Rounding corners for cut vinyl

[mikeinpdx]

I've used Effects>Stylize>Round Corners when I've got artwork with sharp corners that aren't going to cut cleanly. But it doesn't recognize really sharp corners like in the screenshot.

Is there a way to get the effect to work with bends like this as well, or does it just need to be fixed manually?

 

[J Hill Designs]

try to use the 'convert anchor point' thing on nodes that it wont work on

edit: i guess it might not work on bezier curves...converting it using the tool turns it into a straight line

 

[mpn]

Add an anchor point manually and put a small curve to it?

 

[MikePro]

i usually use a fillet tool via my Omega Composer or EnRoute, on the production-end. Which also allows me to specify inner/outer corners.

but, when I do use illustrator for this, i usually just offset path-rounded.
something along the lines of: offset path -.063, and then offset that new path +.063 rounded to obtain your final path.
(values t.b.d., i usually just play with #'s until i get what I'm looking for since I'm in scaled artwork)

 

[Malkin]

My technique is to set an inline (negative offset path) equal to the radius you wish to end up with on the corners. Then select that new line and set a positive offset path in the same amount and be sure to choose ROUND joins. Delete the original path and the temporary inset path and it should be set to go.

 

[mikeinpdx]

Thanks!

Thanks, everyone! I'll give these suggestions a try.

In the meantime, I did some searching around and found some scripts that will do a good bit automatically. Looks pretty good so far. Check out the "round corners" script at http://shspage.com/aijs/en/#usage1

 

[toomeycustoms]

The latest version of Illustrator(17.1) has a new widget that deals with this - http://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/reshape-with-live-corners.html .

 

[The Vector Doctor]

The latest version of Illustrator(17.1) has a new widget that deals with this - http://helpx.adobe.com/illustrator/using/reshape-with-live-corners.html .

Yes the new rounding corner works incredibly well. Probably the best single update they added to illustrator in a while. The adobe function is really useful when you want a bit more control plus it is editable. You can go back in and change those corners on the fly and watch it happen in real time


I have not tried the rounding script from the script listed on that other webpage but have had great success with this script too. It is better when you want to apply the rounding to every single point at once.

http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/exchange/index.cfm?event=extensionDetail&extid=1045709

 

[mikeinpdx]

http://www.adobe.com/cfusion/exchange/index.cfm?event=extensionDetail&extid=1045709[/URL]

Yep, same guy, same script, different webpage

 

[TammieH]

My technique is to set an inline (negative offset path) equal to the radius you wish to end up with on the corners. Then select that new line and set a positive offset path in the same amount and be sure to choose ROUND joins. Delete the original path and the temporary inset path and it should be set to go.

+1, Exactly!