musicbox
Creates strips for 30 note music boxes
This unimaginatively named program converts a DXF file of a music box strip to an SVG file suitable for a Cricut Explore Air 2. It places a leader at the beginning of the strip and, depending on the length of a song, breaks it up into multiple strips. Interlocking tabs are added in the case of multiple strips. It was written to support DXF files created at https://musicboxmaniacs.com/ for a 30-note hand crank music box movement.
See it in action here: https://youtu.be/y3J86qpPQiQ
The Basic Workflow:
- Create or select a song at https://musicboxmaniacs.com/
- Export it as a DXF file in Grand Illusions 30 format
- Download the python program here by clicking on the green Code button
- Run the program by typing in a command window:
python musicbox.py
- Fill in the fields in the dialog box that pops up
- Input file
- Output file (Include the .svg extension in the file name)
- Length of Leader (defaults to one inch and applies only to the first strip generated)
- Maximum Length of First Strip (Takes into account the length of the leader. Defaults to 11.5 inches, but the actual size depends on how you lay it out in Cricut's Design Space)
The output SVG file is drawn at 72 dpi and contains one group per strip. Each group has a combined path of the circles (notes) and a polyline representing the outline of the strip. Each strip is 2.75 inches wide and variable in length.
Python 3 needs to be installed to run this program. See the help file for details.