Silver Bullet Cutters Forum

Hi,
I am considering one of the many consumer cutters available on the market, but in reality it's only a two horse race between the SB and KNK Maxx.
Anyway, i'm really particularly interested in cutting the mountboard and the heaviest watercolour papers.
I watched this video demonstrating the SB cutting 1mm mountboard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9BPg2Ltj6k

While initially impressed, i soon thought about the rough cutting at the inner most part of the petals, the part where the blade turns back on itself. I know these are not professional machines (and am a bit dismayed that they are called so) but if you look at how the true professional (Valiani, Gunnar) machines operate, the blade lifts at every change in direction. Is this not possible on the SB or not advisable somehow? Or am i missing something altogether?

I am confused....are you looking to buy a dedicated mat cutting machine or a cutting machine that cuts other materials? I had to look up what the other machines you mentioned and they are mat cutting machines. Although the SB can cut the thinner boards, the SB in NOT a dedicated mat cutting machine. As yet, the SB cannot do the angle cut that the mat cutting machines can. The SB can cut a variety of materials and is a PRO in its line of cutters.......just not a mat cutting machine.

Yes i appreciate they are dedicated machines with different heads for different needs. But still quite niche, while the SB is a jack of all trades type of machine. Regardless of the differences in the machines, the industrial machines cut (in my mind) correctly and what i see in the video is less than desirable. Is the SB not capable of cutting in this manner.
Please excuse me if you think i was rude about the "pro" reference (although i stand by it) but i'm quite bewildered by the scrapbook world, where a product being pink is a feature.
I am genially interested interested in the cutting ability of the SB

While I can't comment on the technical issues of the SB, I can say that I do cut various types of materials (not as many as some do, however) and have had no issues with the blades rotating while cutting. Just seems to me that I would get rough cuts if the blade was to lift every time it changed directions as many things I cut have a ton of curves and changes of direction and are quite delicate. I realize I am just a layman and only concerned on getting the quality cuts of the materials and designs I do. I cut mainly paper (various types), vinyl and chipboard and the occasional mylar/plastic sheets. I engrave and etch metals. For those materials, I have not had any issues with the quality of cuts/etching/engraving that I get.

I have cut matboard in the past, using a manual hand held blade. No designs, just your no rmal rectangle. I could see where you might want that blade to lift each time it changed directions and considering the thickness of the matboard, would see where lifting would be easier on the blade. But since the SB is a die cutting machine, I think that the lifting is both unnecessary and could be detrimental to the cuts.

Again, I will say that I am just your every day user and not technically inclined. And as for your reference to PRO, I am not offended but just thought you might be trying to compare apples to oranges. In the die cutting/crafting industry, the SB is a PRO. The specs are quite impressive compared to many of the other machines in the same line. (I do however hate PINK and do NOT consider that a PLUS in a machine. LOL. I would, however, probably not get that machine if that was the only color available.)

It would be helpful if you would let us know exactly what you are wanting to cut. It would help in making sure you are looking at the correct machine. I can attest that the sellers of these machines do not want you buying a machine that wouldn't suit your needs.

I just remembered that you did mention you wanted to cut 1mm matboard and watercolor paper. I haven't tried matboard but know that several have cut the 1 ply matboard with no problems. You can always ask Dawn or Sherri and they can tell you more about that. Or cut a sample.

As for the watercolor paper, I have cut that and had no issues with it. It cut perfectly fine. I don't know the thickness of it....probably your normal everyday heavyweight watercolor paper. I could always dig the paper up and see what LB paper it is if you need to know that.

Here are 2 samples of 1/16" mat board (this is from a framing shop) that I have cut with the Silver Bullet Pro:

Pic & Video:
http://silverbulletcutters.com/gallery/ ... /matboard/



Pic#2:

If you wish the blade to lift at a change of direction you can simply break the path at that point.

Also please note that the rough edges are on the back surface of the media and not on the face.

Thanks to LisaH/Thyme for the pictures and video. I must say that cutting head was whizzing round!
I'm a bit confused as to what side is in the pictures, back or front? I do think the edge shown is a too rough for my use, i need a clean cut. I take it the rounding of the corners on the rectangle can be solved by breaking the path, and/or slowing the speed of the cut (it did look fast to me)?

On my video (the YouTube one) the white is the back surface - the surface that you see as it is being cut.

For cutting matboard with sharp corners it is often best to break the path and extend the line a little further, that way even with thick media the corners will be very sharp and clean

Yep that flower cut is alot cleaner. I have been in touch with a mount board company and have learned that standard board is 1.4mm often called 4 ply in America, although a "ply" is not a unit of measurement, it just turns out that 4 ply is often the same as 1.4mm board in Europe. Anything thinner is not usually referred to as mount board, but as backing board. It is not made in the same way as normal mount board and as such has differing characteristics. All that being said, if it works for you then it works!

How many of those flower cuts and do you think you could get out of a blade?

I'm not sure how many as I have never cut just mountboard with the blade, it gets used for other stuff in between. But you should get a lot of them

In my pic of the rectangle & oval, that is showing cut from the back side - the sign is showing the front and it was cut from the back.

You girls always put me in awe. I have some matboard somewhere (HUGE sheets) and I have never thought to cut it....course I need a project in mind for me to think of cutting it. Will have to think on that one.

I usually go the other way.....wanting to cut extremely delicate things, like tissue paper.

What was the force and speed used to cut the mount board flower?