Creating cut line on text with border

[Jodean]

Im sure this is relatively simple, but bear with me i havent used illistrator since college 20 years ago. I am using corel x8 now but its pretty similar.

Im trying to create lettering with diamond plate fill, and want a white border about 4pt then i want to cut outside that white border.

I cant for the life of me after watching every you tube video figure out how to do this, i thought i finally had it then i didnt see that it put cut contour lines at the actual letter border as well, so it cut the letter and outside the white border.....

Then for sure thought i had it....and it removed the internal cut lines inside the R and a......this pic doesnt have the diamond plate fill yet but similar as wanting to cut the letter with a white 4pt border

added the diamond plate letter, thought that was it but it still doesnt cut right

Just need a little help

 

[equippaint]

Try the contour tool. Its on the left about 3/4 down and the icon is a box in a box in a box. Select your existing cutline that you have, then the contour tool, then up at the top click outside contour. Youll be able to adjust the offset from there. Once you have it hit ctrl+k and youll have your offset that you want. Hairline stroke with your cutcontour color.

 

[pinkiss]

not familiar with corel, but if understand correctly isnt there way to say do like layer cutting passing the offest as first print then running again over same area just removing offset. sort of like youd do few layer design,first pass main layer then bring cutting area to same spot and run different layer or just delete parts that arent needed. might be off topic on the question thou, other way i see you need to remove outline from letters and just merge offset with lettering to get that white space..

 

[equippaint]

Another way is to copy the object, add a stroke to get the offset that you want, convert outline to object, weld the 2 together, then hairline stroke with your cut contour spot and empty fill

 

[unclebun]

Try the contour tool. Its on the left about 3/4 down and the icon is a box in a box in a box. Select your existing cutline that you have, then the contour tool, then up at the top click outside contour. Youll be able to adjust the offset from there. Once you have it hit ctrl+k and youll have your offset that you want. Hairline stroke with your cutcontour color.

This is the correct method.