Calling all Valiani Users

Mary Case GCF · Post by **Mary Case GCF** » Sat 12 Apr, 2008 3:36 pm

Can anyone tell me if there is a template anywhere for cutting cardboard corners on the Matpro. We don't have Corel Draw yet and can't fathom out how to do it without. Of Course I could stop being a mean Scotswoman and go out and buy Corel Draw, but Grahame has spent all the money I am going to let him this month!

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Sat 12 Apr, 2008 9:30 pm

Hi Mary

Do you mean the cardboard protective corners.
That go on the edge of frames and things

Mary Case GCF · Post by **Mary Case GCF** » Sat 12 Apr, 2008 10:05 pm

Yep, John. That's exactly what I mean. Sorry if the question was a bit garbled. It was the end of a very long week!!

Moglet · Post by **Moglet** » Sat 12 Apr, 2008 10:35 pm

Very interesting topic, Mary! Out of curiosity, what material are you thinking of using for the corners?

markw · Post by **markw** » Sun 13 Apr, 2008 7:55 am

Mary - you should be able to design this from within the Valiani software by creating a new shape.

I do have a design at work but wont be able to send it to you until Tuesday.

That reminds me - having changed PCs on the Valiani I have yet to load coraldraw and I bet that I cant remember the settings for outputting the correct file format.

You dont need a new version of Corel Draw - I use Version 8. You should be able to find a copy on Ebay or similar.

Grahame Case · Post by **Grahame Case** » Sun 13 Apr, 2008 11:12 pm

Moglet wrote:Very interesting topic, Mary! Out of curiosity, what material are you thinking of using for the corners?

Hi Aine. I was thinking of using the cardboard that mountboard is wrapped in for transporting. It should be thin enough to fold, and it will help solve my problem of how to recycle without having to pay for it - something to which I object strongly.

Mark - thank you for your kind offer. I agree I don't need to buy the most up to date version of Corel Draw. I'll keep an eye out for it on Amazon.

Moglet · Post by **Moglet** » Sun 13 Apr, 2008 11:16 pm

Great idea! I try to reuse as much packaging as I can.

Mary Case GCF · Post by **Mary Case GCF** » Sun 13 Apr, 2008 11:18 pm

Sorry. that was me masquerading as Grahame again. Someone's selling Coreldraw 8 Essentials for £10, but I think we can get Corel Draw 12 for a similar price. Just need to keep an eye out for it.

Moglet · Post by **Moglet** » Sun 13 Apr, 2008 11:22 pm

Mary, before you buy Corel 12, check whether it's compatible with the Valiani. I've got Corel 10, but I've been advised that the Valiani prefers v9 (and possibly lower).

FWIW, I didn't like Corel 12 (it was a bit more 'fecky' to use), and didn't bother with the upgrade.

Mary Case GCF · Post by **Mary Case GCF** » Sun 13 Apr, 2008 11:22 pm

Moglet wrote:Great idea! I try to reuse as much packaging as I can.

So do I. The corrugated cardboard moulding comes wrapped in gets removed very carefully and used for customers' work. Even considering using other cardboard for boxes to send out mounts from the webshop. I suppose I could also use the stuff I'm going to use for corners, cut down into smaller boxes for customers' work, couldn't I. Hey, brainstorming at night is better than my usual problem-solving in the shower in the morning

markw · Post by **markw** » Mon 14 Apr, 2008 7:01 am

Valiani recommended CoreldrawV9 as the best - something about vector files. In plainspeak the older versions file conversion is smoother and less prone to unexpected stops.

Jared Davis CPF, GCF · Mon 14 Apr, 2008 9:59 pm

Hi Guys,

I know this is a "Valiani" thread, but I think recycling is cool

and I may have some tips to help you for this...

Firstly, here's a diagram of a cardboard corner, generated by a standard template in the Gunnar software – you may be able to use this a reference for your Corel File?

Gunnar has had this template for a few years now, as one of the many extra templates that come with the Gunnar T1 tool head for debossing & scoring. This fold up corner template is pretty cool because you only need to type in the height of your moulding, and the software works out the rest of the design instantly. Thus you have an infinite possibility – which saves you from making multiple files in Corel Draw from scratch every time – for all different height mouldings.

Here’s a tip. Gunnar found that making creasing or scoring lines in corrugated cardboard (from packaging, etc) doesn’t work properly with just the debossing tip, as it tends to tear up and plough the cardboard too easily (but try it out anyway… ?) – thus they created a range of special scoring/creasing wheels specifically for this purpose, which come with the T1 tool head.

Another tip – Making cardboard corners (and boxes) can be a great way of recycling cardboard from mountboard boxes, etc… but make sure the cardboard off cuts you use are flat – if they are a bit bowed, they can easily get caught and damaged by the head as it moves around.

And another tip - You can also, “try” scoring the creasing marks in mountboard with a debossing tip (although scoring wheel works better…) , and make fold up protective corners out of mountboard off cuts (also great for recycling!).

I know a framer with a Gunnar T1 tool who I visited before Xmas, and he had custom-made matboard corner protectors on all his pickup work – which were cut out of red and white off cuts (very Xmassy!). He told me he saved all his red mountboard off cuts just for Xmas!! I should have taken a photo....

I hope this helps?

Jared

Moglet · Post by **Moglet** » Mon 14 Apr, 2008 10:05 pm

Jared Davis wrote:This fold up corner template is pretty cool because you only need to type in the height of your moulding, and the software works out the rest of the design instantly.

That's really neat!

Jared, do Gunnar do a box template that works in a similar fashion?

Mary Case GCF · Post by **Mary Case GCF** » Mon 14 Apr, 2008 10:06 pm

Thanks for that Jared. Sounds a bit complicated for me at this time of night, so I'll get Grahame to look at your post in the morning. Hadn't occurred to me that I could use mountboard for the corners. Thought it would be too inflexible.

Merlin · Post by **Merlin** » Mon 14 Apr, 2008 10:07 pm

Thanks Jared
I will try and do that template in Corel.

Maybe a very light score with the V groove tool would help where we have no 'scoring wheels' on the Valiani

Jared Davis CPF, GCF · Mon 14 Apr, 2008 10:14 pm

Jared, do Gunnar do a box template that works in a similar fashion?

Yes. Actually there are several different fold up box templates which automatically generate, just by typing in the width, length & height. Great for storage, and recycling of course. As you can imagine, conservation people love these when as they can make a custom box for an item they need to store, using zeolite box board or even Bainbridge Artcare mountboard.

Gunnar also have templates for automatically generating fold-up document holders and artwork folders, fold out standbacks, and quick & easy shadowboxes.... etc..

Sorry, not trying to hijack the thread - recycling is the topic - and I'm all for it.

Jared

Moglet · Post by **Moglet** » Mon 14 Apr, 2008 11:17 pm

Thanks for the additional info, Jared. The facility would be great for making 1-off gift boxes for a gallery.