Cutting Round Corners

[LARRY YEAGER]

I Am Carving A Top For A Box. I Need To Know How To Cut Out The Top With Round Corners.

[ChrisAlb]

Hi Larry and welcome to the forum,

While a little more detail in your question would help, the easiest answer is to just draw 4 straight lines and join them with arcs and then apply the cut path to it when you're done. See pictures.

The last picture shows you the little RED star you see when you join the ends of the lines.

Hope this helps.

[LARRY YEAGER]

Thanks for the help.

[pinefd]

Early on I had the same question, but finally figured it out myself. Yes, it would be nice if we had the ability to use the rectangle tool to draw a box, to help ensure everything was "square", and then round off the corners. But the software doesn't seem to allow for that.

[Pratyeka]

Early on I had the same question, but finally figured it out myself. Yes, it would be nice if we had the ability to use the rectangle tool to draw a box, to help ensure everything was "square", and then round off the corners. But the software doesn't seem to allow for that.

Use the "snap to grid" and the show grid to help you line up your lines nice and square.

[ChrisAlb]

Early on I had the same question, but finally figured it out myself. Yes, it would be nice if we had the ability to use the rectangle tool to draw a box, to help ensure everything was "square", and then round off the corners. But the software doesn't seem to allow for that.

Well yes, in a round about way, it does. I was going to offer this as an alternative (option 2) before but I didn't have time. But it would be nice to have just a "round corner" button and an input for a radius...LOL

This is actually a few more steps and to get things straight and even you HAVE to use attachments. This example will be a 6 x 10 box.

1) Draw your Box (square or rectangle) and set the dimensions you want and lock it to center both ways. (Picture one)

2) Right click on a line near the corner and pick "Insert Vortex". Do the same to the opposing line. (Picture 2)

3) Determine the distance from center you want the radius to start and using attachments, lock the "new" vertex in place. Do this on the opposing line as well. (In this example, I want the vertex 1" from the corners so the top is 4" from center and the side is 2")

4) Right click the original "corner" vertex and pick remove vertex. You should now have a straight line at the corner. (Picture 3)

5) Right click on that line and pick "Form/Arc" and presto! You have a round corner. (Picture 4) Now do the other corners.

Since the two new vertex are 1" from the corner, the default radius that comes up is also 1" giving a nice smooth arc. If this is what you want, you may want to lock it in before moving to the other corners.

Like I said, a few more steps but it does help make things precise. Unlike this demonstration...LOL... this only takes about a minute a corner once you get used to it.

[AskBud]

There are several ways to accomplish the task.
Here is a 5.51 MB AVI lesson on one of those ways.
I set up my board and turned on the "Grid" and "Snap" functions to start the process.
AskBud
http://www2.wcoil.com/~nharbison/CW-Rounded%20Corners%20on%20a%20Box.zip

There are other lessons, in the signature area below, that you may like as well.

[pinefd]

Thanks guys! That was some great info, and I've already tried them out! This place is great!


Frank