SB spitting mat out

[Gigi]

I understand why you are making the decision you are and I am so sorry for your loss. Most of us have had our machines for many many years and never have to replace a motherboard. But when machines sit and are unused, the electronics can deteriorate, just like any electrical machine that goes unused. As I said earlier, they are workhorses and are meant to be used - not sit and gather dust.

I totally understand that life happens and erodes the best of plans and again, I am so sorry for your loss. I am glad that you feel like creating again and am confident that you would have this machine for a long time to come if you repaired it. And from what I understand (as I started with the Wishblade and Cricut many many years ago) these machines do not last forever and are more disposable as new machines continue to be produced. You have to weigh what makes the most sense for you. I understand you are more comfortable with a repair center local to you and I hope it all works out well for you. I wish you the best.

[MeFlick]

Allan, first it is never a waste of our time trying to help fellow users out. That’s why we come here, to try and help each other out. So don’t worry about seeking help that is why we come here, to help each other.

Second, and most importantly, please accept my condolences for the loss of your wife. While it has been several years now, I know you still feel the loss on a regular basis.

Finally. While you may have only gotten use of the machine for 10 months, it has been setting completely unused for about 6+ years. That is unfortunately a long time for an electronic device like these cutters to sit around unused I am afraid. I don’t know if that has been the main reason for the issues you are seeing or not. I do know that I have had a SB for a long time and it’s predecessor, the Black Cat, for many years before that. As a matter of fact, my sister is still using the Black Cat today so I know that generally, the machines are good quality machines when used regularly. It is unfortunate that the UK distributor went out of business which complicates your needs but it was unforeseen health issues for her that lead to that is my understanding, nothing to do with the machines themselves. Your need to change software is again in part to the UK distributor no longer being there, and the fact that you went years without using it and allowed your license to lapse. The software that is available for your use now, SCAL is a good product and probably better in many ways then what you had. Yes, it will cost you but it is well under $100 where Signcut would cost you well in excess if memory serves me. Even if you buy SCAL, you can use it directly with other cutters (including the Silhouette cutters) should you choose to so I would not see it as a deterrent in purchasing it. You can also export your files out to SVG format from SCAL which the Cameo software won’t do without an expensive upgrade to their Business Edition I believe. As a matter of fact, I would probably still want SCAL even if I was buying a Cameo because I think it offers much more so the cost of the software I would deem a wash. It is unfortunate that being in the UK, and having to pay fees for conversion of funds via PayPal, and VAT taxes to get something from the US but I see no way around that.

I have owned cutters for more than 13 years now. I have had the original Cricuts and some others of that same brand. I have owned a couple of Silhouettes and then my BC and SB. I can say that of all of those, the only ones still being used are my SB (and my sister using the BC.) I feel comfortable in saying these machines are hands down better then those smaller personal craft cutters. If I were only having one cutter, it would not be one of the smaller craft cutters, been there done that. As a matter of fact, those cutter brands don’t even allow for things to be fixed. If something breaks or no longer works, you simply have to throw it out and get a new cutter.

What is right for you and your budget? Only you can decide. Perhaps you go with a Cameo and try it and see if it will indeed do what you want and need. If not, then you can try to see if fixing your SB will work. Or maybe you try fixing your SB first and seeing if that worked. If so, you are good to go and know that support and help are still a available albeit from the US. If you are trying to use the cutter(s) in a business mode it is probably good to have a backup anyway so you could decide if you might go one way first, like fixing the SB, and then at some point getting another cutter or vice versa. But as I said, only you can decide what you are willing to do and are willing to mess with in regards to help and support if and when you need it but, at least you know here, repairs can be made and help can be obtained.

I wish you good luck and would suggest that you definitely talk with Sherri to see how comfortable she is in whether or not a MB should fix your issues, then based on that conversation, make your decision. Good luck and best wishes.

[Bikeracer]

Thank you for your reply, I can see that you and Gigi are both very helpful and it is very much appreciated.
I really would like to stick with the Silver Bullet and would even consider buying a new motherboard if I was sure that that would be the answer, but if it isn't then I would be no nearer and a good sum of money poorer. I doubt it could be returned if it was not the problem.

Is there anyway I can find out what is involved in replacing it, I can't seem to find the learning centre which I applied for but have since lost the registration and log in details of.
If I get it replaced I would try my existing Scal 3 software before buying the latest one.

I spent several hours yesterday trying things, even got a letter E drawn out using the origin instead of WYSIWYG but as soon as I try for the second reg mark in "Print and Cut" the carriage goes to the rest position where it is when first turning on and the mat is pushed out past where there is roller contact. It also shows that the origin is zero again even though I had reset it.

To be honest I'm still not 100% sure it isn"t something I'm doing wrong !

Anyway I'll mull things over and decide what to do.

EDIT>>>>>
Tried again this morning and did a recalibration, the new figures are very differnt to the ones I saved from when I first did it.
Also it sometimes seems unresponsive, sometimes no response to panel input and keyboard or a delayed response.
No solution to the problem though.

Allan

[MeFlick]

Sherri should be able to walk you through what would be in valves in replacing the mother board.

Gigi May be able to help get you sorted on access to the Learning Center if possible, Since you have been away from the cutter for several years, it might be good to start from the beginning learning/reviewing the basics. It also might be helpful if you shared your print and cut file for someone to check the file. Also, if you could list the step by step you are taking, to see if you are missing something or doing something too early or too late in the process might help.

Not sure why your calibration numbers would be very different from previous ones unless you had written something down wrong before. It happens. I know. LOL I would probably use the ones you just did since you just did it.

However, all that said, your last statement “it sometimes seems unresponsive, sometimes nno response to panel input and keyboard or a delayed response� makes it seem like there might be a hardware problem at play and a discussion with Sherri may help you determine that. Having never experienced those issues my self, I am not sure if it is or isn’t.

[Bikeracer]

Thanks,

I have just had a look at the motherboard and pushed down on all the processors on the board just in case some contact had been lost. It's an old PC trick.

Just tried it again and I've actually done a print and cut of a rectangle.

It's early days, but I hope I might be getting somewhere now. I'll post if everything works when I try again.

Allan

[Gigi]

Allan -

So glad to hear that. It would be great if the fix was as simple as that (something I honestly have never done because those things scare me!! I let my computer geeky son do those things).

My fingers are crossed for you and thanks for continuing to share as you are teaching all of us. Please keep us posted. Sounds like you are on the right track. We are rooting for you and appreciate learning along with you - because it will help us help others. Thank you!

[Bikeracer]

Little bit further forward....

Re calibrated and the figures are definitely different to what was saved originally.

Set origin to just below and to the right of third reg mark. Opened print and cut entered the first reg mark, pressed next and the carriage moved to the right and the mat was pushed out again, but the laser was still live for movement so I released the mat, moved it and reclamped it on the rollers and went for both the second and third reg marks, then entered cut.

The complete skull tracing was cut out, just not in the right place because I'd repositioned the mat.
Then the trial version of Scal5 cut two lines across but that didn't matter because at least a complete cut had been made.
So some progress.

I'll play about some more but it seems increasingly likely that it's a motherboard problem.

Allan

[Gigi]

Thanks Allan for the update. I love that you are pushing through this if for no other reason than to figure it out once and for all. We can sit here and throw suggestions at you - but doing and seeing is everything.

So if I understand you right, you do get a proper print and cut (no mat spitting out) when using the trial version of SCAL 5 - but just get the slashing because it's the trial version - right? That is definitely progress!

[Bikeracer]

Hi Gigi,

The mat did spit out but I then just repositioned it on the rollers, at least I got a complete cut which is progress of sorts.....just not in the right place.
The fact the software slashed across doesn't matter because if I can keep repeating what I've done I'll have made some progress just need to stop the mat being pushed out now.

I'll try tomorrow just on a shape from the library in Scal3 so I can see what I've printed and more visible reg marks.
In the Scal5 trial i have to keep printing out until I get a clear view of the reg marks,they're mostly printed over.
I'll keep trying until I get an answer of some sort, but I'm leaning towards a replacement motherboard at the moment.
Got to admit that I pushed the cutter speed up to the max...never dared do that before.

Allan

[Gigi]

Allan -

If you would like, why don't you send me the file you are trying to cut with print and cut. Just as a control, I would like to be sure that I can cut it without issue so I am sure there are no issues. I want to rule out that it is the file - I don't think it is, but it is always good to check it out and eliminate any other possible issues. I am willing but it is your call.

I just need a day to reactivate my software as I have a new computer and need a new activation code to get SCAL Pro 5 running

Hang in there - we are going to get to the bottom of this thanks to your perseverance!

[Bikeracer]

Thanks Gigi,

I'm going to try a bog standard shape from the Scal library today to see what happens.
If that goes okay I'll know if it's me doing something wrong, possibly registration mark related.
If I send a file how do I send it......Email attachment ?

Allan

[Gigi]

Hi Allan -

You can either upload it here on the forum (has to be in svg format) or you can email it to me (gigi@silverbulletcutters.com) and attach either the svg or the scut (SCAL) file.

[Bikeracer]

A lot more success today, using the pen tool a complete image of a skull was drawn out some 4500 nodes.
Had a few stops and starts along the way.
First attempt in Scal3 in windows 7 gave me some success and I've finally realised that if I start with the carriage laser positioned at the bottom of the mat i.e the rollers are gripping the bottom of the mat, then at the moment the mat is not spitting out.

Also I've noticed now that after the first reg mark the carriage just moves to the right now in Scal 5 and the mat doesn't move back out. So whether the motherboard is now just waking up....I don't know!

More testing this afternoon and if it all keeps working i'll get a licence for Scal 5.
I've made an enquiry whether I need to buy two licences, one for windows 7 OS and one for the mac OS on the same computer.


Allan

[Gigi]

Awesome. Yes, you should always be positioning the media so it is within the cutting range of the machine - perhaps we were all assuming you were doing that? You have a 13" and so that is the cutting room that you have even though the opening for the mat is larger. Your material needs to be within the 13" range measuring from the inside right out.

So glad you are making progress. Please continue to keep us posted.

[Gigi]

You are very welcome. We try to do the best we can.