Fonts: 'Other' ways to reduce 'nodes' in cutting

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MeuCow
Posts: 69
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 7:12 pm

Fonts: 'Other' ways to reduce 'nodes' in cutting

Post by MeuCow »

Hello all. I have SCAL4 - I am trying to find EVERY SINGLE WAY POSSIBLE to reduce nodes. I create files that have lots of lettering and it's small - so it ends being VERY big cut files....hours even.
I am ONLY using letters/words - no image or anything. I ALWAYS go to Path and UNION and SIMPLIFY...is there anything else I can do?

Thank you so very much,,

Cindi
SandyMcC
Posts: 1114
Joined: Mon May 09, 2011 7:01 am

Re: Fonts: 'Other' ways to reduce 'nodes' in cutting

Post by SandyMcC »

Not really. I'm sure you use the optimum setting in Simplify to reduce as many as you can without compromising the design of the text. You can always try the node editing function to delete more manually but that could get tedious if you have a lot of text to edit. What cutter do you use? Maybe you should consider upgrading to a faster one if this is impacting your productivity. Some of the newer ones are incredibly fast, especially on thin materials.
Sandy McCauley
Owner of http://www.iloveknk.com/
MeuCow
Posts: 69
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 7:12 pm

Re: Fonts: 'Other' ways to reduce 'nodes' in cutting

Post by MeuCow »

Sandy -yes, I'm looking into a new cutter (they are not cheap) but yes - need to do this. Yes, I'm using the highest threshold in Simplify. I'm so overwhelmed...I've used SCAL so much in the past but for the life of me cannot figure this out. See example below..... is there an easy way to remove the 'inside' (dots/shapes) and only retain the outline of the letter? I cannot figure out how to 'show nodes'....I don't know why I'm having such a hard time. I'm using SCAL4, the font is astounding news and when I click that 3rd button down - I think I'm supposed to see all the nodes (so I can edit/delete) but I'm not seeing them. Is there something I need to do first to the letters? Ugh -cannot thank you ENOUGH for your help. I'm on a major deadline....
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MeuCow
Posts: 69
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 7:12 pm

Re: Fonts: 'Other' ways to reduce 'nodes' in cutting

Post by MeuCow »

(See new attached) I even tried the brush tool - used it to 'fill in' the same color then 'unioned' so the entire thing would be a solid and then when I went to SIMPLIFY there were MORE nodes..more cutting. Please help - I thought I knew SCAL so well, but right now I'm so confused....
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MeuCow
Posts: 69
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 7:12 pm

Re: Fonts: 'Other' ways to reduce 'nodes' in cutting

Post by MeuCow »

Sandy - thank you for any help you can offer - I've been doing this - or trying for over 11 hours now....
SandyMcC
Posts: 1114
Joined: Mon May 09, 2011 7:01 am

Re: Fonts: 'Other' ways to reduce 'nodes' in cutting

Post by SandyMcC »

To delete those interior holes, select the word and go to Effects>Shadow Layer and create a shadow with a size of 0 but with Blackout Shadow option marked. Unfortunately, any grunge font is going to have a lot of nodes in order to create that rough look. I guess that particular font is required?
Sandy McCauley
Owner of http://www.iloveknk.com/
SandyMcC
Posts: 1114
Joined: Mon May 09, 2011 7:01 am

Re: Fonts: 'Other' ways to reduce 'nodes' in cutting

Post by SandyMcC »

I should add that you would then delete the original and apply Simplify to the new shadow. Also, it might help to pick Rounded in that Shadow window versus Sharp. I'll see if I can find this font and figure out a way to reduce nodes.
Sandy McCauley
Owner of http://www.iloveknk.com/
SandyMcC
Posts: 1114
Joined: Mon May 09, 2011 7:01 am

Re: Fonts: 'Other' ways to reduce 'nodes' in cutting

Post by SandyMcC »

Since you have a LOT of text in your design, only do one line at a time when you create the Blackout Shadow... otherwise you risk crashing SCAL. Then, for the Simplify, it's basically whatever you can live with in terms of changes in the original shapes as you have nodes reduced. The fact, again, is that you're using a grunge font then the only way to achieve all that "roughness" is by having a lot of nodes.
Sandy McCauley
Owner of http://www.iloveknk.com/
MeuCow
Posts: 69
Joined: Tue Dec 02, 2008 7:12 pm

Re: Fonts: 'Other' ways to reduce 'nodes' in cutting

Post by MeuCow »

When I did this ' Effects>Shadow Layer and create a shadow with a size of 0 but with Blackout Shadow' the inside pieces were not included.. Like the 'A'.
These instructions are great but I didn't know what do to with letters that had 'insides'.

I do not mind using a different font - BUT it has to be a distressed/grunge font. I'm just trying to find the best way to achieve this look but also keeping my nodes to a am minimum. I would think there is some way to do this...
SandyMcC
Posts: 1114
Joined: Mon May 09, 2011 7:01 am

Re: Fonts: 'Other' ways to reduce 'nodes' in cutting

Post by SandyMcC »

Excuse my momentary brain lapse! I was so focused on just the word "TEST" that I spaced out the fact you can't use it on all of the letters.
Sandy McCauley
Owner of http://www.iloveknk.com/
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