machine pauses itself

[gail love]

My 24" silver bullet pauses itself during cutting and will not restart unless you turn it off (waisting what you had done)

[Gigi]

It sounds like you are cutting out of range - that is the most common reason for a machine to pause (and it wont restart). The cutting width is 24 " from the right inside - not the entire opening of the machine which is wider. Be sure your design is within those 24 " and also that you don't have a stray node that will cause it to go out of range.

Also, if you are running a MAC, be sure to disable App Nap.

[gail love]

I am not using a MAC, I am using a PC. I have to turn the machine off and wait about 5 min. turn it back on - reset the cutting blade - put new vinyl on the mat and start again. Then it works. In about 10 minutes it does it again. It never stops the same place twice.l

[gail love]

help please

[Gigi]

Did this problem just start all of a sudden since you have had the machine for a year? Have you installed any new programs or updates. You should not have to wait 5 minutes to turn the machine back on - you can turn it off and right back on.

How large is your design? Are you having trouble with everything you are cutting? Have you tried different files to see if it happens in just this one or in all of them? You don't have to waste vinyl testing - just use copy paper or light cardstock and test cut a few things and see if it goes into pause.

If it is just one file that is causing you problems you can upload it here and someone can test cut it. I can't right now because I just moved and my machine is not connected yet But there are plenty of others who would be happy to give it a try....

[gail love]

I am not real good at computers. I just put the words I want in the correct fonts - save it to surecuts then use them over and over.
I do not know how to send the file to you maybe you could tell me how and I will try it. Thanks.

[gail love]

It did it a couple of times at first ( I just thought I did something wrong) Now it is doing it constantly if I don't let it sit for about 5 minutes between every 24" by 20" cutting.

[gail love]

Could it be getting too hot. It is out in the open in a 10 X 12 room that is air conditioned.

[gail love]

Have to do some baking. I will check back later. Where do you find information on the warranty?

[Gigi]

These machines are workhorses and do not overheat, especially in that environment.

Not all fonts cut well so you could have nodes on top of nodes that are creating the machine more "stress", but it will still cut.

To upload a file, scroll down under this text box and click on the tab that says upload attachment. Then others can open it and look at it. Be sure it is in svg format (so if you have it saved in SCAL as a scut file, export it and save as an svg and then upload it) Then everyone can easily see it and test it.

Your machine is still under warranty and I would suggest contacting Sherri at sherri@silverbulletcutters.com

[MeFlick]

Are you positive that you are not going out of the cutting range of the cutter? When you say you are cutting 24" x 20" - which is the length and which is the width? You are pushing the width of your machine either way but definitely at 24" so you need to make sure that you are loading as far to the right side of the cutter as is possible to ensure that you are not hitting the width limit. Also, which version of SCAL are you using? If not the Pro version, it also has a limit on the length - but not sure what it is since I don't use SCAL enough to recall - seems like its around 72" though so length should be okay I think. Also what cutting "mode" are you cutting in - origin, WYSIWYG, etc. If you are cutting vinyl, are you cutting on a mat or not on a mat? Why do you say you have to wait 5 minutes before you turn it back on?

[rosetindall]

Mine also does that too it goes into pause mode every once in a while. So if I'm cutting a 14" x20" length I set it up to 15" and 25" but it would still happen. Also sometimes I will cut out a small image 8x8 and it would go into pause. Very frustrating

[MeFlick]

Again, usually when the machine pauses in the cut, typically the user has put the mat too far to the left in the machine. The machine's opening is larger than its actual cutting range. If you have a 15" machine, and are trying to cut 14/15" wide, you have very little play in where the mat can be placed. I highly recommend that users get used to putting the mat over to the far right in the cutter, especially if you are pushing its limits on width.

[khaberkon]

I just bought my machine a couple of months ago and have done a few things on it, this is probably my 10th time using it. Starting last night it would be cutting then go to the bottom left of the mat and pause. I can't get it going again until I restart the machine. Did anyone find a solution to this problem? I was only cutting a 2" high font and it was toward the middle of the mat so I know it was absolutely not out of the cutting width or length. Last night when it happened the first time I was cutting a larger area but I know I was still within the cutting boundaries. It seems to be when it is almost finished with what I am cutting. I have a 13"cutter and SCAL4

[Gigi]

Be sure you are measuring your cutting area from the inside right of the machine. It is really easy on a 13" machine to go out of the area. Also, you don't say if you are cutting WYSIWYG or origin - which could also complicate things.

You could also have a stray node - that is throwing it into pause.

[Barbara]

Are you using a Mac. You need to turn off the nap setting.

[khaberkon]

Thank you for your replies.

I had read this string of information before I decided to post my own and yes, I am with out a doubt within the cutting area. I have measured and re measured numerous times. I am using a PC so the mac issue is not what is causing my problem. I am cutting in WYSIWYG. I did check for stray nodes and that is not the issue either. As an update since the last time I posted.....I turned the machine on, brought up a brand a new SCAL4 window with nothing on it, started following the directions from the webinar posted on youtube in the Silver Bullet Cutters subscription videos. I put the rectangle on the screen exactly in the spot that was on the video then went to cutter then print and cut then to calibrate laser. When I clicked next it paused and moved my mat completely out of the machine and went to the right.

I am far from being a member of the geek squad, but I am pretty computer savy and this has really got me boggled. Like I said, I was following exactly to the T what he was doing on the webinar for print and cut laser calibration.

[MeFlick]

. . . When I clicked next it paused and moved my mat completely out of the machine and went to the right. . .

Are you remembering to set the origin correctly - if not it will "spit" the mat out of the machine as you note yours did here.

[khaberkon]

Yes, that is the first thing I do every time I put something in to create I put my X and Y at 0 when I get to the point I want to start from

[khaberkon]

I restarted my computer for the 2nd time and turned the machine off and back on and I was able to get it to calibrate. I am going to try print and cut now. Will let you know what happened. Thanks again