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[jenozeryn]

Hi guys. I have the attached picture of a magnet-backed design I would like to cut out with the Glowforge (including the dotted rectangle piece.) I’m embarrassed to say that I don’t know how to tell the machine to do this. Please advise.

[Jules]

Currently, the visual alignment on your machine is probably not good enough to do a perfect Print and Cut file like that one. (It is being improved upon as we type.)

There is a method to do it, and we have writeups on it which I’ll link below, but the first thing you are going to have to do in either case is create cut lines around the drawing using a drawing program like Illustrator or Inkscape. Each of those has an Auto-Trace function that can be used to create a vector cut line around the doll and the rectangle.

Once you have created the file with the cutlines and the doll image, you would print it out on your sheet magnet, bring it into the Glowforge, and use one of the methods in the tutorials listed below to get the cutlines aligned around the drawing on the screen.

A way to improve object placement

Here is the method I use to compensate for the slight offset I currently experience with object placement. This method will probably be obsolete when precision alignment is available but in the meantime it can help if you want exact (or at least extremely close) placement of artwork on the bed. Using this file: [image] Upload it to the GFUI. Set up a score. Attach a piece of graph paper (here I’m using 1 inch grid divided into tenths) to a piece of card stock and measure the thickness w…

Alternatively you can try this method:

Print and Cut Procedure

Print and Cut Process.pdf (755.4 KB)

Hope that helps.

[jenozeryn]

So kind of you to help, Jules! It’s greatly appreciated. If I may, -I want to be sure I understand. So the vector lines are added to the design/artwork that is then printed on the magnet “paper,” and then one would follow either one of the other steps you reference. Right?

This is kind of a time-consuming process, then,-eh? I am interested in helping out a friend, working to create these dolls, with vintage clothing and accessories, for a fund raiser. Is this as time intensive as it sounds, or does it get quicker with each successive printing.

Again–thanks so much for your help.

I’m a complete “techno-loser” --and don’t worry, that’s not self-effacing–it’s just true!!

[Jules]

Yeah, unfortunately right now, it’s kind of a bear. We’re trying to force the laser to act like a digital cutter, when those are actually better equipped to deal with this kind of application.

(It’s because you have to have a way to tie the cut lines to something on the piece of paper or magnet sheet. The marks establish a relationship. Like the Registration Marks on digital cutters. They do the same thing, we are just having to create our own Registration marks right now.)

It’s not quick, but once you figure out your method, it should speed up some. I just can’t tell you any other way to do it right now.