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Laura Zaruba
08-05-2005, 9:14 PM
Does anyone have a cdr jig file they would be willing to share for 15/16" wooden ball markers? I've been playing around with a few of them and can't seem to get them lined up just right to do a large batch precisely; it's kind of hit and miss and nothing is perfectly centered.

Thanks.

Shaddy Dedmore
08-05-2005, 9:26 PM
Don't have one... But I would either: 1 Buy some 1/4 or 1/2 poplar from home depot, use high power and a couple passes, and raster etch some filled circles for a template. or 2 use some thinner stock and laser cut out the circles and use it like that, or glue it to another piece of wood for a backer.

That way, you make the jig so you already have the corel template that's exactly right. Even if your home position or whatever is off, not in calibration, it won't matter.

Have you considered using wood markers? get some 1/16 or 3/32 wood sheets, etch and cut out. If you want double sided, leave the waste in place and flip over the discs and etch again.

Shaddy

Laura Zaruba
08-05-2005, 10:14 PM
Good idea...I think I will try to cut a hole for the stake part (or whatever you call it!) AND raster, maybe double pass, so the top can sit down a bit, that would probably help. Time to go back to Lowes!

I thought about making my own markers from sheets, but wondered if it would matter if it was completely flat? I'm no golfer but I know plenty so I should take a survey to see if it matters much. My huband said he prefers plastic over wood to begin with.

Michael McDuffie
08-05-2005, 10:18 PM
I've made quite a few pocket markers and wooden nickels and made a jig to hold them.

If I'm doing one or two, I send a vector circle to a piece of heavy paper and just center the wood in it.

For big batches, I made a jig from hardboard. If I did it again, I'd use thin plywood as it is stronger and cuts better. I created a master drawing with circles sized to the wood pieces and vectored it into the hardboard. On a new layer, I place the artwork and center it on the circles.

When making the master circles, draw one and Ctrl-D (duplicate) it across the page to the width of your machine. For instance, draw a 1" circle; set duplicate distance to 1.375 horizontal and 0 vertical and Ctrl-D away. When you have one row, set duplicate distance to 0 horizontal and -1.375 vertical. Select all objects and Ctrl-D again. You should now have a grid of circles. Vector it into the plywood and now you have a very repeatable jig.

To make a bunch of the same artwork, center the artwork in the first circle and Ctrl-D using the same settings. They will all be aligned to the jig perfectly. Make a few practice circles first as the wood I get varies in diameter a bit.

Michael

Laura Zaruba
08-05-2005, 11:03 PM
Michael:

Can you tell me where to set the duplicate settings? I knew there *had* to be something like this, I've been doing copy, paste, align, etc. Your way sounds SOOO much easier!

Mark Plotkin
08-06-2005, 3:21 AM
There is a CD set out by John and Judy McDaniel on basics for laser engaving. I took a three day class that was put on by my epilog dealer when I purchased my laser. The McDaniel's were the teachers and the cd's were given to the class when it was over. I have used them over and over and a lot of things like the templete you are working on are covered. I am not connected with them in anyway, but this cd set has been extreamly helpful and has helped me make a lot more money by having it than not. Some things were covered in the class, but I could not remember each step so being able to watch again are great.
The web site is
www.graphic-products-training.com (http://www.graphic-products-training.com) and phone is 541-967-4271.

Hope this helps!

Laura Zaruba
08-06-2005, 9:28 AM
Hi Mark. I'll look into that CD - thanks! :)

Michael McDuffie
08-06-2005, 2:17 PM
Michael:

Can you tell me where to set the duplicate settings? I knew there *had* to be something like this, I've been doing copy, paste, align, etc. Your way sounds SOOO much easier!

Laura, this is from the help file for CorelDraw9. I would think newer versions are much the same.

"You can specify the offset distances for duplicates and clones. Positive values result in offsets right and upward; negative values result in offsets left and downward.

To change the offset for duplicated and cloned objects

1. Click Tools, Options.
2. In the list of categories, click Workspace, Edit.
3. In the Duplicate Placement section, type offset values in the Horizontal and Vertical boxes.

Tip

· You can also use the Property Bar to change the default clone and duplicate offset.

(c) 1992 - 1999 Corel Corporation. All rights reserved."

What the tip means is that with nothing selected (i.e. click on a blank area), one of the menus on the property bar will show an X and Y with dimensions next to them. These are the default duplicate dimensions.

Along with the CDs mentioned and the web link, you should check out
http://www.unleash.com/
and
http://www.oberonplace.com/
Oberon has scripts automate some cool things such as fill the page with as many objects will fit given your settings.

Radit from
http://www.isocalc.com/cooltools/index.htm
will create clock faces and scales. I need to try some of the others from Isocalc.

Hope all of this helps rather than confuses.

Michael

PS Clones will change when you alter the parent, duplicates won't. I've never tried cloning.;)

Laura Zaruba
08-06-2005, 6:49 PM
Oooohhhh....cloning....that sounds like a neat option to work with! Wow, I really need to learn more about Corel! And just when I thought I knew it all :) Just kidding. Thanks so much!

Mike Mackenzie
08-08-2005, 1:57 PM
Laura,

There is an easier way go to ARRANGE/ TRANSFORMATIONS / POSITION. Just type in the distance you want to duplicate and click apply to duplicate. Its that easy.