[nuthatch]

With VCarve, you could create a job with all sorts of words that start with A, another with B, and so on. If someone wants a word that starts with R, you open the R drawing.

If someone wants a word you still have not added to the R drawing, you can add the word in an open space and create tool paths for it, then save the drawing. Make sure you save the toolpath name as the word name just for clarity.

So, lets say you have 30 words so far. You need the word RABBIT. turn on only the Rabbit toolpath on the toolpath list.

Delete all the other words, then move rabbit to the preferred zero location (you may desire to leave a blank area for this in the lower left or center of the drawing so things are always ready to go).

With the visible word in the correct location, you can go to "Toolpaths", and "Regenerate all Toolpaths". VCarve should move your toolpath to match the new location of the word and give you a report on its success in doing so.

It is possible that Cadlinks SIGNLAB program could be of assistance here depending on what you are exactly needing to do in order to prepare your "joined" word. The program still does have an awful lot of very specific methods and tools related to text work and engraving.

The cost of a new installation of Signlab or Engravelab will not be enjoyable however (even though prices have dropped considerably since VCarve hit the market), and, they hang your productivity with a dongle on top of it. Yuck.

This sounds like a plan!! I'm not in front of it at the mo, but i'll let you know how i get on, would rather stick with vcarve as i'm just starting to find my way round it, but i'm sure i've only just scratched the surface of what it can do.