Full Version: Enravelab fonts

From: Rob (MONTY) [#1]
 7 Nov 2006
To: ALL

Hi

I have recently started using engravlab 7.1 which comes with 100 or so engraving fonts and '000s of truetype fonts.

I have to say that I am unimpressed by the engraving fonts supplied and wanted to know if it is possible to get / buy new single and multiline fonts for use with this package. If anyone has any pointers I would appreciate it. For the work I do I find using the truetype fonts with an engraving fill unsuitable.

From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#2]
 7 Nov 2006
To: Rob (MONTY) [#1] 7 Nov 2006

What is the extension of the Engravelab fonts?

From: Rob (MONTY) [#3]
 7 Nov 2006
To: ALL

The line fonts available with the package have a VEF extension (which I think is specific to this Cadlink package) The package also supports WFN extension, Adobe Type 1 and truetype.

From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#4]
 7 Nov 2006
To: Rob (MONTY) [#3] 7 Nov 2006

I was hoping I had some I created for you. I never created any in those formats, sorry.

From: Jim (PUZZLEHEAD) [#5]
 7 Nov 2006
To: Rob (MONTY) [#1] 7 Nov 2006

I think some resellers of EngraveLab, such as Quality One Engravers and Vision, add some of their own fonts to the package. So you could check with them to see if they have fonts for sale to be used with EngraveLab. Lamro has a fairly large collection of engraving fonts. They don't list the EngraveLab format on their website, but they do list VisionPro which is just Vision's repackaged EngraveLab so they should be able to help you. www.lamro.com

From: Bill (ALBILLBERT2000) [#6]
 7 Nov 2006
To: Rob (MONTY) [#1] 7 Nov 2006

I don't know what of the fonts that you have tried.. but I agree with you to an extent. most of the fonts for engraving do not keep the cutter down like Dalgren or others but there are still many that work pretty fast.. If you want email me at alhibbert@netreach.net. in the morning and I will give you a list of my fastest.. and my favorites..

From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#7]
 8 Nov 2006
To: Bill (ALBILLBERT2000) [#6] 8 Nov 2006

The Dahlgren coding was wonderful. You could do anything with it. The font controlled the cutter up/down. Their circle routing that went by a fixed table rather than math was a tough one however. I used to be able to sight read the code for the fonts/logos.

They were the first in computer engraving and in very many ways the best. What you could put onto a 32K chipset was amazing.

From: Bill (ALBILLBERT2000) [#8]
 8 Nov 2006
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#7] 8 Nov 2006

Hey Harvey... since I dont know.. I am asking.. is there really any machines today.. that run as fast as a Dalghren wizzard using there fonts.. I have looked a few times.. and never really saw any machine run line fonts like a wizzard... what have you seen..

From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#9]
 8 Nov 2006
To: Bill (ALBILLBERT2000) [#8] 8 Nov 2006

The NH IS400 can run as fast, but only since it can run at 2" per second.

As far as not lifting the spindle between the letters, I have never seen another at any show that does what the Dahlgren does.

Many manufacturers do not realize how important it is to optimize their font letters, while keeping the inside-out format. The roman 'T' in NH does the inner corners of the top, surrounds that, but then goes to the bottom of the vertical to start the three line rout of the vertical. The 'I' does it efficiently.

None seem to realize the importance, that I did early on, that consonants should start at the top and vowels at the bottom. That will give a more efficient engraving time. If you start at the top, you usually end up at the bottom.

Xenotec also did one better, after finishing the first line of engraving, it engraved the next line last letter first. In theory it is good, in practice it takes about the same time. Instead of one long pass to restart the line, you need to go from the end of each letter to the beginning of the prior letter.

I tried two optimizing methods in LogoStar. On was great it could jump to a circle at the nearest point of the circle rather than the beginning. The second way was faster because even though it needed to jump to the beginning of the circle it never needed to go back and catch a part of a line that started in the middle. Testing is critical in these areas.

Edit: I left off the point of the post. You never can tell what you will get until you use it for a while and make comparisons. I believe that most companies say that it works and that is good enough. Only Xenotec seems to really look into improving everything.

EDITED: 8 Nov 2006 by HARVEY-ONLY

From: Rob (MONTY) [#10]
 8 Nov 2006
To: ALL

Thanks all.

Thanks to Bill for giving me a headsup on his favourites and to Jim for his recommendations (Lamro has approx 400 single and multi line fonts available in .VEF engravelab font).

From: Bill (ALBILLBERT2000) [#11]
 8 Nov 2006
To: Rob (MONTY) [#10] 8 Nov 2006

So now the question for someone to answer is how fast there fonts are...

From: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#12]
 10 Nov 2006
To: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#4] 11 Nov 2006

quote:
I was hoping I had some I created for you. I never created any in those formats, sorry.


Harvey,
How does one create a font?

From: sham (IANR) [#13]
 11 Nov 2006
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#12] 11 Nov 2006

Hello All,
When I read this thread I had to add my thoughts to the pile.
Signlab engraving fonts are not up to the quality one would expect from
probably the leading sign/engraving software. I have been using it from the time it was black and white and called Sign Studio.
I believe they should have a small number of super engraving dedicated fonts, were a great deal of time as been put into their shape and of course the most efficent path takened to make each and every digit. For industrial engraving probably 4 or 5 single line fonts would be enough, I cannot speak for the Trophy people because I have no experience of the trade.
In my Engravlab I have various headings like profonts roman etc.but really they are a waste of time.
I run a Venture engraver which had its own fonts and there are a few no nonsense industrial engraving fonts in there that just look right , engrave right and really demonstrate the way engraving fonts should be created. unfortunately they are not compatiable with any other software.
I did spend time exporting this font as .plt file and then creating it in engravlab as a font , it works fine but it seems to slow down on curves and really I don't have the expertise to take this one any further.
You can create a font in Engravlab under the heading Edit you will find Edit Font section.
I believe as Engravlab is being sold as top notch software we deserve a small number of top notch fonts to suit the various trades that use it.

Regards
Ian R

From: Harvey only (HARVEY-ONLY) [#14]
 11 Nov 2006
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#12] 11 Nov 2006

It all depends on what format you want to end up with.

For the Gravostlye 98 fonts I use the 'Font Edition', (It is a bad translation from French and should be Font Editor'), part of the program. It costs $500 to have this activated. You need to create each letter as a PLT then import them one by one and set all of the kerning pairs.

For TTF I use 'Font Creator'. You either have to import a font and modify it or bring in BMP's for each letter and clean them up from the BMP to vector import conversion. Then set kerning pairs and do a lot of TTF type setups.

All in all expect it to take about 40 hours to make a font, when skilled at it and lucky.

That is why I make fonts only when forced to.

EDITED: 11 Nov 2006 by HARVEY-ONLY

From: Upacreek [#15]
 12 Nov 2006
To: LaZerDude (C_BURKE) [#14] 13 Nov 2006

You can also create fonts in Corel.

I typically start my font designs in Corel and then finish up in Font Creator.

Michel

From: Peter [#16]
 12 Nov 2006
To: Rob (MONTY) [#10] 12 Nov 2006

quote:
(Lamro has approx 400 single and multi line fonts available in .VEF engravelab font).


Do they sell a package of fonts or only in their software ?

regards
Peter

From: Jim (PUZZLEHEAD) [#17]
 12 Nov 2006
To: Peter [#16] Unread

quote:
Do they sell a package of fonts or only in their software


Peter,

Lamro does not sell engraving software, only logos and fonts. Their complete font collection is only $495 US. Lamro.com


Jim

From: Rob (MONTY) [#18]
 12 Nov 2006
To: ALL

They have a deal on at the moment (November special) for $375 for their font CD. Buying the fonts individually seemed pricey. I was after a six line GilSans font, plus a handful of others that I use now and again. they have a 5 line GilsSans which is close enough and I have now been able to check it out. I use the Gilsans fort for diamond rotary engraving onto stainless steel that takes a lot of battering over its life. I'm pleased with the results and am going to plum for the CD. Since getting engravelab, as good as the software is, I have not been happy with the engraving fonts.

EDITED: 12 Nov 2006 by MONTY

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