http://wiki.makespace.org/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Equipment%2FInkscapeTips1Equipment/InkscapeTips1 - Revision history2026-05-29T20:57:31ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.22.6http://wiki.makespace.org/index.php?title=Equipment/InkscapeTips1&diff=3933&oldid=prevMat-c: created2014-03-30T02:14:25Z<p>created</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>How to make the MakeSpace 41mm spacer<br />
<br />
41mm is the distance from the top of your laser sheet to the indicator plastic on the laser lens, for best laser focus.<br />
<br />
Start up Inkscape. I'm using Windows and Inkscape 0.48.<br />
<br />
File->Document Properties->Page tab<br />
*Set the Default units to mm (this makes the rest of inkscape sane to use)<br />
*Set the Custom Size to mm (it shows 210 x 297mm by default, A4 portrait)<br />
<br />
File->Document Properties still, now choose Grids tab <br />
*change grid units to mm<br />
*Spacing X,Y should be 1<br />
*Major line every 10<br />
*close the window<br />
<br />
Tips while you go:<br />
*'#' to turn grid on and off<br />
*mouse wheel to zoom in and out (I think!)<br />
<br />
<br />
Click the blue rectange on the left (or press F4)<br />
*left-click-drag to draw it onto your sheet. The size is shown bottom middle of the screen, but don't worry about it overly.<br />
<br />
Select the arrow tool (or press F1) to go back to selection mode<br />
*left-click your rectangle to select it<br />
*move it by left-click-dragging when you see the hand icon<br />
*when it is selected, at the top of the screen you can adjust W and H to make it 41mm in each dimension<br />
*X,Y is the position on the page, relative to bottom left<br />
<br />
Next<br />
*outline mode? notes about edge effects<br />
*notes about objects as editable entities vs lines and curves<br />
*creating text<br />
*converting to path<br />
*notes about laser thickness<br />
*saving</div>Mat-c