Tips and Tricks: Closing and Joining Vectors

Brad Castle

10 June 2025 10:21

Carveco Tutorial: Joining and Closing Open Vectors

In this tutorial, you'll learn how to join and close open vector shapes in Carveco using built-in tools. This is essential when preparing artwork for machining, as open vectors can lead to toolpath calculation errors or unexpected results.

🔹 Joining Vectors with a Line or Curve

Select two open vectors and use the Join with Line tool to connect endpoints with a straight line.
Alternatively, choose Join with Curve to create a rounded or smoothed corner between endpoints.
You can also Move End Points together, though this may distort the original shape.

🔹 Closing Open Shapes

After joining one side of an open vector, use Close with Line or Close with Curve to finish the loop.
The Close with Line tool activates only when there’s a single open endpoint remaining.
Correct order of selection matters—select the correct two ends before applying the tool.

🔹 Working with Complex Designs

For complex objects like artwork or animals, use Node Edit Mode to zoom in and identify where open vectors exist.
Manually join ends one pair at a time for best accuracy.

🔹 Fixing Problem Areas with Vector Doctor

Run Vector Doctor and click Identify to highlight open or problematic areas.
Use C on your keyboard to cut vectors at specific nodes.
Use Join with Line or Curve after cutting to reconnect cleaner paths.

🔹 Editing Text or Complex Artwork

Ungroup text or artwork before editing—join and close tools won’t work properly on grouped objects.
Cut and clean individual segments, then reconnect them one at a time using straight lines or curves.
Remove unnecessary or mismatched points entirely where joining wouldn’t improve the geometry.

✔️ Key Takeaways

Use Join with Line or Curve for clean vector connections.
Always ungroup text or composite vectors before node editing.
Vector Doctor helps identify and locate vector issues quickly.
Order of selection matters—start and end nodes influence connection behavior.
Closed vectors are crucial for toolpath generation—never machine unclosed shapes!

🛠️ Advanced Techniques

Use C repeatedly in tight node clusters to ensure clean cuts before joining.
Delete unnecessary segments and replace with cleaner connections for a smoother shape.
Use Node Editing to nudge end points for perfect alignment before joining.
For curved paths, Join with Curve creates a more organic flow than lines.

🐞 Troubleshooting

Problem: Joined vector looks wrong or distorted.
Solution: Check if Move End Points was applied by mistake; undo and try Join with Line or Curve.
Problem: Close with Line connects to the wrong node.
Solution: Ensure only two vectors are selected and in the correct order.
Problem: Can't cut vector.
Solution: Try zooming in and press C multiple times to break overlapping nodes.
Problem: Grouped text blocks all edits.
Solution: Use Ungroup before node editing or joining.