MickRalph

I have just posted in Jason's thread on the Silhouette cutter an update on the use of the CutWizard extension for Inkscape. There are still some issues with this program, so in case anyone is following this thread but not Jason's, I will ask the same question here, with apologies to those reading it twice. I have had some problems when converting the Inkscape files to DXF format and importing them into Silhouette Studio for cutting. I now note that one can buy an extension to the latest version (v3) of Studio to convert it to the Designer Edition, which is claimed to work with SVG files and with layers. My question is: is anyone using the Designer edition and does it properly open and cut Inkscape SVG files? If so, it will be worth me buying this program to see whether it is easier and better to use than CutWizard (it is also about £10 cheaper). Mick

Isn't the combination of Inkscape and the Silhouette cutter great? Having prepared and cut the sides, ends and floors (the latter from 2 layers of 30 thou, not shown in the kit of parts) for a pair of bogie coaches of the Tramways of the Correze, I managed to cement the parts for the ends in the wrong order, so I fired up Inkscape, deleted the sides from the 20 thou and 10 thou layers, corrected an error in the original drawing, and then recut the ends. The state of play in building them is shown below. These coaches have verandahs at each end, which will be built up on the underframe. Next will be to build the bogies (from Bill Bedford sprung 6ft 6in etches) and draw up and cut the frame, spring and axlebox overlays (following the ideas in another of Jason's threads). This brings me to the main reason for my post. Back in post 792, I reported on the new version of CutWizard, which has corrected some of the issues which earlier caused us to reject it. However, the latest version drives the Silhouette cutter based on the fill-colour of lines, rather than the line-colour; for our type of drawings, this creates much extra work in converting every line to have a fill-colour, so that different lines can be cut with different parameters. It also requires much checking to ensure that no lines have been missed (if no colour is set the default is to treat it as a black fill). However, I really like the operation of CutWizard, which allows you to set the drawing precisely on the page for cutting and also allows different colours to be omitted from cutting (eg so that they are scribed first but not then cut) or to be cut with different "thickness" or number of repeat cuts. I asked the German software designers whether they could add the option to cut by line-colour rather than line-fill, but I recently received the response that they have no plans to do so. Thus, the usefulness of CutWizard is diminished because of the need to convert the drawing. I have had some problems when converting the Inkscape files to DXF format and importing them into Silhouette Studio for cutting. I now note that one can buy an extension to the latest version (v3) of Studio to convert it to the Designer Edition, which is claimed to work with SVG files and with layers. My question is: is anyone using the Designer edition and does it properly open and cut Inkscape SVG files? If so, it will be worth me buying this program to see whether it is easier and better to use than CutWizard (it is also about £10 cheaper). Mick

Dave, I think that you have omitted the step "Click on "Path" -> "Object to path"". This changes the rectangle to have four nodes, rather than two square ones at the upper left and lower right corners and a round one at the upper right. You should then be able to select any pair of nodes in order to insert a new node between them. "Object to path" and "stroke to path" are very useful options, particularly the latter when it comes to drawing window frames later in the tutorial. On unexpected closing of the program, this is not something I have experienced. Mick ps There are several other excellent topics on the use of the cutters - particularly the tutorials by JCL on use of the cutter here and again by Mike Trice on preparing coach sides and ends here

Jason, If it's any help on designing the breakdown of parts for a complete loco, rather than actually designing the parts, Brian Madge has a blog on how he does this on his website at http://www.madge00n3.co.uk/3DPrinting/3d01.htm. I'm reading your posts with interest, but not yet following you in trying out Blender. However, I might need to do this for my French Tramways of the Correze and Paris, Orleans, Correze locos, as there are no parts available in 1:55 scale - I have been thinking I would have to scratchbuild them from metal, but .......? I've been amazed at the speed with which you have come to grips with the program. Mick

CutWizard Extension for Inkscape CutWizard is a program which is installed as an extension to Inkscape to allow the design to be sent to the Silhouette cutter straight from the Inkscape SVG file without the need to convert the file to DXF format for opening and cutting from Silhouette Studio 3. It works also with Adobe Illustrator and Corel Draw (but not with Draw 9 which is installed on my computer). Back in January in this post (and some earlier and later posts), Jason considered whether CutWizard is suitable for our needs, the conclusion being that it had a flaw in that it cannot deal with shapes which are not closed. In May I raised the problem with the German company from which I had downloaded it and they asked for a sample file, but I then heard no more from them. A week ago I checked their website and saw that a new version had been released and so I downloaded it, but I found that it still did not deal with straight lines; accordingly, I raised it again with the company and got an immediate response that they had failed to implement it for the Silhouette version and that the revised version could now be downloaded. This time, the extension worked properly, so I first used it to plot the design on paper to check before cutting and as this was successful I then cut the design in 10 thou, with a great result. I will now have two PBVs, when I have completed them, one cut with Studio 3 and one with CutWizard. From the initial trial, the program works very much the same as Studio 3, with one improvement and one significant downside. The improvement is that CutWizard allows even better control of cutting by colour. You can create new materials, as in Studio 3, so I have created Plastcard Score (Sketch Pen, speed 1, thickness 15, single cut); Plasticard Cut 1 (Blade, speed 1, thickness 5, double cut); Plasticard Cut 2 (Blade, speed 1, thickness 20, double cut) and Plasticard Cut 3 (Blade, speed 1, thickness 33, double cut). Then, when you come to cut, you can select which of these you want, but can alter them for any particular colour without resetting the general setting for that material - thus I used the "score" setting for all the colours to give a light score to guide future cuts, but the green colour was only to scribe the door outline, so I altered the setting to thickness 33 for just the green lines. You can also pause between each colour to allow any adjustment or cleaning of the blade. One slight downside is that you can't reorder the colours as you can in Studio, but there was no difficulty in switching off one or more colours and then doing the next cut with just those colours. For my drawing, I have red and black for horizontal and vertical lines on the inner shapes, yellow and purple for the outer lines, blue for holes and green for score lines. I first used "score" with all colours selected, but with green modified as above; then red, black and blue using each of the three of the cut settings; and finally yellow and purple with each of the settings. The result was perfect alignment of all cut lines. CutWizard has very a facility for very precise positioning of the drawing on the sheet, so that when you have worked out the practical margins you can use on your machine, you can position it to minimize wastage. However, like Studio, it won't deal with layers, nor will it deal with registration marks. I believe that it does deal with both these issues in Illustrator and Draw. The major issue, which I will take up with the German company, is that the cuts are based on the fill of the lines rather than the stroke of them. Thus with the drawing having been made with no fill colour, I had to spend an hour or so going over the drawing adding the same fill colour as the stroke colour for each line. It is not difficult, but you do need to check in CutWizard that all lines have been converted. It is possible to do this at the time of creating the drawing, but the drawing may look odd, as solid shapes (eg a rectangle with or without rounded corners) will be filled with the colour, while a rounded rectangle which has been converted to a path with the path then broken apart to create separate lines and corners will have "shadows" at the corners. I have only modified the previously drawn plan, so will need to see which is the best way forward. If you just use CutWizard on a drawing where the the lines have no fill colour, then it defaults to black lines rather than coloured ones. This is usable, but lacks the control of the colours. In the attachment, the upper drawing was plotted in this way and the lower one is done from the colour-filled version. There is an error in the panelling in the drawing which I corrected before actually cutting it. Thus, it does seem that CutWizard will cut files at least as well as Studio, but I need to see whether the time spent in ensuring the drawing has fill colours is worth the benefit of cutting direct from Inkscape. Of course, the writers might develop it to deal with the line stroke colour. Strangely, the preview of the file in CutWizard looks just the same as the normal line drawing in Inkscape. I will send them a sample cutting file to show what we are using it for. CutWizard has a 14 day trial and the program costs 39.99 euros. My trial period has long since expired, but by altering the system date on the computer, I am able to run the trial version. Anyone who has previously tried the program can presumably do likewise to test it. I assume that the full licence which Jason purchased will allow him to use the current version without changing dates. The program can be downloaded from here. The program does come with an English language option, but the manual is in German only. I have used Google Translate to get a version I can work with (after interpreting the rather odd translation). I hope that this is helpful and look forward to comments when others have looked at CutWizard again. Mick

Well .... having previously cut parts for a station, engine shed and some covered vans in 5.5mm scale for the Tramways of the Correze (all still WIP with pictures to follow when further advanced), I arrived home from grandparent duties in Northern Ireland with the completed plan for the first of my 4mm coaches (an LSWR 30ft PBV (destined to be followed by the four 48ft coaches to make up a "4 1/2" set). I did some tidying up of the design and then converted the 10 thou layer to DXF format with both ROBOcraft and DWPolyline boxes unticked and opened the file in Studio 3. I then sent it to the cutter in pen mode to check the output Disaster .... as you can see from the upper two drawings below, the cutter frequently returned to an origin before moving back to draw the next line. The same thing happened both when I used the file as imported (left) and with the compound path released (right). Also, the various parts of the drawing were slightly misaligned. I thought that the "return to origin" mainly occurred in the blue colour used for the holes for hinges, grab-rails and handles and that perhaps it was due to the holes being too close to the lines, but with closer examination of the scanned images, I am not so sure. Anyway, I then exported the file with the DEWPolyline option enabled and this resolved the issue, as seen in the bottom two drawings. There does not seem to be any difference between cutting the file as imported, or with the compound paths released. In the lower drawings, the thin lines are caused because the pen I was using was lightly touching the paper - you can see the path taken in making the drawing. When I tried with the ROBOcraft option enabled, the misalignment of shapes occurred again. I then cut the shapes in 10 thou plasticard and am very happy with the result. Thus, contrary to one of my earlier posts, it seems that the export to DXF must be done with DWPolyline enabled. The latest Studio 3 program is very good, with the ability to vary the order for cutting different colours and for for setting different cutting parameters for different colours. See my next post for some exciting news about CutWizard. Mick

Hello Jon, Your questions got me thinking, as I too was wondering how close you can cut to the edge of the A4 sheet. Previously, I had done a cut which lost the top edge (on a landscape drawing). I assume that you are using Inkscape and then converting the drawing to dwpolyline DXF format for opening and cutting in Silhouette Studio 3? I think most people do this (if they aren't suing a CAD program they are already familiar with). I created a grid of 4 straight lines at 5mm intervals on each edge of the sheet, starting at the very edge (see also the answer to your question on grids). I then exported this as a DXF file to Studio and then used the pen holder to draw the lines. This suggested that the Portrait cutter cuts to the limits shown on the Studio drawing pad on the longer sides, but the shorter side starts cutting about half way on the arrow on the backing sheet. Remember that the protrait only cuts to 8 inches wide (slightly smaller than A4). For different scoring profiles, you can use different colours for the different requirements. Jason has usefully show how to do this in his thread on building a class 114 (see the last three or so pages). Then, when you have the drawing in Studio 3, choose the advanced cut mode for setting the cutting settings; then, for the cut order, you can turn on or off the various colours and you can create your own material types for each type of cutting/scribing you want to do, and set different values for the speed, thickness and double cut for each of the materials. You can also put a pause between each colour, allowing you to make any necessary changes to the blade depth before cutting the next colour. On the issue of grids, in Inkscape, the grid can be set in the document properties on the file tab and you can go as small as you like for both the horizontal and vertical lines of the grid (is 0.1 px small enough?). Mick

I wonder whether it is the preferences section of Studio which is wrong? On the edit menu, select "preferences" then open "import options" and check the DXF import section. I think that the default is "fit to page", which will make the design too big. I find that I need to use "centered" in order to get the design the same size (this is opening the DXF output from Inkscape - the "as is" option puts the design off the page). Does this help? Mick

Hello Jason, I am on the Inkscape Users mailing list, so I got info about the update to Inkscape - waiting with bated breath for the next version. I tried the link you suggested for a converter, but there was no output and I couldn't find an alternative suitable free converter. As you say, I think it is an issue in Inkscape. Anyway, the problem with the panelling end disappeared when I deleted the line and redrew it, so that issue has been resolved and the rounded corners becoming square is solved by converting the rectangles to paths. I am now tidying up the colours in the drawing and will be able to do a test cut when I get home on Wednesday (our daughter has now produced our second lovely grandson). I have downloaded your files for the class 114 and will look at these for ideas to use (not that the prototype has any relevance to my 1912 LSWR interests. I have noted that in your SVG files, the lines are all .282mm wide, whereas I am using .100, as suggested very early in the tutorials. Does this make any difference? Mick

I have designed several coach sides by creating the initial drawings.in Autosketch v.5.03 and transferring DXF files (Autodesk R12/LT2 format) into Studio version 2. The curved corners of windows and panels were rendered correctly in Studio v.2.9.45 and I have successfully cut these on my Portrait machine After updating to Studio version 3.0.417, however, I now find that the corners are rendered as diagonal cuts, as shown below (same initial file in each case): Has anyone else experienced this and does anyone have any suggestion for a way ahead? For the time being I shall have to continue using v2 but that means missing some potentially useful functions in v3. Incidentally, Silhouette seem to have some network problems, as my latest request resulted in seven messages by return, each stating "Your message To: Support : Re: DXF file import problem .... was deleted without being read ...". Mike I had a slightly different result to Mike. Being away from home, I have been preparing the artwork (in Inkscape) for my first panelled coach, an LSWR 30ft PBV. I had just about finished the first draft, so I converted it to a dxf file and imported it into Silhouette Studio. Rather than the diagonal lines in Mikes file, I found that all the circular corners had been rendered as squares. However, I noticed that the door ventilators, which for the LSWR have rounded top corners and square bottom corners, had been correctly rendered. Checking the drawing, I found that to convert from a rounded rectangle to one with square bottom corners, I had first had to convert the rectangle (object) to a path. I think I noticed in a post on one of the threads that Jason had indicated that it is necessary to do this to get correct rendering. I thus created a test file consisting of a rectangle with square corners; one with rounded corners; one with rounded corners (but converted this object to a path); and one with the rounded corners converted to a path with the bottom corners made square (as on the LSWR vents). I then saved this four times as a dxf file, using the various combinations of options in the Inkscape dxf conversion. This confirmed that the unconverted rounded-corner rectangle displayed as a square-cornered rectangle, but that one converted to a path displayed correctly in Studio. However, I found that if the LWPOLYLINE box is ticked on the dxf saving dialogue, then a horizontal line is also drawn between the two side nodes on the rounded corners. I can't see any difference between the ROBO setting and the plain one. Thus it seems that when exporting a file from Inkscape to dxf format, it is necessary to ensure that rounded objects are converted to paths and that the lwpolyline box is not ticked. I have also found that opening the dxf file in Inkscape gives the same result as in Studio, but with one interesting and useful difference. When Inkscape opens the dxf file, all objects are converted to a series of lines - eg the rounded rectangle consists of four straight lines and the four rounded corners; and the ordinary rectangle consists of four straight lines. This should help to achieve Jason's method of using a different colour for each portion of a path in order to ensure that cut corners really are square, rather than slightly rounded. I have two issues I need to resolve in the drawing - the vents have slightly rounded instead of square corners, but I have found how to correct this - the two nodes at each corner need to be joined as a single node, which is then converted to a "corner" node and dragged to the correct position (thank goodness for being able to create the object just once and then duplicate it for the other parts of the side). The other issue I haven't yet resolved is that the upper edge of the end panelling (the roof is elliptical) doesn't display properly in Studio or Inkscape when opening the dxf file, as the sharper curve where the roof meets the side renders either as a straight line or with the wrong curvature. Further investigation needed here. Back to resolving this problem and general tidying up of the drawing. BTW - although the check for newer versions of the Studio software reports no updates, if fact there was a new version (3.1.147ss) issued on 4th August and available on the SilhouetteAmerica website. Mick test.svg

Yolo.co.uk list the new holder at £8.33 plus VAT, but it is out of stock. Yolo say that it is due in stock in early September, but they don't yet have a date. Mick

There are several interesting threads including outputs from the cutters - try putting "silhouette", "cameo", "portrait", or "inkscape" into the RMWeb search engine.

No - I am using a diamond dresser tool, as suggested by Mike Oxon in posts 577 and (previously) 541. I found it difficult to grip the round shaft of the scriber with the two set screws (as shown in post 541), so my first task with the cutter was to cut some plasticard washers (3 off 20 thou) to hold the scriber centrally in the pen-holder. However, I am thinking of getting the Amy Chomas scriber, but I haven't yet painted the scribed sheets to see how effective the scribing is. Jon - it seems not. Create the drawing in Inkscape (a free program which is fairly intuitive to learn - there is a great tutorial by Mike Trice here) and save the final version as a DXF file (in the dialogue box you need to use ROBO-Master). Silhouette Studio can then open this file, and as noted above, you can incorporate different colour lines for the different cutting/scribing modes. Using Studio allows you more control over the cutting process (speed and double cut) than using Inkscape to do the cutting. Mick

I am away in Northern Ireland at present, waiting for our daughter to give birth to our second grandchildm so I am not sure when I will get home. I am still working on the structures when home and plan to post some photos when I get a bit further. However, here is the kit of parts for the station building. The walls were over a foot thick, so I have used quite a few layers of 20 thou to give sufficient relief to the windows and doorways. The main walls were clad with planking, so the scriber saw great use. here is also 5050's model of the station, as seen in this thread Mick

Forget my recent post - I have now realised that I have been making models of buildings, which are too large to fit on a single sheet of plasticard, so that I have created separate layers in Inkscape for each of the sheets I needed and then deleted all the layers except the one I wanted to cut before creating the DXF file to go to the Silhouette program for cutting. I did indeed use different colours for lines to be scribed and those to be cut. I have cut some covered wagons for the Tramways of the Correze and here I used different layers for the 20 thou and 10 thou sheets, but I now see that I could have used a single layer and used a different colour again for the 10 thou cutting lines as opposed to the 20 thou cutting lines. In Studio, I have set up different options in the "material type" (score 20 thou, cut 20 thou, and cut 10 thou) on the "cut settings" page Studio for the various colours used. Each of these material types then has the relevant cut settings set up for blade setting, thickness and double cut, so that I just have to select the relevant material type (and install the blade or the scriber as appropriate) and Studio does the rest. Mick

Does anyone use the Silhouette Studio Designer program (the paid add-on to the Studio software)? The blurb says that it will import SVG files and can deal with layers, cutting each layer separately. I am finding it a bit of a pain to create the layers in Inkscape and then save each layer separately as a DXF file to be imported into Studio (which sometimes adds a spurious box shape in the design file). If the import of the SVG file into Studio Designer Edition works OK, then the £25.49 (after Yolo's discount) would be worth it. Mick

Reduced Price on Silhouette Cutters (and all accessories) Yolo is celebrating their change of name to Yolo Creations by offering 15% off all purchases until midnight on Friday 22nd August. The Portrait is already cheap at £125 (with free delivery), so with the reduction it becomes about £106. The Cameo becomes about £230 with free delivery. Thus for anyone waivering about a purchase, now could be the time to take the plunge. The website is at www.yolo.co.uk. Enter the code CREATIVE at the checkout. Mick Ralph

There is a reference to use of a cutter in one of the "mainstream" French magazines. The latest issue of Voie Libre includes an article on building a De Dion Bouton railcar, some of the parts for which were cut on a Craft Robo cutter. There are no details of the process - perhaps there is to be a follow-up article in due course - but there is the following explanation: This is the railcar, but the window frames/bolections were not cut on the cutter, but were added by cementingquarter-round rod to the sides (which consist of three laminations) I can recommend the magazine to all who are interested in narrow gauge lines. It is published quarterly in hard copy on the bookstands and also as an electronic version, in English. The standard of modelling is excellent and the layouts shown come from all over Europe. The website is at www.voielibre.com I am currently experimenting to cut out the parts for my first model - one of the stations on the Tramways of the Correze, a French metre-gauge line. I hope to be able to post a photo when I have succeeded in cutting and laminating the parts - the walls are over a foot thick, so that I need to laminate about 10 thicknesses of 20 thou plasticard to give the depth for the door and windows - I am modelling it in 1:55 scale (5.5mm/foot) Mick

I have just taken delivery of a new Silhouette Portrait and I am trying to set it up to print direct from Inkscape. I have installed the Silhouette Portrait driver and will be able to print direct, but I would like the extra facilities provided by the controller, such as setting the speed and thickness. Prior to buying the Portrait, I borrowed a Silhouette SD, which was recognised as a Graphtec CC330L; the Craft ROBO Controller installed from ROBOv51 provided a "Controller" button on the print preferences dialogue for this cutter. However, the Portrait is installed as Silhouette Portrait and the ROBOv51 software does not recognise this cutter and does not provide the "Controller" button. Likewise, the Pepakura Cameo Viewer does not provide the button (Tama Sotware does say that it doesn't support the Portrait}. There was discussion of this on page 4, where Jason showed that he has the button available, but he has the Cameo machine. Has anyone worked out how to get the functionality of the "Controller" button for the Portrait? Have I missed something? Mick Ralph

Thanks for the responses. I had not thought of duplicating the design for a second cut - shows the benefits of the forum! I did try cutting for a second time, but for some reason the two cuts were not aligned. The plastic was firmly attached, so I think that it may have been because it ran the alignment check between the cuts - I didn't unclick the box in Controller. I clearly need to run some more tests; and follow the other tutorials - I have made a few panelled coaches in the past by the David Jenkinson/Geoff Kent methods, but the ability of the Silhouette to prepare the panelling so precisely is amazing. I am off to the Correze for a month shortly, taking the cutter with me and I hope to come back with some stock and buildings made. The TC had some lovely stock and infrastructure. I will post some photos in due course. Thanks again for the encouragement of the tutorials. Mick

I have borrowed a Silhouette SD (similar to the Portrait) to assess the cutter with a view to buying one. I have been through Mike's tutorial in this thread and also that by Jason using the Silhouette software. I have cut the two designs (so I will have two sheds for my LSWR layout when I build it) as in the tutorials. The Silhouette programme has cut through the 10 thou and almost through the 20 thou, using the setting for "cut twice", but printing direct from Inkscape via the driver and CraftROBO Controller has effectively only scored the surface on both thicknesses, so that I will have to score again by hand before snapping the designs. This is because the cutter only cut once and I can't see an option for cutting twice. Is there a way of cutting twice direct from Inkscape, or should I convert to a DFX file and load into the Silhouette program and cut from there? Now to start the artwork for a station from the Tramways of the Correze and some vans and coaches. Mick Ralph