Stroke size doesn’t matter for Cuts or Scores…the operation will always follow the vector path. (Usually in the center of the stroke.)
The only thing the stroke has to have is a color assigned to it…different colors for each operation. So if you want a few lines scored you’d make them one color, and if you wanted other lines cut, you’d assign a different color.
If you don’t want to confuse the interface though, leave the fill as null for cuts and scores. If it sees both, it might try to assign an engrave function to it.
@marmak3261 did some experiments with colors and figured out the order they’ll show up in the GFUI but it’s not looking for specific colors for anything. Different colors tells the GFUI it’s a different set of objects that may have different operations assigned to them.
I love both of these answers because the amount of time I spend correcting the dumbest stuff for this Versa Laser is ridiculous. Like my red is CMYK and not RGB and not EXACTLY 255 0 0 and EXACTLY .05mm… it’s…gah.
Hi all, my unit is scheduled to arrive Monday and I’m trying to figure out how to do things, specifically with Illustrator. I’m a designer so no problems using AI but am curious how I define cuts. In my mind it would simply be using the die color (which shows up as black) and defining that as a cut color. For example, let’s say I print out a page of labels on a light card stock and want to cut out each label. How would I set this up for the Glowforge and can I do color bleeding?
I’ve been searching the forums but not finding anything. Thanks!
The GF splits operations by color (not layer), so you will want to make your cut-line a unique color in the design.
Not sure if you mean printing the labels on a different machine and then cutting them on the GF, or printing with the GF and then cutting with the GF…
From my limited experience, I think that if you are bringing in prints made on a different machine and lining them up visually to cut, you would probably still be served well by making normal trim and bleed zones. If you are printing with the GF and then cutting all in one operation, you can skip the trim and bleed.
have you seen the community tutorials matrix here?
Thanks! Yes, I meant printing on another printer and then cutting with the GF. I can’t seem to find the manuals for the GF anywhere and am trying to get ready for delivery next week. I have gone through the tutorial matrix but everything I’ve read so far has been how to use Illustrator which I don’t really need. There are some references to the GF interface but as I still have no idea how that works it’s hard to figure out how any of this works.
When you say a unique color do you mean a unique visual color or a spot-color? By that I mean something that’s say 255,0,0 vs a Pantone color. I come from the design/print world so my understanding of things is based on that. Thanks!
Unique visual color. Doesn’t have to be a spot color. The GFUI splits different colors into separate operations, but ignores layers.
For 2D work, designing for the laser is remarkably similar to designing for a plotter/vinyl-cutter or for a screen-print (as opposed to designing for an inkjet-type/RIP-based printer)
That’s strange. It might be a permissions problem at this time since you just joined the forum. I note you don’t have an owner badge which gets updated by a script I think. But that topic should be visible by everyone since its tips and tricks and not a locked category.
Have you been able to access the glowforge app yet? That has all the links to setup and use. Did you save the manual or click through to the link that is one of the emails they would have sent? Double check for that link. I’ll be back on the forum later on this evening and I’ll help you out in any way I can so that you can be ready to go on Monday for setup and use.
What you are describing with placing a cutline around the outside of a printed line can be most easily accomplished using the Trace function in the Glowforge User Interface.
Dan and Bailey made a demo video showing how it works a while back - here’s a link:
I’ve actually been on the forum for over a year, I’ve just never post anything. I’m guessing somehow my forum profile is not connected to my ownership status or something. I haven’t gotten a link with manual or app info, just the various shipping notifications etc. Just went through my email history and not seeing it anywhere. So I haven’t seen the app or the manual yet.
