Holy Smokes, my print and cut is a disaster - RESOLVED

[JensMom]

Well, I calibrated and my numbers were like 19 for the Y and 15 for the X. I followed the video to the letter and I ended up with some sort of warped flower. One thing I saw was that my printout has 4 registration marks? Why? I am using MTC and the Cougar. Also, what a pain in the you know what to have to use the arrows up and down when you can't see them, my computer keyboard is not near the cutter. Any suggestions? I scanned my cut and the dark part is the way it cut, skewed, very weird.

[JensMom]

I also made sure I entered MINUS 19 as the video said to do on the Y

[JensMom]

Oh, and even though I was spot on the reg marks, the laser never dimmed. ?????

[Elizabeth]

MTC does print four registration marks, even though we only need 3. The Cougar will navigate near the ones that you need. Did you have to move your laser a lot to get them to line up? My laser is usually within 1/4 inch of the first registration mark, (would be closer, but rather than turn on the laser and set it at the corner of the paper, I eyeball it with a mark I made on the carriage near the laser) and once I get that lined up the other two marks are very close to where they should be. If your marks are way off, is it possible that you are set up to cut in portrait rather than landscape? I often forget to change this, as I normally design in portrait mode. That will throw your cuts way off.

I can understand what a pain it would be to line everything up if you can't see both your cutter and your keyboard at the same time.

I'm sure one of the experts will be along to help you soon.

[JensMom]

When you print, should your printer be set to portrait as well? How about paper placement on the mat, does it matter if it's long ways to the arrow or width way to the arrow? Make the cut defaults to landscape, so I am a bit confused on this as well. Which registration marks would I use if I have 4? Soooooooooooooo confused.

[kim]

Hmmmm, I just did my print and cut and it was fine. Portrait mode for printing. THen place your paper sideways onto the mat, with the "top" of the paper to the right. The first registration mark should be the upper left registration mark (if you were looking at the paper like it was on the screen.

[JensMom]

Is this right? Where would the registration marks you would use be?

[JensMom]

Here is my 2nd try, at least this was not skewed. As you can see the cut is way off however, can anyone advise what I might be doing wrong? I used the reg marks as circled, My printer is set on portrait.

Question, when I calibrated, should I have put the paper in the way I have above? I had it coming straight out with the long end of the 8.5 x 11 facing the arrow.

The video say's the laser light will "Dim" it does not.

[kim]

The 11" side should be paralles with the side that enters the machine, while the 8.5 side should be at the top and bottom (if you are facing your machine, left and right). The first registration mark will be at the top left corner of the paper (portrait mode) or if facing the arrow , the top right corner). Could it possibly be that you got the -/+ reversed? I did that my first time, mainly because I was in a rush and didn't pay too much attention on which way was positive and which way was negative. I just had to do the adjustment the other way and I was spot on. Sorry, but I just don't know which is x and which is y. LOL.

[JensMom]

When you set your origin at the top edge, are you supposed to line up the blade or set the laser?

[kim]

set the laser. It will be the (as you are looking towards the machine) lower right corner.

[rachellann]

Don't forget there are videos in the learning center and they will help greatly as it gives a visual.

[kim]

she is getting help on the mtc forum. HappyCrafter and I were with her last night on the MTC forum. This morning she is giving it another go. She is doing PNC in landscape mode which completely baffles me, as I was under the impression (probably wrong) that PNC had to be done in portrait mode.

[Suzan]

Kim, once I learned it I managed to do it both in portrait and landscape.

[Elizabeth]

I always use landscape mode for PNC in MTC, that is how I learned it. I do everything else in portrait, so I'm going to figure out how to PNC in that mode too. It will be so much easier not having to remember to change!

[JensMom]

Thanks so much everyone, you all have been such a great help. I finally have it, and will continue to tweak it. I put a cheat sheet up and hopefully it will help people. Wow, what a night.

[Gigi]

Glad you got it all worked out! Just changed your title to resolved so others will know that there was/is a solution!!