Engraving the faces of a 12-sided dice

[Anonymous]

Short story; I'm making a set of custom dice for my D&D group and I would like to know how to best (and most of all efficiently) get the numbers embedded on each face of the dice. The numbers are custom made, so they're not of any font.

I have a set of symbols I want (either through engraving or extruded cut) on each face. I have a very elaborate way of achieving something that should be very easy to do. My elaborate method right now is to create a Sweep of each contour (with Freeform spheres on the ends) and then through Derive subtract the 3d symbols from the dice's faces. Since the dice has 12 sides this is a ridiculously lengthy and tedious proces to do (separately going through the process of turning each symbol into a 3d part that is).

Is there a way to simply place a 2d sketch on one of the dice's faces and simply engrave the lines into it? Or just place a Freeform sphere on an endpoint of the contour and simply Sweep Cut it along a path without having to juggle multiple planes and sketches?

The 1st attachment is the method I'm using to turn the simple lines into a 3d model for later removal through Derive.

The 2nd is an example of the lines/contour I would like to be engraved or extruded (cut) in the dice in the most efficient way possible.

[TheCADWhisperer]

Your images do not give me any actionable information - can you attach the *.ipt file here?

I do not understand why the Freeform tools would be used for this design.

[Anonymous]

Here is the D12 with the sketch on it and the symbol in 3d.

[TheCADWhisperer]

As I suspected - you are doing too much work, but I am not sure when I will have time to show alternative technique.

Let me see if I have my solution saved somewhere - back in a bit.

[TheCADWhisperer · Accepted solution]

Well, before you give out Kudos - my example is a bit different - but should give you some ideas.

I think I would first create all of the sketch blocks (in a single sketch) so that you can get everything uniform.

(you might do this in a separate file)

The Blocks can then be copied to faces as needed.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, I shall give this a go at once.

[Anonymous]

I was struggling to replicate your solution until I tried using a Tangent Arc to connect the lines instead of a Center Point or 3-Point Arc 😕 Once I did that it all went smooth! Thanks again!

[Anonymous]

In your help with the engraved dice you used the parameter Sphere_rad in the Extrusion. May I ask how you managed to do it so the extrusion is rounded?

[TheCADWhisperer]

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@Anonymous wrote:

I was struggling to replicate your solution until I tried using a Tangent Arc to connect the lines instead of a Center Point or 3-Point Arc 😕 Once I did that it all went smooth! Thanks again!

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Don't even fool with the Arc and line commands.

Use the straight Slot and arc Slot sketch commands.