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This lesson shows how to put a V-Groove around a name plate, or make a V-Groove follow a different shape.

Place a two layer 4 x 5 #906 Rectangle Key template on the FrameShop Design Editor. 

Click on Properties.

Click on the Key tab.  

Change the Key Reveal to .5” (1/2"). This reveal will be part of the V-Groove.

Click on the Parameters tab.

Change the NPHeight to .75" (3/4").

Change the Distance of the key to 1.25" (1 1/4").

Click the Positioning Toggle to position objects from the bottom layer.

Now we will place a guide that we can use to align our V-Groove.

Right-click on the opening and select New Guide From Other.

Click the checkbox for Add at Bottom.

Enter half the NPHeight which would be at .375. Since we want the guide to move upwards into the opening, we would enter a negative number. Enter -.375 for the Distance From Bottom field and click OK.

A guide is placed at the bottom of the design positioned from the bottom layer.

Now we will place a V-Groove halfway through the nameplate opening.

Make sure that the opening is selected.

Click on the Openings tab. 

Click the Add V-Groove button.  

Enter 1" for the offset value and click OK.

The V-Groove is placed.

Click on the V-Groove to resize it.   

Pull down the bottom end of the V-Groove and let it snap to the horizontal guideline that we placed. Make sure you are dragging the bottom line of the V-Groove and not just moving the whole V-Groove.

Release the mouse to place it.

Bring the design into Trace via the Right-Click Menu* or from the Cut Preview Screen.

*If you use the right-click method, hold down the CTRL key and select both the opening and the V-Groove before selecting Convert to CutArt. 

Stay on the Trace and Draw tab and go down to the Edit section.

Hold down the CTRL key and click on the V-Groove and the outside line of the nameplate.

Click the Break button.

The intersections are now broken where the lines crossed over each other.

Click on the horizontal line inside the nameplate V-Groove.

Click the Delete button.

The horizontal line is deleted.

Hold down the CTRL key and click on the top half of the name plate then the bottom half of it, then on the outside V-Groove. 

Click the Join button.

The lines are joined together to create a single object.

NOTE: V-Grooves do not have to be enclosed objects.

Because this design contains no arcs, there is no need to tangify it or convert into arcs. 

Click the Set Bevels tab.  

Select the top layer which is displayed at the top of the layer list regardless of the actual layer number.

Click on the new V-Groove object to select it.

Click the 45° V-Groove Set button.

The V-Groove is traced.

Click on the nameplate opening.

Click the 45° Bevel Set button. 

The nameplate opening is now traced on the top layer. 

Save the CutArt.

Load the CutArt.

Cut the CutArt.

Optionally, you can also bring the CutArt straight to the Cut Preview from Trace.

The Nameplate design is completed.

If you load the CutArt into the Design editor and part of it flows off of the mat even with Dynamic Outsides on, check the Border direction. 

Click on one of the Border lines.

Click on the Properties tab to get the Border properties.

Change Apply Borders To: Top Layer.

Click on the design to readjust it with the Dynamic Outsides on.

You can see how much we changed the design when you compare it to the original version.