Vector patterns and modifying them for double bevel cutting

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It was requested on another forum for me to explain how I capture my intarsia patterns digitally, create vector artwork, then modify that artwork for accurate double bevel cutting…so here it is for my LJ friends:

I’ll try to explain the techniques I’ve developed for digitizing my patterns and using that pattern to expand the artwork for accurate double bevel cutting. Keep in mind, I just started intarsia less than 2 years ago, only have 7 projects under my belt and only tried double bevel cutting on my most recent project. So, by no means am I an expert, I’m just beginning with all this, but I do have a graphics and printing background to give me perhaps a different perspective than most, especially with pattern modification.

You would first start out by capturing the pattern in digital form. The two ways I know to do this are to scan the pattern as a whole or in pieces if too large for your scanner or take a digital photograph of the pattern. If taking a picture, you’re best to stand far away as possible to reduce the distortion of taking a picture.

Once I have the base pattern digitally captured, I’ll take that file into Adobe Illustrator where I begin the painstaking, but necessary task of redrawing all of the lines over the pattern and then applying numbering, grain direction arrows and other notes if needed. This is in vector form, so it is infinitely scalable which is a real nice benefit. The next project I’m working on started off way bigger than I realized, so it was very simple to start scaling it down to a reasonable pattern before sizing up the wood I’ll need for it.

I’ll then print out multiple copies off a large format printer as reference and to start some of the cutting that doesn’t require double bevel cutting. For the ones that will be double bevel cut, I’ll use the following steps.

I’ll select test pieces of the two woods I intend to use and start experimenting with the angles and thicknesses of the top piece to get the desired height or recess of the top piece into the bottom piece. Once I determine that is satisfactory, I’ll measure the distance across the top of the top piece test cut hole and the distance across the bottom of the top piece test hole. Refer to the diagram to follow along.

In this example I’ll use 3

Vector patterns and modifying them for double bevel cutting