Cutting media without printed signs of the edges

[rob]

Hi

A short newbie question...
I would like to ask how should I cut a printed paper without the '+' signs at the edges.
(I have no control on the paper I need to cut, I get it as is.)
Can you do that?

Thank you!

[Gigi]

Not sure I understand the question. You only get the + signs at the edges if you are doing print and cut - and you are cutting inside of those lines so they don't show. Did I totally miss the mark??

[rob]

OK, so I do "print and cut" except that I don't print the paper so I can't have the + signs on it (registration marks).
As I understand, it's a must to have the registration marks on the paper I want to cut.
Let's say I got a picture I want to cut according to some lines appeared in it but I don't have registration marks printed on the picture.
How would I cut this pic? can alignment be achieved otherwise than registration mark?

Thanks

[Elizabeth]

Ok- How about copying the image you want to cut, importing it into your software, sizing it correctly, printing a copy with registration marks, layering the printed copy on to the original, and poking holes with a pin to make registration marks on the page you want to cut? It is a bit bulky, but may work.

(Not my idea. I saw it somewhere, but don't remember where.)

[rob]

Elizabeth, thank you for your answer but I think your solution will indeed be messy and not so accurate (I hope to achieve good cutting resolution).

Any other ideas? has anybody here encountered this issue before?

[Angel135612]

Unless you have the image in the software the exact size and placement of where it was printed on the paper, I'm not sure what you are asking to do is possible. As far as I know, there is no way to do a print and cut without the registration marks. That is the only way the software know how to tell the cutter where to cut.

[Thyme]

There is one way, but it depends on the printer being able to print at the exact 100% size, and many printers do not.
You place your media on the mat and tape the front edge to the mat so that it is hinged.
Then cut the shape.
Take the cutter offline and move the mat forward making sure it remains under the pinch wheels.
Lift the cut media up so that you can slide a printed one underneath it.
The cutout area allows you to position the printed media in exactly the correct position. Then leave the first hinged piece attached but hanging forward so that it is not in the way of the blade.
Put the machine back on line and send to cut.
You can repeat this as many times as you want with the same hinged piece of media as your template so long as you do not move the hinged piece out of position or alter the origin point

[Tyler]

If you have no control over the printed material, Elizabeth's answer sounds to be the best route. Alternatively, there is a method called the hinge method where you tape a template that has your image cut - the image is the exact same size as your printed image. You line up your image to fit in the template cut and then recut the image. It is sometimes tricky to get things exact, especially with some of the conversions that go on in sizing.

Elizabeth's answer would let you transfer the needed marks to the printed material. It is not nearly as messy as it sounds - I have done it before in a pinch. Does it take longer? Yeah it does and you would need to have a scanner and printer as well. However, if you are doing several copies of the same printed image, it cuts that time down though. Regarding resolution, if you line everything up meticulously and have spot on calibration to begin with, you can still get a pretty good cut. I believe it depends on how methodical/perfectionist a personality you have.

If you can't control the printed image, and don't want to go through that process, then that is a downside and you won't be able to do what you are asking. There is no software out there that is able to do what you are asking, and hence no machine either. Every software/machine needs some sort of registration mark to do a print and cut/contour cut.

Could you post what you are trying to cut so we can see the lines you are talking about?

[rob]

Hi all
Sorry for the delay, I've been way too busy recently.

Two points:
1) I understand the best way is to import the picture to my computer with a scanner.
When talking with my supplier, he says he can actually print the registration marks on my picture.
The thing is, I'm not sure about the size proportions. If he prints it with his printer and I want to cut the same picture appears in my computer, how can i guarantee accuracy.
Does SB know how to adjust to these changes? i'm talking about the expanding/resizing.

2)I'd like also to take a blank paper sheet and cut my shapes on it.
Let's say i have a rabbit shape in my computer, i'd like to cut as 20 rabbits on this sheet.
The problem is that I don't have registration marks(RM) on the blank paper sheet.
Do I have to have the RM on a blank paper in order to cut it?

Thank you!
Much appreciated!
--rob

[Elizabeth]

Hi Rob,

The Silver Bullet simply cuts what the software tells it to, so any adjustments would have to be made there. It would take some serious experimentation to get it sized and lined up accurately in your software, but I think it could be done.

You shouldn't need registration marks to cut multiple shapes that aren't printed. You would use either the origin point or WYSIWYG cutting functions to make your cuts, after laying out your template in your software.

You could download a trial of SCAL in order to get a feel for how it works. It is the software that comes with the SB, and what many of us use as our "go-to" design and cut software. You won't be able to cut with it until you enter a registration key.

I'm sure that someone with more expertise than I will be along with more detailed answers for you shortly.

[rob]

Thank you Elizabeth!

[Thyme]

You would want to print from the software to pdf, this way the registration marks would be included with the image and you can then have your printer use that.

[Elizabeth]

Thanks, Dawn. Love your quick and common (except to me, clearly!) answers!

[Thyme]