Odd cutting

[Tom Bachman]

Ok, I designed a pattern for a former student to use to make columns for his Craftsman style house. I'm not cutting the sides because my buddy is only 48 x 32, the columns are 55 7/8". I was able to do the design and tile the cutting to make the pattern. Then I mirrored the design so the seams of the two patterns were offset and I will glue the two together.

The problem came in the cutting, the columns are trapezoidal shaped with a trapezoidal window. The "legs" of the trap are not the same size (by design). One leg is 2 1/4" wide the other is supposed to be 3" wide. However in the cutting process, the one leg comes out just right...2 1/4" wide. The other however, is 1/4" narrow, 2 3/4 instead of the 3". There are two profile tool paths, inside and outside. So with the tiling there are 4 paths. I simply don't understand how it could be right on the side and off a 1/4" on the other.

Honestly, I have gone ahead and glued the patterns together and added a 1/4" strip on the edge that I was short. My main reason for posting is trying to understand and learn why it did this, so I can eliminate this again. it wasn't a big deal as the patterns were made from 1/4" masonite.....If it were a sheet of 3/4" Walnut of Cherry plywood it would have been a very expensive error.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[scottp55]

Tom,
Maybe post on Vectric Forum where you can post file? At least they can tell you whether it's in the design in the software or if the problem is elsewhere?
Is there a pic you have that might show the problem?
scott

[Tom Bachman]

Scott, yea I can get a picture. Thanks for the suggestion.

[Tom Bachman]

Solved my own problem. Never got over to the Vectric site.....but figured it out on my own.

When I designed the piece I grouped them together, but what I didn't understand was, that there were open vectors. Thus it thought one side of the line was the outside when in reality I wanted it to be inside, thus, a quarter inch off.

Once I ungrouped them and did a 'Join Vectors', I found the piece to be 'one piece' instead of several lines. Re-ran the tool path and everything was correct.