from the outside to the inside of a wedge |
Blade Angle (deg) |
yes |
The angle of the blade from vertical when cutting a wedge with a ring type of vertical |
Segment Width |
yes |
The distance from the outside to the inside of a wedge |
Top Length Outside |
yes |
The top outside length from left to right of the segment |
Top Length Inside |
yes |
The top inside length from left to right of the segment |
Bottom Length Outside |
yes |
The bottom outside length from left to right of the segment. This is the same as the top length outside for horiozontal segments |
Bottom Length Inside |
yes |
The bottom inside length from left to right of the segment. This is the same as the top length inside for horiozontal segments |
Wood(s) |
yes |
Images of all of the woods being used in the segment pattern if it has one |
Board Length |
yes |
The length of the board required to cut the segments |
Board Width |
yes |
The width of the board required to cut the segments |
Board Thickness |
yes |
The thickness of the board required to cut the segments |
Error Message |
yes |
An error message if the segment calculation failed |
Button |
Description |
---|---|
Insert Above |
Insert a new row above the selected row |
Insert Below |
Insert a new row below the selected row |
Copy Below |
Insert a copy of the selected row below the selected row |
Move Row Up |
Move the selected row up one position |
Move Row Down |
Move the selected row down one position |
Delete Row |
Delete the selected row |
Add/Edit Pattern |
Add or edit a pattern on the selected row |
Remove Pattern |
Remove the pattern from the selected row. The wood will be returned to the wood defined before the pattern was added |
Clicking on the selected row with the right mouse button opens the context menu
Menu Item |
Description |
---|---|
Insert Above |
Insert a new row above the selected row |
Insert Below |
Insert a new row below the selected row |
Copy Below |
Insert a copy of the selected row below the selected row |
Move Row Up |
Move the selected row up one position |
Move Row Down |
Move the selected row down one position |
Delete Row |
Delete the selected row |
Replace Wood |
Allows the replacement of one of the woods in the segment with another wood |
The segment pattern editor allows you to specify the design of a multi-wood segment. The pattern is defined by adding shapes to the segment and then modifying them to achieve the desired pattern. Each shape has a specified wood and z-order. New shapes will be drawn on top of existing shapes although the order can be changed later.
The pattern editor displays the segment outer surface as it would be constructed (this is not the turned surface). If the segment is a wedge and the pattern cut is 'Straight' it is important to note that during turning a portion of the left and right side of the wedge will be removed.
Patterns can be built up by overlaying a new shape over a part of an existing shape. In these cases only the visible parts of the shapes will be displayed on the vessel.
The shapes in the pattern editor can extend beyond the boundaries of the segment. In many cases this allows a pattern to be created in a simpler way. When the final image is being displayed these areas are ignored.
Shape |
Image |
Description |
---|---|---|
Circle |
Select the circle shape to draw a circle by positioning the mouse pointer at the center, holding the left mouse button down and dragging the mouse to specify the radius and then releasing the mouse button. |
|
Diamond |
Select the diamond shape to draw a diamond by positioning the mouse pointer at the center, holding the left mouse button down and dragging the mouse to specify both the height and width and then releasing the mouse button |
|
Isosceles Triangle |
Select the isosceles triangle shape to draw an isosceles triangle by positioning the pointer at the vertex between the two equal sides, holding the left mouse button down and then dragging the mouse to specify a base vertex and then releasing the mouse button |
|
Line |
Select the line shape to draw a line by positioning the mouse pointer at the starting point, holding the left mouse button down and dragging the mouse to the end position of the line and then releasing the mouse button. By default the line with is 0.0625 inches. The initial width of the line can be specified through the use of the ‘Cntl +’ and ‘Cntl –‘ keys to change the width from 0.0625 to 0.25 inches in increments of 0.0125. |
|
Pie |
Select the pie shape to draw a circle sector. The pie center point is first specified by clicking the mouse left mouse button (a small red cross will be displayed). Move the mouse pointer to the desired radius and then hold the left mouse button down and move the mouse to the desired angle and then releasing the mouse button. As the mouse is moved the angle of the sector in degrees will be displayed |
|
Polygon |
Select the polygon shape to draw a polygon by positioning the mouse pointer at the center point, holding the left mouse button down and dragging the mouse to specify one of the vertices and then releasing the mouse pointer. By default the number of sides is 5. The number of sides can be specified through the use of the ‘Cntl +’ and ‘Cntl –‘ keys to change the number of sides from 3 to 20 |
|
Rectangle |
Select the rectangle shape to draw a rectangle by positioning the mouse cursor at a corner vertex, holding the Left mouse button down and dragging the mouse to the opposite vertex and then releasing the mouse button |
|
Right Triangle |
Select the right triangle shape to draw a right triangle positioning the mouse cursor at one end of the hypotenuse, holding the left mouse button down and dragging the mouse to the other end of the hypotenuse and then releasing the mouse button |
The tools are used to modify pattern shapes, provide information or modify the view.
In general the left mouse button is used for selection by clicking or by creating a rectangular area enclosing shapes. Selecting shapes usually deselects current selections unless the 'Ctrl' key is pressed during the operation
Holding the left mouse button down while moving the mouse is used to move selected shapes, move handles and creating a rectangular area
Tool |
Image |
Description |
---|---|---|
Selector |
The selector tool allows the selection of one or more shapes. The selector tool does not allow shapes to be moved or modified. Note that the context menu allows all shapes to be selected, unselected or deleted or selected shapes to be deleted, moved to the front or back of other shapes, copy and paste, horizontal mirror copy and vertical mirror copy.
Selecting shapes within a bounding rectangleShapes can also be selected by enclosing then in a bounding rectangular area defined by holding the left mouse down and dragging the mouse. Note that the shape must be entirely contained within the rectanglar area to be included. If the Ctrl key is help down at the same time other currently selected shapes will remain selected. |
|
Move |
The move tool allows the user to select shapes, move selected shapes or change a shape by moving individual points. Selected shapes can be moved with either the left mouse button pressed or with the Up, Down, Left or Right keys. Individual points can only be moved with the left mouse button pressed.
Exceptions
|
|
Scale |
The scale tool allows the user to select one or more shapes and scale them as a group. The selected shapes have a rectangle box drawn around them with 8 scaling handles, 4 corner handles and 4 side handles. By default moving a corner handle scales the shapes along the diagonal with the opposite corner stationary. Moving a side handle scales the shapes by keeping the opposite side stationary If the 'Ctrl' key is held down when a scaling handle is moved the center of the rectangular box remains fixed If the 'Shift' key is held down when a corner scaling handle is moved the opposite corner remains stationary but the handle can be moved in any direction |
|
Pan |
The pan tool allows the user to reposition the view. This is useful when zooming in to specific areas of the display |
|
Rotate |
The rotate tool allows the user to rotate the selected shapes around a specified point. The first step is to define the pivot point by positioning the mouse pointer and clicking the left mouse button. Next move the mouse to another position and again click the left mouse button to define the reference line. Now as you move the mouse the angle will be displayed and the selected shapes will be rotated around the pivot point. Once the shapes are at the desired position click the left mouse button to end the operation. |
|
Measure |
The measure tool allow the user to determine the distance between two points on the display. Position the mouse pointer to the starting location and then hold the left mouse button down while moving the mouse to the ending location. As the the mouse is being moved a line is drawn with the current distance. Once the left mouse button is released the line is removed |
|
Undo |
Undo the last operation in the operation chain |
|
Redo |
Redo the last operation undone in the operation chain |
Parameters |
Description |
---|---|
Current Wood |
The wood that is used when creating a shape |
Background |
The background wood of the segment |
Snap Grid |
Checking the snap grid checkbox causes the point being moved to be snaped to the closest intersection of the grid lines. This applies to all shapes except the line shape. |
Grid Type |
Determines how the grid is drawn.
When a pattern is first added to a segment the default grid type is 'Actual'. The grid type is stored with the pattern and will be set to the stored value when the pattern is reopened. |
Vertical Increments |
The number of vertical increments. How the grid is drawn depends on the grid type. If the grid type is Actual the horizontal grid lines partition the current unit of measure. For inches if the value is 8 each inch is divided into 1/8 inch increments. If the grid type is Relative the horizontal grid lines partition the segment height into the number of vertical increments. When a pattern is first added the value is set based on the units of measure. For inches the default value is 8, for centimeters the default is 10 and for millimeters the default is 1. The vertical increments value is stored with the pattern and will be set to the stored value when the pattern is reopened |
Horizontal Increments |
The number of horizontal increments. How the grid is drawn depends on the grid type. If the grid type is Actual the vertical grid lines partition the current unit of measure. For inches if the value is 8 each inch is divided into 1/8 inch increments. If the grid type is Relative the vertical grid lines partition the segment width into the number of horizontal increments. When a pattern is first added the value is set based on the units of measure. For inches the default value is 8, for centimeters the default is 10 and for millimeters the default is 1. The horizontal increments value is stored with the pattern and will be set to the stored value when the pattern is reopened |
Dimension Type |
Determines how the pattern changes if the segment size changes.
When a pattern is first added to a segment the default dimension type is 'Relative'. The dimension type is stored with the pattern and will be set to the stored value when the pattern is reopened. |
Tool Properties |
Displays the current tool and optional properties |
Cursor Position |
Displays the current cursor position as a decimal with three decimal places. Note that the zero position is at the center of the pattern. |
Parameters |
Description |
---|---|
Output Image |
Outputs the window content as a bitmap to the vessel folder. The file name will be composed of the vessel name plus the ring number and the segment number. |
Import Pattern |
Import previously exported pattern shapes from a file. The imported pattern will be added with the same dimensions as it was exported. After importing it may be necessary to scale the shapes to fit the segment. |
Export Pattern |
Exports the selected shapes to a file. The shapes will be stored with the actual dimensions. |
Ok |
Accept the changes to the pattern and close the window |
Cancel |
Ignore any changes made to the pattern and close the window |
Menu Item |
Description |
---|---|
Select All |
Select all shapes |
Unselect All |
Unselect all shapes |
Delete |
Delete the selected shapes. This option is only available when there are selected shapes |
Delete All |
Delete all shapes |
Move to Front |
Move the selected shapes to the front. When multiple shapes are selected the shapes are moved to the top of the shape list in reverse order z-order |
Move to Back |
Move the selected shapes to the back of the shape list. When multiple shapes are selected the shapes are moved to the back of the shape list in the same z-order |
Rotate CCW 90 Degrees |
Rotate the selected shapes around the center point of the bounding rectangle counter clockwise 90 degrees. This option is only available with the move tool |
Rotate CW 90 Degrees |
Rotate the selected shapes around the center point of the bounding rectangle clockwise 90 degrees. This option is only available with the move tool |
Horizontal Mirror Copy |
Create a mirror copy of the selected shapes to the right of the selected shapes |
Vertical Mirror Copy |
Create a mirror copy of the selected shapes above the selected shapes |
Zoom Full Extent |
Zoom the display to the full extent |
Copy |
Copy the selected shapes. |
Paste |
Paste the copied shapes. The position of the pasted shapes is determined by positioning the center of the bounding rectangle of the copied shapes at the position where the right mouse click occurred to open the context menu. |
Undo |
Undo the last operation |
Redo |
Redo the last operation undone |
Set Wood |
Set the selected shapes wood to the current wood |
Operation |
Description |
---|---|
Left Mouse button |
Used for selection and tool operations etc. |
Right Mouse Button |
Open the context menu |
Mouse Wheel |
The mouse wheel is used to zoom in or out of the display |
The painted pattern editor allows you to specify a pattern over the entire vessel by specifying the wood for each segment. The editor displays the repeating group of segments for each ring in the entire vessel and also displays the current wood. When creating a pattern over the entire vessel it is sensitive to changes in ring angle offsets so care should be taken when adding rings.
The tools are used to modify the segment woods, modify the view or undo / redo changes.
Tool |
Image |
Description |
---|---|---|
Selector |
The pointer tool is used to make changes to the wood of a segment or to select a segment.
|
|
Pan |
The pan tool allows the user to reposition the view. This is useful when zooming in to specific areas of the display |
|
Undo |
Undo the last operation in the operation chain |
|
Redo |
Redo the last operation undone in the operation chain |
Parameters |
Description |
---|---|
Current Wood |
A drop down control that allows the selection of the current wood that is used when clicking on segments |
Show Extended Columns |
A checkbox that controls the display of read only columns on the right and left side of the pattern that helps with creating a pattern that smoothly transitions from one repeating group to the next. The right side of the repeating group pattern includes a couple of segments from the left side of the next repeating group and the left side includes a couple of segments from the right side of the previous repeating group pattern |
Show Data While Moving |
A checkbox that controls how the image is displayed when panning or zooming in or out. By default the image moves smoothly as the mouse moves. For patterns with a large number of segments unchecking this will help with performance by not redisplaying the image until the move is complete |
Ring # |
A read only text box that displays the ring number of the ring currently under the pointer |
Segment # |
A read only text box that displays the segment number of the segment currently under the pointer |
Parameters |
Description |
---|---|
Ok |
Accept the changes to the pattern and close the window |
Cancel |
Ignore any changes made to the pattern and close the window |
Menu Item |
Description |
---|---|
Paint Row |
Paint all segments in the current row with the 'Current Wood' |
Paint Diagonal Positive Slope |
Paint all segments with the 'Current Wood' that form a diagonal with a positive slope. It is not recommended to use this option with vessels that contain multiple blocks of painted and regular rings. |
Paint Diagonal Negative Slope |
Paint all segments with the 'Current Wood' that form a diagonal with a negative slope. It is not recommended to use this option with vessels that contain multiple blocks of painted and regular rings. |
Copy Selected |
Copy all segments that are currently selected. The selected segment that the pointer was over when the right mouse buttom was clicked becomes the source position |
Paste Selected |
Paste the copied segments. The segment that the pointer was over when the right mouse buttom was clicked becomes the target position. It is recommended that copy and paste is only used within painted blocks or unexpected results may result |
Undo |
Undo the last operation |
Redo |
Redo the last operation undone |
Zoom Full Extent |
Zoom the display to the full extent |
Operation |
Description |
---|---|
Left Mouse button |
Used for selection and tool operations etc. |
Right Mouse Button |
Open the context menu |
Mouse Wheel |
The mouse wheel is used to zoom in or out of the display |
The 2D Ring view provides a top view of the selected ring. The view contains a graphic area and a list of the rings. For horizontal rings the segments are outlined in yellow. For vertical rings the top of the segment is outlined in yellow and the bottom is outlined in green.
The 3D Ring view display the rings before turning. The image supports 360 degree rotation along any axis with the left mouse button. Holding the left mouse button down and moving the pointer rotates the image in the direction of the movement. Image zoom in and out is performed with the right mouse button. Holding the right mouse button down and moving the pointer up zooms in on the image and moving the pointer down zooms out. You can zoom into the inside of the vessel or zoom out until the image disappears.
The Final 3D view displays the vessel as it would look after it was turned. The image supports 360 degree rotation along any axis with the left mouse button. Holding the left mouse button down and moving the pointer rotates the image in the direction of the movement. Image zoom in and out is performed with the right mouse button. Holding the right mouse button down and moving the pointer up zooms in on the image and moving the pointer down zooms out. You can zoom into the inside of the vessel or zoom out until the image disappears.
There are four different ways to output plan information for the vessel. The different outputs provide information that is targeted to different types of vessels.
This output provides a page of information about each ring and the segments that make up the ring. For standard rings information about each segment is provided. For painted rings only information about one segment and optionally an open segment is provided since all segments have the same physical dimensions. For painted rings a list of the segment number and wood type is also included
This report can be printed to a 'pdf' file. Opening the file in a browser allows review prior to printing. The print functionality of a browser also allows printing select pages or page ranges
This report can be used for any type of vessel
This output provides a page for each ring with general information and a graphical top view of each ring with the segments colored by wood type and the associated segment number. Also included is a listing of each wood type and the segment numbers
This report can be printed to a 'pdf' file. Opening the file in a browser allows review prior to printing. The print functionality of a browser also allows printing select pages or page ranges
This report can be used for any vessel type but it was mainly designed for painted vessels
This output provides a comma separated values file of all of the fields required to construct the vessel. The output contains a row for each segment in a repeating group. The rows are listed from the top of the vessel to the bottom.
To use this file to create a cut sheet for the construction of the project import the file into Excel or another spreadsheet program, hide any columns that you do not need and then print the resulting sheet.
This output is not appropriate for painted vessels
Field |
Description |
---|---|
Ring # |
The ring number |
Description |
The optional description of the ring |
# of Repearing Groups |
The number of time the ring segments will be repeated in the ring |
Height |
The height of the ring in the current display units of measure |
Top Outside Diameter |
The vessel profile diameter at the top of the ring in the current display units of measure |
Angle Offset |
The angle offset in degrees of the segments in the ring |
Alternating Cut |
Defines how the segment will be cut from the board |
Saw Kerf |
The thickness of the saw blade used to cut the segments in the current display units of measure |
Ring Type |
Indicates whether the ring wood grain is horizontal or verticle |
Physical wedge count |
The number of physical wedge segments for a paricular segment in the ring |
Physical block count |
The number of physical wedge segments for a paricular segment in the ring |
Is Calculated |
Indicates if the segment dimensions have been successfully calculated |
Side Slope |
The angle in degrees of a verticle segment relative to a horizontal line at the bottom of the ring |
Side length |
The side length of a verticle segment in the current display units of measure. If the side slope is 90 degrees the side length is the same as the ring height |
Segment # |
The segment number |
Description |
The optional description of the segment |
Count |
The number of segments that are required in the ring |
Background Wood |
For a pattern segment this is the background wood otherwize it is the segment wood |
Pattern |
This field contains 'yes' if the segment is constructed with a pattern |
Woods |
For pattern segments this field contains the names of the woods used to create the pattern minus the background wood |
Segment Type |
The type of segment (Wedge, Relative Block or Block) |
Mitre Angle |
The mitre angle in degrees when cutting the segment |
Blade Angle |
The angle of the blade from vertical when cutting a wedge with a ring type of vertical |
Width |
The segment width in the current display units of measure |
Top Outside Length |
The top outside length of the segment in the current display units of measure |
Top Inside Length |
The top inside length of the segment in the current display units of measure |
Bottom Outside Length |
The bottom outside length of the segment in the current display units of measure. This value is only provided for verticle segments |
Bottom Inside Length |
The bottom inside length of the segment in the current display units of measure. This value is only provided for verticle segments |
Board Length |
The minimum length in the current display units of measure of a board from which the segments are cut |
Board Width |
The width in the current display units of measure of the board from which the segments are cut |
Board Thickness |
The thickness in the current display units of measure of the board from which the segments are cut |
This output provides a summary of the rings and the number of segment woods in a painted vessel.
To print out this report import the file into Excel or another spreadsheet program and then print the resulting sheet.
This output is only available for painted vessels