A little help with my new PCUT and the SB Software?

[Quig 0]

I recently picked up a new Pcut 25 off ebay and am pretty pleased with it but I'm having a couple issues... I'd really appreciate any suggestoins you all may have.

First, I'm attempting to cut some stickers with the font 'Due Date'. http://desktoppub.about.com/library/fonts/dd/uc_duedate.htm The cutter is handling it ok but with all those jagged little edges and some of the small pieces that hang off the text I'd like to clean it up some to simplify the cut and speed things up some. I'm a total rookie with the SignBlazer Elements software and can't figure out how to remove some of those tiny little pieces (which will be very hard to see in that link but are quite visible when the text is large). With the old software I used I could simply 'ungroup' everthign and select any individual little part and alter or delete it if necessary. I assume SB has this capability but I can't figure out how to do it...

Second, last night when test cutting we noticed the cutter going over the cut twice. Did we unknowingly put 2 pieces of text over the top of each other or what? It doesn't seem to me that the cutter would need to go over everything twice but it did.

Third, (I'm sure this is the easy one....) How do I turn off the 'weeding border' that the cutter is cutting around my work area? I'd rather it not do that...

Thanks very much in advance for any advice. I hope to become MUCH more proficient with my new cutter... 

[freemane1 0]

They say to set your offset to 25 which I did and really don't have an issue like that. As far  as your other question when you go into cut the weed box is in the lower left corner just uncheck one or both.

[Quig 0]

They say to set your offset to 25 which I did and really don't have an issue like that. As far  as your other question when you go into cut the weed box is in the lower left corner just uncheck one or both.

Where do I change the 'offset'?

Sorry, I know it's probably another rookie question. 

I knew the 'weed box' would be an easy one.

Thanks!

[kenimes 42]

Offset is changed in the Setup screen where you select the cutter and connection.

[Quig 0]

Offset is changed in the Setup screen where you select the cutter and connection.

Great. 

Sorry to bug you guys with simple quesitons but I sure appreciate the help!

If that change in offest doesn't help is there a way to un-group the text and edit little tiny peices or no?

[Jay2703 704]

It sounds like the issue is more with the font than the offset. There are all kinds of little pieces hanging off the letters. One thing you could try is select your text and do an Arrange + Convert to Curves. (like it sounds it converts the text to curve elements) Then use the Node Edit function and you can clean up some of the junk. You can select and delete individual nodes or trap around them. After converting to curves, Arrange + Split Objects is another thing. That would work like you were talking about with the Ungroup where you can select things to delete.

[Quig 0]

It sounds like the issue is more with the font than the offset. There are all kinds of little pieces hanging off the letters. One thing you could try is select your text and do an Arrange + Convert to Curves. (like it sounds it converts the text to curve elements) Then use the Node Edit function and you can clean up some of the junk. You can select and delete individual nodes or trap around them. After converting to curves, Arrange + Split Objects is another thing. That would work like you were talking about with the Ungroup where you can select things to delete.

I agree the text is 98% of the problem. What you're suggesting sounds exactly like what I'm talking about... I'll give that a try.

Thanks again everyone.

[Quig 0]

Wow... I just got through editing that text and am now cutting a series of stickers with that text. The node edit worked wonders. I did have to simplify the text some but it's turning out waaaaaaaay better and also is cutting significantly faster.

Thanks for the help!!!!