Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the software

Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the software

Postby Angel135612 » June 19th, 2011, 2:55 pm

Well, I'm really bummed.... I spent hours looking for just the right image, creating a design, cutting out the vinyl, layering it, and when I went to put it on my machine, the vinyl wouldn't stick to it. I'm not sure what the problem is, I "think" it's the finish on the machine that won't allow the vinyl to stick. But I know others have put vinyl on their machines. Does the 24 inch have a different finish than other sizes?? If it is the same finish, how did those that put vinyl on your machine get it to stick??

Even if I can't get my design on my machine, I did learn a lot while working on this project... about Inkscape, Signcut and just working with vinyl.. so it isn't a total loss. I have attached an image so you can see what I wanted to do. I took the Black Cat logo, removed the face of the cougar, and found a butterfly that looked like a "mean" cat face and layered that on the base outline of a cougar head and kept the flames. It was fun trying to learn what I needed to know in Inkscape, and then making sure I would get what I expected in Signcut while working on this design.

I do have three tips for people that are new to using Signcut.
Tip One: TEST!!!
Tip Two: TEST!!!
Tip Three: TEST!!!!!

I am the type of person that likes to try and save as much media as possible, and use the minimum amount needed for a project. You will use a LOT LESS media, if you take the time to test and test again, until you are sure of what you are going to cut. Using the preview button in Signcut and watching how it will cut, will save you some aggravation. By watching that, I realized that if I have a fill and a stroke in my image, Signcut will cut it out twice. So I have learned to change to just one or the other, after I have created my design. Also, by using Preview, it will show you how much media you need.

I also have started, at least until I can remember exactly where to put my media, to put a piece of printer paper on my mat, use the pen tool (If you didn't buy the pen tool, you can still use the pen tool that comes with your machine for testing... it will work just fine for this) and then draw out your image so that you can see exactly which direction things are going to cut. I always get confused with my X and Y, and which is which. Well by drawing out my image first, I can see where I need to put my media, so that it will cut where I expect it to, and get a lot less wasted paper that way. Also, if I want to rotate my design, so that it cuts from side to side more than front to back, I can do that and see that I rotated it correctly. Just be sure to either leave that paper on your mat, until you are ready to put your "good" media on it, so you can make sure it covers the image, and put the mat into your machine the same direction you did when you did the test "drawing". I have the 24 inch machine, so this may have been more confusing to me, than someone with a smaller machine and only being able to feed your mat in, in one direction.

Another thing you may want to use while you are testing, in Signcut, leave the setting that will cut a square out around your design. This is for vinyl, but if you use it when you are testing, and watch what the machine is doing. You can see right where your blade is at the beginning of the design, and see that it ends right back at the same spot. This helped me a lot in figuring out where something was going to cut on my mat. Once you have that figured out, you don't need to use that setting any more, unless you want a square cut around your image.

Hope some of what I have been figuring out helps someone else. I know that some times things need to be explained in a different way, even though it is the same information, before it sinks in for me.
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Re: Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the softwar

Postby Thyme » June 19th, 2011, 3:17 pm

The finish on the machines is the same for all sizes.

Sounds like you are picking up Inkscape and Signcut REALLY fast!
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Re: Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the softwar

Postby Angel135612 » June 19th, 2011, 3:40 pm

Thyme wrote:The finish on the machines is the same for all sizes.

Sounds like you are picking up Inkscape and Signcut REALLY fast!


Thanks Dawn, Do you have any idea why I can't get my vinyl to stick to it then?? I guess I should have tested with some small scraps to see if it would stick before I actually cut out my design.

I spent ONE WHOLE day off, just playing with both, but mainly Signcut to figure out where things were going to cut, and if I changed the rotation, what that would do. I'm much better at remembering things when I see them, and do them for myself, than just having someone tell me. Even with tutorials, I am always pausing them so I can follow the same steps at the same time.. to see if I get the same results, then try to figure out what I did wrong if I didn't. I think I may almost have it to where I know what I'm doing with out having to "test" every time... LOL but will probably continue to do so, until I'm more comfortable.

I think one of the big things that confused me with Signcut, is there is NO mat... so I don't have that visual... and that is why I was having so many problems with how things were going to cut. Now that I took the time to sit and play and figure it out... it is a lot easier to know where to set my blade to cut where I want. Also, realizing that the media I want to cut needs to be to the BACK of the machine, opposite of what it was on the Cricut, has helped.
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Re: Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the softwar

Postby Angel135612 » June 19th, 2011, 3:52 pm

Opps, I just realized I forgot to upload the image of what I created... DUH! LOL

I used a gold for the yellow in the image, and a dark purple for the butterfly. I may see if I can put it on something else, I would hate to waste all my hard work.

Cougar Vinyl 2.png
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Re: Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the softwar

Postby Gigi » June 19th, 2011, 3:54 pm

Ok Diane - you just TOTALLY confused me. Are you calling the front of the mat the part that goes into the machine?? I call that the back, so it took me a minute to see that we are doing the same thing, just looking at it differently! LOL :banghead:

You can also rotate your image in Signcut so if your media is the wrong way just flip the image! That has saved me having to redo my cardstock - or whatever I am cutting! It helps me to remember the x is the right of my mat and the y is the front, so if I am looking at my machine the y is closest to me. If I am cutting an 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock, the 11" side goes along the edge closest to me - looking straight at the machine.

Does that make sense? I hope I haven't confused anyone even more!! I really love Signcut. The more I use it the more I love it!

OMG - just saw your image!!! It is amazing! I would never have thought to use a butterfly that way. WOW!!
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Re: Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the softwar

Postby Suzan » June 19th, 2011, 4:12 pm

You can also rotate your image in Signcut so if your media is the wrong way just flip the image! That has saved me having to redo my cardstock - or whatever I am cutting! It helps me to remember the x is the right of my mat and the y is the front, so if I am looking at my machine the y is closest to me. If I am cutting an 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock, the 11" side goes along the edge closest to me - looking straight at the machine.

OMGosh, Gigi, thankyou so much, do you know how hard I :banghead: trying to remember how to set the paper. I have a post it stuck to my monitor now so I remember. Thank you.

Also another tip. When I am cutting out. In signcut on the right side where the colors are there is a symbol a gold ball with a red square off to the right top side. If you click that, and the color you are cutting gets really big means you can start your cut where ever you want. which I always load to the bottom right of the mat, the corner closest to the front of the machine on the right.
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Re: Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the softwar

Postby Thyme » June 19th, 2011, 4:12 pm

I have no idea Diane, I haven't actually tried putting vinyl on mine but it should stick, I know plenty of others have done vinyl on their cats.
Love the design!
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Re: Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the softwar

Postby Suzan » June 19th, 2011, 4:14 pm

Maybe wipe it down with something first. I don't know about alcohol, but something that would remove any factory type residue even if you can't see it.
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Re: Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the softwar

Postby Thyme » June 19th, 2011, 4:18 pm

Maybe some sort of sticky stuff remover. I use that to clean the casing of my cougar when it gets really dirty cos it takes all sorts of dirt and grease off
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Re: Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the softwar

Postby Angel135612 » June 19th, 2011, 4:21 pm

Gigi,

I think where a lot of confusion comes in, is in how we have our machine set up in relation to our computer. The front of my machine, (where the buttons are facing me) is facing front.. not to the side like Tyler has suggested. So I have my machine to the left of my laptop, and both are facing me as I sit at my table. If I feed my mat into my machine, I am feeding from the front of the machine... but the media I am cutting needs to be "behind" the knife.. so I end up having to feed my mat into the machine all the way to the back. On my 24 inch machine is is a lot easier for me to feed it in that way, instead of trying to reach behind and feed it in from the back. (Plus I don't get the unexpected button pushing from boobies that others have experienced). Yes, that means that my wheels holding the mat in place run over my media when I put the mat in all the way, but I would rather have that than to have to lean over my machine all the time.

Because of the orientation of my machine to my computer, I was getting confused with my X's and Y's until I took the time to draw out images, watch how they drew out and what they were like in relation to my computer screen. Once I did that, it all kind of fell into place.

As for my design... I was going through a folder of vector images I had downloaded some time ago, and looking at what they were. Came across a folder of butterflies.. they all seemed to look a little on the "mean" side (for lack of a better word) and while I was looking at them, the one I used looked like a mean cat face to me.. and I thought that would make a really cool image for my Cougar. Also, in this same collection, I found an image that is exactly like the Black Cat logo, or so close that you can't tell the difference. So I thought it would be great to take the flames and the outline of the cat face and put the butterfly on that.
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Re: Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the softwar

Postby Angel135612 » June 19th, 2011, 4:23 pm

Suzan wrote:Maybe wipe it down with something first. I don't know about alcohol, but something that would remove any factory type residue even if you can't see it.


Well, after I tried to stick it on, decided I should maybe clean it... but I think something got on my vinyl as it doesn't seem to have as much "stick" to it as before. I looked for my rubbing alcohol to wipe it off, but couldn't' find it. I may have to cut out my design again and try it again after I clean it, and I have tested it with some scrap vinyl to see if it sticks.
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Re: Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the softwar

Postby Gigi » June 19th, 2011, 4:27 pm

That's exactly how I load Suzan -

And I will often open an empty page in inkscape and then copy and paste one color at a time into the empty page and send a color at a time to Signcut - then it's all together ( I move the parts together first before I copy and paste) - it's a little more time consuming that way, but it makes the cuts very easy to understand and execute!!

I love the sharing - there is so much we can and are learning from each other!

And Diane - I have mine set up as yours and feed it the same way - except it's to the right of my computer but facing out - I like it better that way too and it is how I have always cut. I guess we are creatures of habit!

LOVE LOVE LOVE that butterfly idea!
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Re: Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the softwar

Postby Angel135612 » June 19th, 2011, 4:35 pm

Gigi, If I put my machine to my right.. I would have to reach all the way across my machine to push buttons and with a 24 inch machine that is just too for for my arms to reach :D .. which is why it's to my left.. the buttons are a lot closer.. but still have to reach a bit. At least now, I don't have to read the display to figure out what I'm doing... I know which order to push buttons and where they are, so I can turn it offline, move it, set my origin and back online with out having to look at the display. Sometimes I still need to stand up to see where my blade is at.. or the laser if I'm using that.. but trying to get things to where I don't have to keep standing and sitting while I'm trying to cut things out.
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Re: Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the softwar

Postby Gigi » June 19th, 2011, 4:40 pm

You are lucky you can set it that close - mine is at the end of my desk counter so I am standing up and back and forth - but am usually switching out cardstock etc. anyway so it works for me. Again, it's what I am used to. Heaven forbid I make it easier on myself!! :ROFLMBO: If there is a hard way to do something, I will figure it out!
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Re: Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the softwar

Postby Angel135612 » June 19th, 2011, 4:43 pm

CAGigi wrote:You can also rotate your image in Signcut so if your media is the wrong way just flip the image! That has saved me having to redo my cardstock - or whatever I am cutting! It helps me to remember the x is the right of my mat and the y is the front, so if I am looking at my machine the y is closest to me. If I am cutting an 8 1/2 x 11 cardstock, the 11" side goes along the edge closest to me - looking straight at the machine.

Does that make sense? I hope I haven't confused anyone even more!! I really love Signcut. The more I use it the more I love it!


Okay, your statement on your X and Y confused me... with my set up... my Y (according to Signcut and where it is showing the Y as going across the machine) is to the LEFT of my blade so it's going to cut the Y across the machine. When you say it is the right of your mat... do you mean that it cuts to the right of the blade??

The X is going in and out of the machine, so that is the "length" of media.

I have rotated the image in Signcut more often than not.. because I usually put my media on the mat in the wrong orientation, and don't realize it until I'm ready to cut. LOL
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Re: Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the softwar

Postby Gigi » June 19th, 2011, 4:53 pm

I think we are saying the same thing - the x is the right edge as I face the machine (running front to back) and the y is across the front edge - yes - to the left of the blade and across the front of the machine. Same thing. Right?

LOL - maybe we should stop this conversation before everyone has a headache!! :banghead:
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Re: Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the softwar

Postby Retta » June 19th, 2011, 5:00 pm

too late! LOL
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Re: Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the softwar

Postby Angel135612 » June 19th, 2011, 5:09 pm

CAGigi wrote:I think we are saying the same thing - the x is the right edge as I face the machine (running front to back) and the y is across the front edge - yes - to the left of the blade and across the front of the machine. Same thing. Right?

LOL - maybe we should stop this conversation before everyone has a headache!! :banghead:


LOL... yeah that may be a good idea. I do think that a lot of the confusion is in the terms we use. And I know that unless someone is explaining it to me in terms I understand, or terms I'm thinking in, I get even more confused than I was. But once I can figure out what terms they are using, and fill in my own, then it all seems to make sense.

I do know that even if two people are saying the same thing, they say it just a bit different (as we have been just using different terms for the same thing) but sometimes, saying things in a different way helps someone else to understand it better than what the other person was saying. (Okay I'm sure I just confused every one again with that last statement... LOL)
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Re: Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the softwar

Postby Gigi » June 19th, 2011, 6:05 pm

:ROFLMBO: :ROFLMBO: I think I really do have a headache!! :ROFLMBO: :ROFLMBO:

Just kidding, Diane!!
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Re: Putting Vinyl on my Cougar and a few tips on the softwar

Postby LisaH » June 19th, 2011, 7:08 pm

:shock: :ROFLMBO:
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