I pulled out the embroiderer – it seems to work with the built in designs. So, I’m taking the “amazing box” home to see if I can get it going (which will require messing around with Windows XP & various legacy software). Hopefully, in the end, we’ll have a way to embroider custom designs, not just the demos on the embroiderer.
L
My wife has some ofg those brother embroidery machines and knows them really well. I will find out her schedule and let people know and she can bring down her machine as well. Ryan had said something about a program I would see as slicer to 3d printing lol. I have not used her machine at all however they lockdown the machine and the sofywasre it comes with however there id good but expensive software out there to convert images into the settings like slicer or cura does to get a file to load yourself instead of buying each thing. Her friend bought the $1,200 program and katie might have got the hived logos from her. I will get her to elaborate more and respond on her as I am a ROOKIE by far.
I did pick up a heavier duty sewing machine but not commercial grade to make belts with. Given my nub and hand killing me in the cold I lover the cobra and quick detach belts made from the 1.25 and 1.5 inch cotton or nylon web material. I need to bring that down to make some belts and we bought a bit of hardware abd the bonded waxed heavy duty threaad in black as well as the needles needed. I played around with it turning old pants legs into nice storage bags for ar upper recievers to keep dust and stuff out for storage. If anyone did break in and came across old beat up cahart legs that housed just uppers (the barrel, gas tube and body it bolts into) they likely won’t even bother as it looks like old work pants. Just in case anyone is worried all functional pieces are in the safe, on me, or are in john wick style storage so no children can get to them.
Sorry to get off topic but yeah, repurposing things with sewing skills is great and would be a fun hive day event. I have seen Nancy do really cool stuff so we should have some people that have really good ideas and fun stuff to do.
The brother we have is rather old, but functional model. The software and card readers are always the catch with these. We have a card reader / writer, which I am attempting to set up in XP within a VM. It should work okay. As far as software goes, we’ll see… One thing at a time. There are also a few open source projects working on an embroidery software solution.
I’ll report back when I have more. I need to pick up some supplies and give it a spin with the embroidery patterns I have.
Lorin
There is an open source embroidery capture and design program now:
http://libregraphicsworld.org/blog/entry/embroidery-design-on-linux-now-possible-with-thred
I’m compiling the linux version, but there is a windows 7-10 version as well…
Free.
Lorin
Update – I am waiting for customer service to write me back and, hopefully, provide a download of the proper software (they no longer have it on their website). We’ll see.
Okay,
So here’s the update… The “amazing box” is so obsolete that even the makers of the amazing box don’t have the software anymore. Even if they did, they said our machine is fine, but that we’d be better off betting one of the cheap-ish USB PES card writers from Brother. It looks like one can be had for $49 from ebay. We already have a card (phew, they’re $69 – geeze). This whole proprietary card thing is the only way to get our own designs onto the machine (no usb or serial).
Before we think about this, I’d like to come in and embroider with some of the built-in demo designs on the machine. If that turns out well enough, would it be worth getting the card writer for folks? Are folks interested in having a use-able embroiderer? It could be useful, both for creative use and personalized hive13 swag as well. However, I don’t want to go down the road if nobody is interested, so respond…
Lorin
I believe my wife got a file made for the 513 logo back from possibly using it on P TDR shirts. Things have been hectic with running around to all of the doctor’s appointments getting things schedule for my next knee surgery. They have been shorthanded in the er And Katie’s schedule keeps changing however is soon as we figure out A-day with a little bit of notice, I will post it on here.