inkscape cubbecraft help needed

[JoshT]

I just ordered an expression for myself and daughter to use. She really is does not do alot of scrapbooking. The thing that she is insane about is cubeecraft.

www.cubeecraft.com

These 3d models are really fun to build. Cutting them with xacto is borderline painful. I ordered the Cricut already and started playing with inscape. I plan to order scal after the cricut arrives.

Is there an advanced tutorial for inkscape that may help me prep a svg for scal? I would like to print the image on card stock and then place the printed card stock in the cricut and have it do all the cuts.

I have loaded the image into inkscape, did the trace feature. Works great. To great. How can I remove all of the lines that I dont want cut? Is there a tutorial for removal? I may not be searching google for the proper terms. I seem to be going in circles? Can anybody help point me in the right direction of relavent info?

Thanks
Josh

[DogCarbon]

I have used susanbluerobot to learn inkscape and found it very helpful...

here is a link:

http://susanbluerobot.blogspot.com/2008 ... inish.html

[HeatherM]

How can I remove all of the lines that I dont want cut?

The easiest way is to select the traced image, Path/Break apart, and then with all of the parts still selected, Path/Union. This should give you a solid silhouette for cutting. If you want to tweak the shape, use the node tool to drag the nodes and lines where you want them. If you have open areas on the edge of the silhouette, use the node tool to overlap the lines, then Path/Union. I have more information on this here.

[jasenj1]

I would like to print the image on card stock and then place the printed card stock in the cricut and have it do all the cuts.

You may find yourself disappointed with the Expression for this. When we first got our E I tried to dive into print & cut crafts. Unfortunately, the E has no way to "register" the blade with the paper, i.e. a way to calibrate what is printed with the cutting blade. Also, the E is not super accurate across the size of the mat - I would cut things and they'd be lined up right on one side of the mat, but on the other side things would be off by 1/16 -1/8". That doesn't sound like much but when you're trying to follow a line, it is a lot.

Other cutters, such as the Silhouette, have optical sensors that they use to "read" the paper and find calibration points. Here's a blurb from the Silhouette's web site:
"The Silhouette is also equipped with an optical sensor to allow precise cutting of printed designs. Open your favorite clip art in the Silhouette software, arrange it how you like, then print it out on your home printer. The software will print small registration marks on the page which will allow the Silhouette to align the cutting blade perfectly with your printed artwork. With the Silhouette, the possibilities are endless."

Personally, if I had to do it over again, I'd get myself something like the Silhouette. My wife, however, is much happier with the Expression because she is much more comfortable using the cartridges vs software. (And she's also a scrapbooker and wanted the 12x12 mat size.)

- Jasen.

[JoshT]

Thanks for the links. Will take a look tonight when I get home from work.

Wish I had seen the Silhouette before I bought the Cricut E. I should have researched more. I'm not too upset. I wanted to use it to make sandblasting templates. The stained glass stores charge so much for blasted pieces. I'm sure that my nine year old may just start scrapbooking if she can cut out tons of shapes. I did not really think about the indexing. The just assumed that once you set the blade to the corner of the page, all would be well. In accuracy is bad. I had also wanted to try some wood veneers in it. Not going to try if it can be off that much by the end of the cut.

[JoshT]

Also I bought the Cricut E for a really good price I think. ($141.50 on ebay. with 2 carts. ) I had planned on selling the carts and building a george cart to use with scal.

[firstcut]

Josh,
I have a tutorial for print and cut here
http://cleversomeday.wordpress.com/print-and-cut/

This technique will give you the best results possible with a Cricut, but, as Jasen said, you are likely to be disappointed cutting large items like the cubes because of the Cricut's lack of accuracy.

[JoshT]

Thanks for tutorial firstcut... I added it to favorites. still waiting for the expression to arrive. It shipped. just not showing up as moving on ups site.