Kerf in text - RESOLVED!

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#1

I did a search and found some helpful things, but in trying to translate some things from Inkscape and AI instructions to Affinity Designer… it’s not proving very successful, so far. Sure could use some help.
I know how to allow for kerf to inlay/press fit with acrylic using a couple of geometric shapes, but now I’m trying to figure out how to do the same with text. After reading several posts, I get the basic idea and can do it, but here’s the problem; just working with shapes, I can add .008" to the piece to be inlaid, but text is in points, not inches. Is there any way to figure that conversion out?

I copied/pasted my text (already a text path), then thickened it up first by .5 pt., then by 1 pt. etc…but those are certainly just wild guesses. And, I have not yet tried cutting any of them out yet, so it might work that way, but I’m thinking it will be futile. Is there some kind of formula to convert points to inches?

Or…are there any AD experts that can suggest a different way to do this?

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#2

Most of the drawing programs let you specify the units…in the slot, just type “.008 in” for inches and it should convert to the correct quantity of points.

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#3

In theory, Points are all standardized (traditionally 1/72nd of an inch).

https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C1GGRV_enUS775US775&ei=8VG-W-70JoTezwKr8Lxg&q=1+point+in+inches

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#4

What @Jules said ^^. Also, if you want to, you can tell AI to measure type in inches (or mm or…) by default by editing the preferences.

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#5

Thanks…but, I’m not using AI…I’m using Affinity Designer.

#6

I saw someone use a text outline stroke to adjust for kerf by making the line the thickness of the kerf. At least in AI, after converting text to paths, they also then convert the border line to outlines and pathfinder/combine the letter + outline strokes. Would that work for your needs?

ETA: or is that what you were already talking about with the points stuff?

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#7

BINGO! Thanks, Jules. Guess I wasn’t daring enough and just thought that ‘points’ was a done deal. It worked like a charm.

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#8

Yes, I was trying that. Just didn’t get how to deal in inches instead of points. I looked at preferences but didn’t find anything in there. Didn’t realize that it was right in front of my face. Thank you.

#9

Thank you…I appreciate that conversion thing. Could come in very handy.

#10

If Affinity is using standard typographical points and not some other measure.

In Inkscape you can set a global preference to make all docs open up to inches by default… maybe there’s a way to do that in Affinity?

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#11

Yes, I have mine set to do that, however it doesn’t seem to apply to text. There may be something like that, but I have yet to find it. Thanks.

#12

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