ozthedog

"Path > Object to Path, before exporting, then in Studio selecting all objects and going to Object > Release Compound Path" - Will do. I have now found the printer drivers on the installation disc and after installation there is an icon named as "USB Printing Support" with the following properties. However this icon is in the "Unspecified" section of Devices and Printers not in the printers section. Inkscape is only seeing those devices in the printers section. I cannot find a way to transfer this to the Printers section. Any advice from those with more knowledge of the vagaries of Windows 7? Thanks Keith

Thanks BG John. I was saving in pixels and also had the "use ROBO-master type of spline output checked". Changing to px and unticking box gives correct sizes in Studio. Keith

My Portrait cutter arrived last week and I have managed to sucessfully cut a prototype window frame that is considerably better than my efforts to handbuild from Evergreen strips. Also in a fraction of the the time. This magnification is brutal in showing defects. I achieved this by designing the cutting pattern on Inkscape, exporting the file as a DXF and importing this into the Silhouette Studio library before opening the dxf file from the library, re-sizing and printing to the Portrait from Studio. Two questions: When I opened the file in studio the window size had increased about 3 times and I had to re-size it back to 12 x 25mm before printing. How can I prevent this increase in size on importing? I would prefer to print direct from Inkscape but when I go to the print dropdown menu on Inkscape neither the Portrait nor Graphtec Craft Robo appear as a printer option to select. I have tried to add a printer but when I search neither printer is found. Looking in Printers and Devices in Control Panel nothing is listed there and again searching via this option does not find the Portrait. I have tried to find a Portrait printer driver on Silhouette America but without success. I assume the Studio software must be driving the Portrait. I am using Windows 7, the latest Studio ffrom Silhouette's website and the latest Inkscape.0.9. Any advice gratefully received. Thanks Keith

Having read 51 pages of JCL's Guide to the Silhouette Cameo Cutter and worked through the coal shed tutorial here I have now decided to buy a Portrait cutter. Many thanks to all who have contributed. I found the tutorial an excellent way to learn Inkscape. I have started building from scratch all the buildings for a new model of Wallingford and was intending to prepare an etch for the windows. Never having designed an etch before I was somewhat dubious as to what my success would have been. The versatily that these two forum threads have demonstrated for the Silhouette cutter inspires confidence that it will be much more successful than etches because if its not right the first time a repeat does not cost much. I have also made the brickwork for the signal box from card using the Pendon technique of imprinting it before painting the bricks. It gives a beautiful result as the watercolour paints are so realistic. However it is a real pain having to imprint the card with the brickwork using ground down scalpel blades. I hope to have a go by scoring with the Silhouette. The order will be placed with YOLO this weekend. Particular thanks to Mike and Jason as I think these 2 threads have made a great contribution to the hobby. Keith

I find ballasting mind numbingly boring but for some reason extremely relaxing. The problem of adding a water/PVA mix directly onto Woodland Scenics ballast is a consequence of the surface tension of the water pushing the light particles of ballast around. I overcome this by pre-wetting the ballast with isopropyl alchol diluted 50% with water. Just put drops onto the sleepers and it runs into the ballast without disturbing the ballast. Then follow with 25%PVA containing a drop of washing up liquid and the next day everything is dry and set solid. Isopropyl alcohol was bought on eBay for about £5/litre. Its good for cleaning rails as well. Cheers Keith