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View Full Version : How to introduce a gap in a power clipped grid



Ernie Martinez
10-16-2012, 5:55 PM
I'm engraving some 4.25" tiles but there is a 1/16" gap in between the tiles. I've created a 4 x 4 grid inserted an image over all 4 and power clipped them. Rather than manually separating the tiles, is there a fancy dancy way to introduce the gap automatically in Corel?

Mark Sipes
10-16-2012, 6:10 PM
Are you going to laser all 4 at the same time?

Ernie Martinez
10-16-2012, 6:25 PM
Well this was just a test. In real life I may have dozens of tile, so I would lay out the entire job on a page, then "Print" sections at a time, so I guess the short answer is yes, I would be engraving multiple tiles simultaneously, but they would be a sub-set of a larger set.

George Carlson
10-16-2012, 8:43 PM
Would it work if you made your grid 4-1/16 x 4-1/16? That would give you a 1/32" bleed on all edges. It would take care of the proper spacing and the bleed would relax the tolorances a bit. 1/16 is a very tiny grout line, are the tiles rectified?

Ernie Martinez
10-16-2012, 9:03 PM
That wouldn't quite work, since what I want to do is power clip the image over the grid, If I make the tiles larger to accomodate the gap, my image would be clipped in the gap. What I need to do is introduce the gap AFTER the grid has been power clipped. I can do it manually by just setting my nudge factor to the gap I want and nudge all the tiles apart one at a time. I was just hoping there was a macro that I could automate the nudge. 1/16" was just a quesstimate, could be an 1/8". I don't know what rectified is. Each tile has two bumps on each edge which creates the space, if thats what you're referring to.

This would be a non issue if I did the tiles 1 at a time and based them from the same origin, but since I plan on doing x number of tiles at a time then the origin of each tile relative to the table is important.

Martin Boekers
10-17-2012, 9:54 AM
Try setting up the two grids, Power clip the image into the first grid, then power clip that into the larger grid.
Sounds a bit confusing but I think it will get you there.

Ernie Martinez
10-17-2012, 12:15 PM
I think I follow, but wouldn't it then engrave the first grid?

Martin Boekers
10-17-2012, 12:58 PM
I think I follow, but wouldn't it then engrave the first grid?

the Corel file was to large to post so I had to lower the resolution in PDF form.

First Step I took I made a grid of 2" squares and power clipped the shield into it,

Second step I made a grid with 2" squares and put .25" space between them.

Third step I power Clipped the First group into the second group (with the spacing)

Fourth I went into the final grouping and edited it (right click on the second group and
choose edit from the drop down menu)

In the edit mode I moved the graphic into position, then turned the outline to "none"
so it became invisible.

Right click again and choose "finish editing this level"

This seems to be a big proceedure, but it is quick and easy, if this is what you are trying to achieve.

Hope this helps.



Hmmm now looking over it, You probably can just make the grid with spaces, group all squares and power clip the graphic into it.. :)

Ernie Martinez
10-17-2012, 1:11 PM
Thanks all. I think it's just easier to nudge my grid apart.

Mark Sipes
10-17-2012, 1:27 PM
Is this the look you are looking for ?????? or is this the look you need ?

Martin Boekers
10-17-2012, 1:32 PM
You can use the Transform docker, in positioning instead of nudgeing.

Ernie Martinez
10-17-2012, 1:32 PM
Yep. thats it. I have no problem achieving it, my issue was automating the separation of the tiles. I'm currently just nudging them manually now.

Avraham Monina
10-26-2012, 5:34 PM
You know what would be really awesome? if someone made a macro for mural, where you can select the over all size, tile size, gap size and hit GO.

Duncan Crawford
10-29-2012, 10:48 AM
You know what would be really awesome? if someone made a macro for mural, where you can select the over all size, tile size, gap size and hit GO.

Might be worth looking at an application called Perfect Resize, from onOnesofwaredotcom. That lets you break up your image, specify overlaps/gaps, and gives you individual files. You'll still need to process those for engraving, but you'll get tiles...

duncan