Nesting letters for a Glowforge

A Glowforge works from a browser app and a fairly small bed, so a sign job is usually cut from a stack of small sheets. How the letters are packed decides how many sheets you load. NestSigns packs them by their real outlines on the sheet size you use and hands you an SVG for the Glowforge app.

Set the sheet to what fits in the bed

The usable cut area on most Glowforge models is about 19.5 × 11 in, smaller than the 20 × 12 in material you can put in. Type the size you actually cut as a custom sheet, for example 19.5 × 11, so no letter lands where the head can't reach. If you cut longer pieces through the Pro passthrough slot, enter the length you feed instead.

Bring in the art, then nest

Upload the letters as AI, PDF, DXF, SVG or CorelDRAW (X4 and newer). NestSigns fills each sheet by the real letter shapes, drops small parts into the holes of bigger letters, and uses tracked leftovers first. Set the gap between letters and the edge margin; the result shows the smallest gap it found, so you know nothing touches before you press print.

Opening the SVG in the Glowforge app

The Glowforge app reads SVG and PDF but not DXF, so export SVG. Each sheet comes out at true size in inches or centimetres. The app splits the file into steps by colour and by fill or line, so check them before you print: letters drawn as filled shapes can show up as an engrave step, so switch that step to Cut. The grey sheet outline is only a guide, so set its step to Ignore. The size label under each sheet is text, not a part, so make sure it is not cut. Then place the design on the material in the bed view and print as usual.

What else it does for letter jobs

• True-shape nesting by the real letter outlines: any angle, 0/180° only, or no rotation.
• Exact spacing. Type the gap or your bit diameter; every layout is checked and shows the smallest gap measured.
• Parts inside letter holes. Small pieces go inside O, A, B and D, and holes stay with their letter.
• Leftovers first. Full sheets and leftover pieces per material, smallest leftovers used first, stock updated when the job is done.
• Oversize letters left out, divided, or divided with a 1 in joining strip, pieces labeled A1, A2…
• Every part numbered on the sheets and on the original artwork in the layout summary PDF.

For more laser workflows see nesting for an xTool laser and acrylic sheet nesting. If you only need a quick SVG layout, online SVG nesting explains the file side.

Questions

Why do I see extra steps for the sheet outline and the size label?

They mark each sheet in the SVG so you can tell the sheets apart. Set the step for the grey outline to Ignore and make sure the size label is not cut; only the letters should be Cut steps.

What sheet size should I type for a Glowforge?

Use the area your machine can actually cut, about 19.5 × 11 in on most models, not the full material size. For passthrough jobs, use the width of the slot and the length you feed.

Can I send a DXF to the Glowforge?

The Glowforge app does not open DXF files, so export SVG from NestSigns. Your original art can still be a DXF; NestSigns reads it.

Is NestSigns made by Glowforge?

No. NestSigns is separate software and is not affiliated with Glowforge.

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