I don't think you're missing that much, I'm not 100% sure, but it looks like a numerical problem somewhere. Specifically, for some reason Inkscape seems to convert a perfectly straight line segment into a curved segment when outsetting (even if you explicitly convert to a straight line segment first, so that there is no chance that it's almost straight or anything), that seems a bit odd. On my installation (0.48) it seems like it's mostly just the left tooth(?) at the top, although similar effects play up when insetting.

Interestingly dynamic offset seems to do better, but it also clearly gives a different result (it rounds cusp corners). But if that's okay for you that might be a way out.

In any case, you might want to file a bug report. To do so, please go to:
http://bugs.launchpad.net/inkscape/
and click on "Report a bug" (it's on the right). In the mean time I've also added the developers list to the recipients, in case anyone there knows what to do.

On 2011-03-10 20:30, kqt4at5v@...210... wrote:

I am missing something simple
I have the first image, gear.ps, that I want to cut out with a 0.125 endmill
So I set outset in inkscape preferences to 5.625, select all nodes and path->outset and I get the second image, gear.svg
Where am I going wrong

Richard
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