Adjusting settings for cutting

[nikaylaking]

Well it's been a few days on my new Silver Bullet and honestly I go from elated to deflated. I am having some difficulty getting consistent cuts. I am using the same card stock(maybe 80-90lb). I set the force to 55-60 and the Velocity around 550-600. The first pass was okay, a few tears but pretty decent. I was cutting smallish flower 3/4'' diameter size. I had some larger butterflies and other designs that were 3'' as well in this cutting. It seemed like after my first decent cut all the subsequent cuts tore up the paper quite a bit. I adjusting by pausing and then trying to readjust. I also checked to make sure my depth was set properly between cuts with the guide measurement that came with machine. My click holder was set to 3. If anyone can help point me in the right direction as to what I need to be looking at. I'm going in circles, wasting a lot of paper and frustration is creeping in. Everyone has been such great gift of help so here I am again saying HELP! Any tips or advice would be so appreciated.

[Tyler]

If your first cuts were great with this exact same paper, then you may need to renu your mat stickiness.

I have also noticed with small detailed files or lighter/patterned mediums, the detail blade holder comes in handy!

[nikaylaking]

I just renewed my cutting so if anything it seems pretty sticky. I probably shouldn't have done it so early but my rollers went over it in a couple of spots where I had moved the paper and forgot to put the rollers up. I am attempting to cut through my paper and I am up to F100 when previously it was cutting fine at 60-70. This same scenario happened with my 60 degree blade when I first got the machine and I though maybe i had damaged the blade so I put the new 45 degree blade in. Now I am having the same problem. I even increased the click holder blade depth from a 3 setting to a 4. I am feeling pretty frustrated and am not sure what to do to correct this issue.

[kmmhug]

It sounds to me like you have damaged the blade which I did a lot when I first bought my machine. I would recommend using the cheap Cricut blades till you get the hang of it. Now that I have mastered the machine I have been using the same blade for months without issue, but in the beginning I ran thru them awfully fast.

I also think small things cut better with the detail holder so if you have one that might help.

Do you have the trays? I found my cuts improved a lot when I added them to the cutter as well.

[LisaH]

nikaylaking how far is your blade sticking out from the holder...it should not stick out but a hairs width farther than the thickness of the media you are trying to cut.

Did you brayer your paper to your mat? That can sometimes cause issues as well, the paper just isn't down well enough.

Is there a piece of paper stuck in the holder with the blade? Do NOT ask how many times I've done that! LOL

And also try, after you have used the setting tool, raise it just a mm or so more in the clamp...sounds counter intuitive, but sometime it does make a difference.

[nikaylaking]

I do have a tray so that's good. I checked how far the blade sticks out and it may be farther than that hairs width but it's hard to see honestly holding it up. I have the click holder at 3 but between the force setting and how deep the blade should be I am having trouble knowing what is correct. I have only done maybe 6-7 cutting mat's worth of cuts and never increased force beyond 70-80 for my 80-90lb paper. It's sort of depressing to think I could have ruined the blade with so little tinkering. Something is clearly wrong now because my 45 degree won't cut through the paper no matter how high I increase the force. I guess I should spend more time doing those test cut until they don't cut through and then increase the force by a few numbers to get the exact force needed. I ordered some new blades from Sheri and didn't realize I may need them so quickly. I am two blades down and counting. I should have ordered the detail blade holder as I think it may be a useful item future. I didn't order it initially because what I understood was that it was for very, very intricate cuts. I don't cut anything that intricate from what I can tell.
Am I on the right track accessing better the force needed for a specific cut? Have I ruined the blades by simply using too much force?

[nikaylaking]

I did brayer the paper to the mat and in fact my first cut this morning was a mess, the paper was so stuck to the mat and nothing cut correctly.I was wondering as a side note what the best way to get the paper bits off the mat is....I have been using a metal putty type tool(not sharp of course but IS metal. My next one was the only decent one of the day. I think if the blade is toast there is not setting that will work at this point and that is what it looking like. I guess my query is if the blade is so very delicate from I can tell, what are the best tips to avoid damaging it? Also do you need to keep test cutting to adjust the threshold for the blade as it gets more worn?

Just put my last blade in the click holder(my 60 plus long shaft) and it's cutting through no problem at F 10 only. My 45 degree blade is most definitely gone. I am assuming that as you do more cuts the blade will wear and you will need to increase the force.....is that essentially it?

I was wondering as a side note what the best way to get the paper bits off the mat is....I have been using a metal putty type tool(not sharp of course but IS metal.

I know that I am writing a river so thank you to anyone who has endured my many posts and lamenting this evening. I just want to get the hang of it so that I can concentrate more on my art pursuits and less stressing over bad cuts. I think I still have a lot to learn and get intuitive about on this machine.

[kmmhug]

If you have the blade extended too far, it is easy to break it when you use too high of pressure. I have no real advice for you with the click holder since I do not use it. I also broke blades by hitting them on the edge of the mat. To check you can look at it under a magnifying glass. Even a small chip will ruin cuts.

[Angel135612]

It is a good idea to use the test button every time you start to cut something, even if you have cut it before. The blades do wear down, and even if you have cut the same material before, depending on what you have done in between will affect how well it will cut the next time. Also, the humidity in the paper will make a difference, so testing first to see what pressure you need is easier on your blade than trying to cut out a detailed design.
I would increase the pressure just a little bit at a time, until it cut through the paper, instead of increasing it a lot at a time. I think that will help save the blades as you are learning. Also make sure the tip of the blade doesn't hit the side of the mat as you are moving it into position before you start your cut.

I use one of the Cricut spatulas to remove my paper from the mat, and it is metal. I just use a light pressure so I don't scrape off the sticky. I have also used the plastic scraper that Sherri sends with the ReNu kit to remove paper and that works well also.

[nikaylaking]

Thank you, that was very helpful info. Each day I understand so much more then the day before. I have ordered a few more blades and will be much more mindful of the bare minimum force needed to cut my paper. This forum has felt like a big quilting bee of wonderful women.
Thank you so much!

[Thyme]

When using the test cut always start low and work up to a higher force rather than the other way round

[Elizabeth]

Yes, you will need to adjust your force as your blade ages. Not dramatically, though. I have noticed that with a new blade, my force will be 10 points or so less than it will be as it ages. As Kathy (Kmmhug) says, it is very easy to nick your blade by striking it on the edge of your media or mat when moving the blade out of its home position. I did this a lot when my cutter was new, and it caused a lot of frustration for me until I figured it out. I am very careful now, and this almost never happens to me. Like Kathy, I now gets months of use out of my blades. (But I am down to my last 45 degree blade, and must remember to order some more!)

You are doing great! Every mishap is just another learning experience. Soon it will all be "old hat" to you, and you will be getting the cuts that you want with ease.

To clean up and refresh my mat, I use lanolin free baby wipes. I "scrub" with enough pressure to get up the little bits of paper fiber that are hanging on. To really clean them, which I don't do very often, I take them to the sink and apply dishwashing liquid, and scrub them with a pot scraper (the square solid plastic type works for me)