Blade Offset not working

[freerunner]

Hi,

I have been running SCAL 5 Pro since it came out and have not had any issues. However, my old computer broke and I recently got a new computer and have installed SCAL 5 Pro into it. I have followed the ScrappyDew install and setup videos again to make sure I didn't miss anything, so I installed the Silver Bullet Professional Driver and set the mat to Silver Bullet Professional as well.

I have all of the different blades, 60, 60+, 45, 30 and all of the equivalent detail blades. We have many substrates we cut and I have spent countless hours creating settings for each blade and substrate to go with it. The Blade Offset is one of the most important settings to get right and I rely on this setting to help make crisp cut lines depending on the substrate.

Well, with the new install of SCAL 5 Pro and after adding all of my settings, I have noticed that the Blade Offset has no effect. I can increase the Blade Offset to 2mm or down to 0.2mm and nothing in the cut edges even changes. The cut seems to be the same every time. This is causing major issues with cardstock as the edges are rounded and no longer clean 90 degree angles as before. I thought maybe it might be the computer, so I set up another computer using SCAL 5 Pro and the same thing is happening, the Blade Offset setting is not working.

Has anyone else had a similar issue? Is there something I am missing, is there an additional setting that I have on or off that is keeping the Blade Off Set from working?

Thanks for any help you may be able to provide me.

[Gigi]

Hi Jeremy -

Hmmm - I don't recall anyone mentioning that they are having an issue with the offset setting in regards to it not working at all. I am initially puzzled. Could you send or post a screen shot of your settings so I can see them?

Do you have the 24" Professional or Platinum? I am going to assume you have the Professional but let me know as that might change some of my comments.

I initially thought you should try a clean install, but you tried it on a different computer. Are you using the latest version of SCAL Pro 5? It should be version 5.019. Be sure you are running the latest version and try the offset before going further.

Have you done a machine reset just in case there is a number off that is interfering? I don't think this is it, but a machine reset can solve a lot of pesky problems.

Obviously be sure there are no nicks in your blades and that the holder is well seated in the clamp. Again, I dont think that is the issue, but I always check every little thing when I have an issue and cannot figure it out. Usually a reset or upgrading the software solves the problem.

Are you using the correct offsets for the various blades? You mentioned changing the offset to check it from 2mm on down, but you should not be changing the offset. These numbers do not change. There are set figures for the blade offsets:
0.25mm for the standard blades
0.6mm for the detail blades
0.7mm for the 60plus blade
If your shapes have rounded corners when you are using these offsets then it is for a different reason.

If none of those work, I would visit the SCAL forum and see if anyone there has experienced a recent issue with the offset.

Please let me know if any of this has helped and/or if you have any other information that might help us trouble shoot. You can also email Brandon directly if you believe it is the software after trying the above suggestions and checking the SCAL forum. You can reach him at info@craftedge.com (Brandon is the software developer).

Please keep us posted -

[freerunner]

Hi Gigi,

Thank you for interest in helping me fix this issue.

Cut settings: https://www.screencast.com/t/ABDSwQqHfJ

1. I have a 24" Professional Machine
2. Correct. I have tried installing the software on two different computers and I have the same result
3. Yes, I am using the latest version of SCAL 5 Pro: https://www.screencast.com/t/moL1B47Ei
4. Yes, I have already tried doing a couple of hard machine resets
5. I have tried changing out the blades, with no difference noticed
6. I normally stay within the Blade Offset you mentioned for the different blades, but I was trying extreme changes just to see if anything changed in the cut and nothing happens when I go to the very high or very low extreme Blade Offset settings. Usually, a very high or low Blade Offset will create interesting cut corners, and the corners are the same no matter how extreme the change is
7. I have visited the forum and searched it thoroughly. Unfortunately, no one else seems to have this issue.
8. I have written into the CraftEdge Support email and am waiting on a response. It seems like pulling teeth to get a proper from them as they do not get back to me, so I am in here looking for an answer. If you wouldn't mind writing Brandon and asking him to look into my issue and try and get back to me? That would be great

Please advise...Thanks

[freerunner]

Hi Gigi,

FYI, I just installed an older version of SCAL, version 4, and this version is working fine. It seems to be an issue with 5 Pro, but version 5 was working fine before, so I am not sure what the issue is. Unfortunatly, I have many .SCAL5 design files created that can not be recreated unless I spent countless hours recreating them, so I still need a fix for 5Pro.

[Gigi]

I am so perplexed - let me think about this and re-address it in the morning.

Thanks for all of your responses. You have been very thorough and I was really hoping you had not done all that you have so maybe one of those things could be the fix!!

One more question - when you are checking the offset, what are you trying to cut (as in the image) and what material are you cutting it out of since your pressure showing is SO low. (and why is your speed also so low - just wondering). And you are sure that your mat is sticky and paper or whatever is well adhered so all of the basics are covered - right? Curious what shape you are cutting that does not seem to respond to the offset changes. That might help me understand a little more. I may ask you to try something but first I want to know more about the cut file and the media you are cutting.

Will keep thinking in the meantime - thank you for your patience.

Interesting - just saw your other note about SCAL 4. That does certainly point the finger to the current version, but I am puzzled that no one else has had an issue as we all should be experiencing it. So if you don't mind, please take a minute to answer my questions anyway just so I can get a clearer picture and I will keep thinking if it could be something else as well. I will follow up with Brandon as well.

Random thought - did you by chance install a program on this new computer that wasn't on the older computer that broke? Just wondering if there could be a program that is messing with SCAL Pro 5 - that is a super long shot but trying to think outside the box since you seem to be the only one experiencing the problem and if it is the software, as it seems, we all should.

And no, you shouldn't have to recreate your files - I wouldn't want to have to do that either! But I have good news! SCAL Pro 4 WILL open SCAL Pro 5 files - I just tried several and they all opened fine. So at least in the meantime, you will be able to use the earlier version to cut your more recent files. That's a little bit of good news, right?

Will keep thinking in the meantime.....

NEXT DAY EDIT:

I did email Brandon and relay your experience again and also added mine. I wish I had tried the offset before I upgraded to the newest version. But i played with the offset and also show no change in cut whether I am using .3 or as high as 5. I tried with square shapes and rectangles. However my corners are perfect right angles - not rounded like yours. Just updating you.

Have you been able to cut your new files in SCAL Pro 4? At least you have that option in the meantime.

Please keep me posted.