Printing 2D Models To Scale

[jmdodd95682]

I've noticed that when I print a 2D model I've created in VCarve the output is not to scale. In this case I have a 2D model
which is about 6" long and 3" wide, so when printed would easily fit on a standard piece of paper. Oddly, the tool does not print
this to scale. Its approximately 90% of scale. Is there any way to get VCarve to print to scale? This is sometimes a useful thing
to have so you can test the size of your model in the real-world environment it will be used in once you actually carve it.

[jmdodd95682]

I actually found a workaround for this. I can print to PDF, then load it into Adobe Acrobat, which has the ability to print to "Actual Size".
This seems to print to exact scale. However, the lines are so faint that it is nearly invisible on the paper. Still, it does seem to work.

It would be nice if there was a way in VCarve to print to actual size.

[ohiolyons]

Is the scale option on your print dialog say 100% ?

[Adrian]

I actually found a workaround for this. I can print to PDF, then load it into Adobe Acrobat, which has the ability to print to "Actual Size".
This seems to print to exact scale. However, the lines are so faint that it is nearly invisible on the paper. Still, it does seem to work.

It would be nice if there was a way in VCarve to print to actual size.

You need to change your settings in Acrobat if the lines are faint. Adjust the rendering options in Edit/Preferences/Page Display

The print function in VCarve was never designed to print to scale, it's been explained many times by Vectric staff here over the years. You adjust the size of the print by zooming in and out on the 2D window.

The PDF export is the preferred way to print to scale (used to be that you had to export as EPS and import that into a PDF reader) with using a pen plotter and toolpath output being another.

[Tex_Lawrence]

Whoa! Its a good thing Adrian's got such a looonnnggg memory.

Someone said Adrian can remember when one had to chip out gcode with a chisel!

[Kitwn]

I'm a little late to this party but having spent some time trying to print to scale and having worked out how to use the PDF export feature for actual size prints I thought I'd share my method for anyone else who's search brings them here. This works for drawings which must tile over several pages.

First create a temporary, new sheet in Vcarve which is just big enough to contain what you want to print. This will save paper. Copy your required objects to it.
Export the PDF.
I use the free Adobe Acrobat DC software for printing.
Open the PDF in Acrobat and click the print icon.
Select the 'Poster' option, set the scale to 100% and tick the 'Cut Marks' box. The poster option is specifically for tiling over several pages.
The resulting print will be actual size with crosses to indicate where the overlaps are between the sheets. Easy! You even get to play with scissors and sellotape.

[Kitwn]

Re my previous post:
I've just used the same trick again but tried resizing an existing sheet. Sadly this resized every sheet and my attempts to get back where I had started resulted in every object on a multi-sheet design being moved. As I'm only part way through cutting the job this might have lead to tears.

It was the "every toolpath will have to be modified" warning that led me to discovering this. I clicked 'NO' (Arggghhhhh!!! 'NOOOOO!!!')
After measuring the error I had created and moving everything back to where it should be I was able to use the alignment of objects and the previously created toolpaths to confirm everything really was back where it belongs and have now stopped panicking.

I will need to do some more playing with sheets and how to modify one independently of the others (which is what I though happened anyway but obviously not) but would now advise making a copy of your entire project and butchering that for any print jobs you want to do. Either that or print from the original sheet size and just put any resulting blank sheets back in the printer!

[martin54]

but would now advise making a copy of your entire project and butchering that for any print jobs you want to do. Either that or print from the original sheet size and just put any resulting blank sheets back in the printer!

Your other option would be not to save the file once you start making changes if it is just to print the artwork, if you don't save any of the changes then it won't affect the file at all. If I do need to save anything & don't want to alter the original file then I use the save as function & add a number to the file name so it saves as a different file that is easy for me to delete once I am finished.