Cutter Calibration, Print and Cut, and Knife Point Cutting

[Tyler]

I hope these videos are okay. There is no easy way to teach how to calibrate your cutter to work with Print and Cut. It is just something you need to individually do. These were adapted from the instructions of Louise from the main Black Cat Forum. I have attached those files here (though please realize that I did not make them and the credit goes to Louise-Paisley). I know the videos are not perfect, but I think it will help a lot! Especially to help each of you get an idea on how to do this. Each machine will have different numbers for the X and Y laser offset. That being said, I am trying to teach the process of figuring out the numbers for YOUR machine. I am sure we will revisit this again in a webinar.

Click Here for the Laser Calibration ~24 minutes

Click Here for the Print and Cut ~9 minutes

calibrate.mtc

[Tyler]

Also, here is how the Knife Point works.
Click Here for Knife Point Cutting

[conicuts]

Tyler,
Questions on knife point cutting.
Where do you put the knife point if your mat has multiple items to cut?
Also, making sure, you put the knife point there and not the laser, correct?
Does it matter if you are in landscape or portrait mode in MTC?
Can you remind us as well how to lower and raise the blade to the mat?

Oh and by the way.....YOU are such a cutie pie!! I'm just sayin'

[Suzan]

OMG I can help with part of this, And I know Tyler or Rachellann will be on to help with the other part. To raise and lower the blade the machine has to be online and you push the repeat button. In regards to the knife point, are you talking about where you want to start to cut. I believe if it is knife point the knife point is where you want to be. I don't about multiple cuts though I would think you would go at your starting point and it would cut. But I don't have that plug in, Were you at the webinar the other night. Tyler did cover about the knife point. I am sorry I couldn't help more.

[peoriagrammy]

Great questions, Connie! Can't wait to hear the answers. I've also wondered about cutting out multiple images on different colors of paper. It that what WYSIWYG is for? Hmmmm. The experts will be along soon.

[Tyler]

Questions on knife point cutting.
Where do you put the knife point if your mat has multiple items to cut?

I am glad to see that it is useful to someone!

If you have multiple items, where you set the blade will be the top right corner of the bounding box of all of the shapes when selected on the mat. It is the farthest to the top and to the right on your mat when in landscape mode. (See below for portrait mode) This just allows you to more easily control where the cut will start. Everything will be in orientation to that starting point as is set up on the mat. Here are some examples to help:

In this picture, you see three circles. Where you set the blade's origin will be the same spot as the top right corner of
the bounding box of all of the shapes (circled in green).

knife.PNG

In this picture, you see three circles but in a different orientation to each other. You can see how the top part of the
bounding box is limited by the height of the middle circle, while the right side of the bounding box is limited by the
right circle. Where you set your knife would correspond to the point outlined in green.

knife2.PNG

Does it matter if you are in landscape or portrait mode in MTC?

Yes, it does matter. This video was done with everything in landscape. If you are using portrait mode, then where you set the blade will correspond to the bottom right corner of the bounding box. If you have multiple shapes, then it will be the most bottom right corner of the multiple objects, as seen in the picture (circled in red).

knife in Portrait.PNG

Also, making sure, you put the knife point there and not the laser, correct?

Knife point cutting is useful because it only uses the blade position, and has nothing to do with the laser. You do not need the laser for this (For those of you that use SignCut, if you are not doing Simple Contour Cut/Print and Cut, you are using knife point cutting. The only difference is the position of your blade represents the bottom left corner of the image's bounding box rather than the top right.)

Can you remind us as well how to lower and raise the blade to the mat?

To raise/lower the blade, just hit the repeat button while in online mode. Just be sure that your blade housing is raised back up before you start cutting or moving anything around. Otherwise, you will get a slash through your cut.


As a side note, knife point cutting can also be accomplished through the WYSIWYG Cut type.

If you set your X and Y laser offsets to 0,0, then your machine will cut as if knife point was selected.

Laser0,0.PNG

If you have calibrated your machine and have the actual values for the X offset and Y offset, then instead of the blade
determining where your cut will start, you will use the laser.

knife3.PNG

To cut, select WYSIWYG, click start, selecting rolled material, clicking on the wrench, and setting the X and Y margins to 0, 0, respectively (in that order).See the picture below.

alternate knife point cutting.PNG

As I said, this is just a side note. If you don't understand it, stick with what makes sense to you. Don't worry about this. This is just those who want a little more information/options.

[Tyler]

Thinking back on it, I think I will need to redo that Knife point video.

[Suzan]

Thank you Tyler, for coming through as always.

[conicuts]

Thank you Tyler! I'll try this again today and see if I get better results. I used to always keep MTC in Landscape Mode, but have recently changed to portrait mode and so now I know in Knife Point cutting with KNK plug in to place my knife point at the lower right edge of the bounding box for all images on my mat.

Now with that said, seems you are sorta guessing where that is, unless you say always select all and drag that bounding box corner to say the 1" in mark on the MTC mat (portrait mode) and then place the knife point there on the real mat. Hope my brain is figuring that right. Ha!

[Linda V]

Excellent Video and written instructions Tyler.
I thought of the multiple items on the mat last evening, but realized I could hide them and cut as I needed especially if I want to use different colors of paper.
But, your explanation of selecting all in landscape and it using the top right corner to cut all is fantastic.

Thank you

[anne anthoney]

Thank you so much for these, they made it so clear, even I understand it now. Keep up the good work.

[Thyme]

Thank you Tyler!

[CaseysAngel]

Thanks Tyler!!!!!

[meme]

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you, and you too Christy! If it weren't for everyone sharing so much info; I'd be crazier than I am. So thanks all!

[Gail]

I go through all the steps but when I get to the place to actually set my registration marks the arrows will not move where you set the 3 points. Any idea why?

[Elsa]

Are you trying to use the arrows on the machine? They won't work. You must use the arrows on the key board.

[Gail]

Using my mouse to click screen

[Thyme]

First of all make sure that you are setting the laser in front and to the right of the first reg mark - you can't move the laser forwards or to the right.
Next, as soon as the pop up window appears (if you are using Signcut, don't know about MTC) hit the up arrow on the screen. If you wait too long it can loose the communication

[Gail]

It will not move at all for me after I set x & y to 0. Sorry, I am using MTC. After I set x&y, I have tried leaving it offline as well as online and neither will move for me.

[Thyme]

Ok, do you get the arrows on screen to move the laser with?
If so have you tried hitting the up arrow immediately?