Built one of polarbrainfreeze's cars

[jkopel]

It is several steps and only when you want a straight line, but it works…

1. Direct select the 2 open endpoints and join (now they are connected)
2. Window select the whole thing and join (now it is a closed shape)

[jbv]

hey hey, whadaya know! Thanks @jkopel

[rebecca]

Printing out designs of Glowforge owners is beyond cool. Thanks so much for taking the time to not only print designs and but to explain, show, and video processes. The picture of your son holding the printout of @polarbrainfreeze’s car is awesome – made my day.

[Hirudin]

@jamesdhatch

Those are all pretty disparate boxes and lines.

No, they’re all lines. The groups of four lines that you’re mistaking for boxes are, in fact, four individual lines. The things that you’re mistaking for lines are actually narrow rectangles that are also comprised of four individual lines. Perhaps knowing these facts may help you understand my desire to join them. I’d prefer that they actually were boxes.

@jamesdhatch

The wandering path is not unexpected at all.

I wouldn’t have expected it. Since the path is basically the result of random unwanted connections I don’t see how anyone could expect a result like the one I’ve shown. Barring all the other issues with this random set of lines, how could you even anticipate in which proto-box the path would begin, much less the 50(?) or so twists and turns it ends up taking?

@jamesdhatch

I can’t see any objects in your 2nd graphic that I’d ask AI to join for any reason…
…
The use case doesn’t make sense so neither does the solution.

Now that I’ve explained the second example I ask you to consider the following testimonial…

@dan

The SVG lines aren’t connected, which means the laser doesn’t draw them in a smooth, continuous line. Maybe someday, but the current state of affairs is that it’ll do a little line somewhere, head off and do another little line, come back and do the next bit, etc. It’s so precise you don’t see the result at the end, but it’s a bit slower and somewhat maddening to watch.

… and perhaps that will clue you (@jamesdhatch) in to the reason why someone would seek out a solution. Seems like joining intersecting lines without inserting random connection lines isn’t too much to ask. Rhino does it. SolidWorks does it automatically. Autocad does it. The Trotec laser software does it. Apparently the Epilog software does it. I don’t understand why Illustrator can’t do it.

[jamesdhatch]

I generally just draw boxes when I want boxes and don’t rely on software to fix my corner joins because I drew a bunch of nearly joined lines. But I appreciate your clueing me in. Perhaps Adobe would fix it for you if you let them know too. Maybe it’s an important use case they’ve overlooked since their software isn’t specifically designed for CNC like the others you use. Not sure if they have a hopper like Dan does for us.

[Hirudin]

May you never use a file created by someone or some software (the Fusion 360 SVG post processor, for instance) that doesn’t adhere to your design guidelines.

[polarbrainfreeze]

I’ve been away all week, working as a cook at my son’s scout camp. I come back and see this! It looks awesome.

Thanks so much @dan for cutting one. It’s really great to see what they look like in real life.

[PlGHEADED]

I miss the scouting days (former eagle scout). I wonder if one of polarbrainfreeze’s cars could compete in a pinewood derby - or if the GF is allowed when creating or designing a pinewood car.

[jamesdhatch]

@PlGHEADED

I wonder if one of polarbrainfreeze’s cars could compete in a pinewood derby - or if the GF is allowed when creating or designing a pinewood car.

Depends on the council. Most derby rules are that you have to use the nails, wheels and block of wood that come in a pinewood derby kit. After that it’s anyone’s game. There aren’t rules about how much of the block of wood is required so technically you could build the whole thing out of something else and then glue on a shaving from the original block but that’s not truly in the spirit of the competition. (We had a guy do something similar once.)

But you could slice the block into 1/4" thick pieces you could GF and that would seem to follow both the rule and the spirit.

I think it would be a great way for a kid to learn 3D modeling, CNC, etc.

Our Pack does a separate adult competition. Parent-made vehicles are run against each other with only the wheels/nails needed to be compliant. That helps keep the most competitive dads from doing the work on their kid’s car and claiming he did it instead.

[PrintToLaser]

There will be a “scout built” pinewood car. Dad’s input would be limited to observing the laser session.
A whole new level of design and killer detail!

My Son had a friend in the Scouts who didn’t have a Dad, and when we gathered for the race, the washers he used for weight were poorly placed and I felt bad for him so I helped him reposition them.
That boy won the race, my Son was second…

[likeablejerk]

As someone who spent quite a few summers working in a scout camp kitchen, you have my respect (and condolences.)

[likeablejerk]

[quote=“jamesdhatch, post:29, topic:2463”]
Our Pack does a separate adult competition. Parent-made vehicles are run against each other with only the wheels/nails needed to be compliant.[/quote]

We didn’t even require that much compliance for our non-scout races. We only required that they fit on the track and be able to be launched using the regular release (our track used a drop gate.) We had some people whose wheels were little more than thin metal discs.