So I keep having alignment issues / camera issues, so I can’t properly cut out the paper ring for the AWESOME escutcheon found here:
But that’s ok, I’m a woodworker and should be able to craft a pretty thin poplar ring by engraving the text I want, in the FONT I want, then cutting it out. From there a quick trip through the table saw and the ring will be the depth I need. Alignment issues aside (this SHOULD fit perfectly on a 3 1/2 inch piece, but I might have to use a 6" piece) I CANNOT for the life of me get the fonts I want to use to engrave. I’ve tried both a PDF from AutoCAD, bringing that into the GF but it jacks all of the fonts up. Ok, I’ll open the PDF in Inkscape and convert it to an SVG - THAT doesn’t work. It basically trashes any font I have and nerfs it into a simplex font.
What gives?!? What am I missing to get the fonts I want to engrave properly?
Inkscape has good tools for placing text on a path. You should be able to get exact alignment just using Inkscape with any font you have on your machine. As @jbmanning5 said, you’ll just need to convert them to paths at the end.
Google should be able to set you up with text to path tutorials, it’s not hard.
Fonts can be a picky thing — in a going-to-print perspective in the design world, the font files are almost always either packaged in with the design or converted to outlines so that you can be sure of what you’re going to get.
Yup. Never make THAT mistake again. My process thus far is create what I want in AutoCAD (because I’ve been using AutoCAD for 25 years), then print to PDF, upload PDF and burn / cut. I’ll add an extra step into Illustrator or Inkscape to create paths for fonts. Now I can get CRAZY!
@mrinken Are you still having trouble with alignment errors?
The software on your Glowforge is responsible for ensuring that the print lands on the material in the same place as the preview. When you’re done with a print, let a new image load. If the print appears on screen far from where it was supposed to go, you may have an alignment problem.
Most alignment problems come from the material being closer or farther from the camera than expected. While the software is still improving, you can take these steps for the most accurate alignment results:
Use Proofgrade™ materials.
If you don’t use Proofgrade materials, use a precision set of calipers to measure your material, and enter the thickness in the “uncertified materials” dialog.
Use material that is not warped or tilted.
Place your design near the center of the bed.
Clean the area underneath your crumb tray, particularly the four indentations on the floor.
Reboot the machine. Alignment can drift over time, particularly if you bump the head of your Glowforge while removing material.
Should you finish all of these steps, and find that you have an alignment error of more than 1/4", please let me know so I can investigate.
It’s been a little while since I’ve seen any replies on this thread so I’m going to close it. If you still need help with this please either start a new thread or email support@glowforge.com.