HELP!!! Gare Where are you?????

[CiceroEngraving]

Here's my problem: I'm trying to create "fat" text and I can't figure out how.

To get an idea of what I am looking to do....simply type the characters A, B & C using any font or size. Position them so that they are barely touching each other. Marquee select all three. Click on the Outline tool and change the outline width from hairline to 8 points. Visually, they look "fatter". However, my laser will only cut this shape out if it has a hairline outline (and since I just changed it to 8pts....it won't cut). I tried to create a boundary.....but the boundary took the shape of the original text, so that doesn't work. I tried using the contour and extrude tools, but they don't give the right fat look.

I tried creating a rectangle with black fill and then dragging the ABC over it and using trim to "cut out" the shape I'm looking for.....but that didn't work either....it cut out the ABC without the increased width.

Can anyone tell me how to make letters "FAT" with a hairline outline????

Thanks!

[Gare]

Hi—

What you do is break the text down into curves, then use the Contour effect to  make a contour outwards, 1 step, from the text. Then delete the original text that you converted to curves, and assign the shapes any outline width you like.

Send me a PM if this doesn't work for you, okay?

My Best,

Gary

[CiceroEngraving]

Thanks!