CyberSultan

No problem. Glad that is going to work for you.

I would think that would work.

Don't believe they are available in the Elements version. Pro version probably has them.

This will work for you: 1. Open in Inkscape. 2. Remove Fill from image and add light stroke to image (i.e. 0.5px) 3. Make duplicate of image. 4. Using duplicate image (and in Node mode), create Inset (Path|Inset). The default is 2px each time you use Inset, so repeat as many times as needed. 5. Now use the alignment tools to center the Inset line with the original. Group together.

On my Copam, I have the blade just BARELY sticking out. Vinyl is not very thick.

Looks like some areas are curved, while others can be avoided by started with a thin stroke on the outside before you do the fill to create the inner stroke. I also found better results when I made the image larger on my screen before doing the fill feature. Any other curved lines can be edited fairly easily by using the node tool. Once you get that tool down, it's pretty easy to use.

Just take your image in Inkscape, remove the fill, add a stroke around the vector image, then create a new fill (with the fill bucket icon) using the "Grow/shrink by" settings (on the toolbar) with a negative value (i.e. 5pt). This will create a line inside the image. This fill feature bases the quality of the result off the size of the image it can see on the screen, so make sure your window is maximized and the image fills the screen. This will provide the best result.

Is this what you are looking for? http://forum.uscutter.com/index.php/topic,6013.msg40314.html#msg40314 If so, it is pretty easy to do. Just take your image in Inkscape, remove the fill, add a stroke around the vector image, then create a new fill (with the fill bucket icon) using the "Grow/shrink by" settings (on the toolbar) with a negative value (i.e. 5pt). This will create a line inside the image. This fill feature bases the quality of the result off the size of the image it can see on the screen, so make sure your window is maximized and the image fills the screen. This will provide the best result. Maybe there is a better way, but it takes only a few seconds to do this way.

I guess I'm not understanding what you are looking for. You don't want it to cut on both sides of each line? You just want it to cut two lines total (the inside and the outside lines)? If so, see if this is what you are looking for. arrow.svg arrow.svg

Something like this? Edit: Reattached image - forgot to expand strokes to paths. arrow_outline.svg arrow_outline.svg

I drew this up for you tonight. I think it's close. See if this works for you. Flag.svg Flag.svg

Here is how you outline an object in Inkscape. Ready? 1. Open vector image in Inkscape and make duplicate of original image (copy/paste). That way you can work on the duplicate image. 2. Choose View|Display Mode|Outline. This makes it easier to do the following steps. 3. Select duplicate image, then choose Path|Break Apart. 4. Choose the node selector (Edit paths by nodes (F2) ). 5. Select outside line of vector image. 6. Copy/paste the selected outside line. Keep this selected for all the following steps. 7. Choose View|Display Mode|Normal. The outlined image should look completely filled in. 8. Choose Object|Fill and Stroke (Ctrl + Shift + F). 9. On Fill tab, choose No Paint icon (X). 10. On Stroke Paint tab, choose Flat Color icon. 11. On Stroke Style tab, set desired Width (i.e. 12px). 12. Set Outset by selecting Path|Outset. This will move the selected line outward from the current position. 13. Turn the stroke into a path by selecting Path|Stroke to Path. 14. Position the outline around the original object. You can use alignment tools to get it just right. 15. Select all components of the final image and choose Path|Union.

See if this works for you. I had to use Illustrator to do it. 1. Opened up in Illustrator and made a copy to work from (so I could keep original intact). 2. Converted copy to an outline using Pathfinder (Pathfinder -> Outline) 3. Selected outer line only 4. Created offset using Effect|Path|Offset (used offset of 20pt) 5. Increased stroke weight of offset line to 12pt 6. Duplicated offset line (Copy/Paste) in order to create an isolated copy of the new offset line 7. Overlaid offset line on original drawing 8. Expanded appearance of offset line (Object|Expand|Appearance) 9. Select offset line and original drawing and group together. Once I figured out how to do it, repeating the process only took a minute to do. Hope this helps. Edit: Figured out how to do this in Inkscape. See next post. skull4_outline.svg skull4_outline.svg

Trying to figure this out. But in the meantime, you may want to try an affect that I do know about using Inkscape. You can use the Fill feature, but set the "Grow/shrink by" in the toolbar. Setting a negative number will allow you to fill the picture, but to leave a gap between the outer edge of the fill area and the fill itself. I tried it on your graphic...and it created a cool affect. I'll keep looking into the best way to do the outline trace, though. skull4_filled.svg skull4_filled.svg

Very nice. Glad to see the smiley worked out for you!

Can you post the vector image?

Any suggestions of what vinyl color(s) would work best on a back car window that is not tinted (advertising lettering)? I would imagine that white would stand out a bit and that black would be harder to see. Not sure about other colors, though. Thanks.

Thanks all! I appreciate the responses. Things stand out pretty well on tinted windows (as long as the vinyl is not too dark). I was just a little concerned with visibility on a non-tinted window.

My Copam just arrived! Whoo hooo! Now I just need to open it up and assemble.

Wonder if the gif files are large enough here that you could trace out the one you like: http://www.vectorart.com/store/index.cfm/Fire_Engine_Police_Department_Emergency_Services-Police_and_Sheriff_Dept_Badges_Symbols_73.htm

Welcome and happy cutting!

I wonder how they cleanup their file server of old files?

I haven't seen the SB people on here lately, either. Submitted a ticket (twice) to SB about 2 weeks ago without response. PM'd Bruce from SB a couple times as well without response.

I have cut avery and arlon, i got some fellers shinerite, and man that stuff weeded so sweet. i 'm sold. i mean it weeded so nice we thought we had mess up something, but every thing stay in place. I thought about trying that stuff, but wasn't sure how good it was. Have you made any fine/detailed cuts with it? I tried to make some detailed cuts on some sample Avery the other day, but it peeled up way too easy during cutting (does not stick to backing well enough). The larger cuts were just fine, just the Avery could not handle the finer cuts at all.