really rough day - have only used the GF (WONDERFULLY) to do some great engraving.
Im certain this is just a brain derp - Now I want to cut a really simple shape out of cardboard then pg acrylic to make a yarn shuttle for kumihomo brading… … but can’t find the instruction on how to set it to cut rather than engrave -
I’ve made roughly 200 items with my gf - and now im distraught that I can’t finger this out. HELP…
A vector graphic can be cut. Load one up. If the object appears orange, it’s already set to cut. If not, just click the object on the left side, then click Convert To Cut.
shouldnt I be able to use a solid color png?
a bloody manual would be really nice. -
No. pngs you can only engrave.
Think about it this way… A png line is some width by some length that appears to be a line. It may be 10 pixels wide. It may 6 pixes wide with 2 pixels on either side dithered to make it look pretty. You can’t cut that. You need a “real” line to cut. A vector.
JPGs, PNGs are image formats to be Engraved. Cuts and scores are created with vectors. A vector is a line or curve from one place or the other that the laser beam will follow. But an engraved image is created by a left to right to left scanning much like an inkjet printer. The GF S/W would know nothing about where you want to cut with an image file. You will need to create the vectors or cut shapes in a 3rd party program like Inkscape or Adobe Illustrator, Corel Draw, etc.
It’s kind of outside the scope for GF to teach us how to use 3rd party programs. Though of explanation as to what you have to learn might be useful.
There’s a tutorial here that describes the differences between the types of images and what you can do with them that might help.
Basically, you’ll need to create a cutting shape using a vector Drawing program (like Inkscape or Illustrator).
We’ve got a lot of tutorials on getting started with them if you’ve never used one, and some handy tutorials for using the Glowforge interface as well. (Those are linked in the Matrix that @anticzcom linked above.)
Thank you Jules - i KNEW I had seen that, and wasn’t finding it … got stuck in a this is what I “do” with my GF rut, then…when I needed it to do something “I don’t do, but know IT CAN …” circle…sigh. new day, new breath and away we go.
Awesome! Always fun to learn a new trick! 
Thanks for the answers everyone! @brad_harris I’m going to close this thread. If you have any other questions, feel free to post a new topic.