You just bought my Tong halves DXF File. Now what?

Hi,

You just bought one of my DXF files on Etsy, thanks for that!

Now lets discuss what you can do with it to make many types of tongs.


This file contains many, single tong halves. That is one half of a tong.

You can copy and paste these tong halves into new files for cutting, just make 2 copies of each
tong where you want both sides the same.


This is so that you can create more types of tongs.

For instance, there are several tong halves that can be
used with the ball end tong half to make tongs that can hold several
thicknesses of metal, not just one.

The most common is to forge the flat bit tong into a V bit tong, then put a ball tip
on as the other half. You then forge them to fit and have tongs that hold several sizes
of Angle or round stock

Lets to a simple walk through. Making a cut file for one pair of tongs.

Open inkscape, if you don't' have Inkscape, you can get it free here:
https://inkscape.org/


Once you have inkscape up and running, click File->Import



Then pick the file "Full Deluxe Set v 2.0 3_8 sheet 3_8 rivet_spread_around.dxf"
that you downloaded from Etsy.

Then below the file name, where it says "All Files" change that to:AutoCad Dxf r13" and click Open.



Next, since the files a drawn in Inches, and Inkscape uses Metric (in mm)  by default, you might need to scale the file, as i do below.

The secret number to convert from inches to MM is 25.4, which  you enter in "Manual scale factor"

Then click OK






























You will see the tong halves spread all over, they are faint and hard to see
but that will make things easier in sheetcam later.

Next Click the 2nd tool on the left side "Edit paths by node"



Next press and hold Shift (this lets you select multiple objects)
and click on the hole in the middle of one tong half. Then Click on the out line of the same tong half.

You now have all of the tong half selected.





Click on the normal arrow tool, (top one on the left side)



Next Copy the selected tong with <ctrl>+C




Then click File -> New to make a blank file.




Next on the new file Paste by hitting <Ctrl> +V

Then grab the object with the mouse and slide it up.



Then hit <Ctrl>+V again to make a second copy.



Move it around so it's lined up with the first tong half.

You now save however you need to get it into your CAD CAM programs.


Soon I'll add a walk-through for Inkscape into Sheetcam.