Silver Bullet Cutters Forum

While brainstorming with Rob, we had the idea of calibrating the machine a little differently! While I attached the file, I also wrote a tutorial with pictures that should really help! Click hereto see it. There is also a free download at the bottom for both SignCut users and MTC users you may like to try!

Tyler, you and Rob are absolute geniuses. I already have mine calibrated but this should help those that have not tried it yet. Thanks so much for all your help. I'm anxious to hear from those that use this new method.

So you say what to do if you are using MTC with the KNK plugin, but what about MTC users not using the KNK plugin?

The method still works - you will need those same number! However, I believe the X and the Y are switched (and maybe the +/-) as well. Don't quote me on that. Try it for yourself and see. It shouldn't be that hard to do trial and error.

Wow - how interesting. Of course I just installed the new blue click blade yesterday and calibrated it - darn. I may have to try this just to see what the numbers are. How incredibly brilliant!

Wow is that ever easy - seems almost TOO simple!

I can't wait to try this to see if my numbers are accurate. I have been able to get my square on the test page to cut out perfectly, but when I try to cut out an image, I'm off... and I haven't had time to figure it out... so when I do have the time to play with this, I will start from the beginning again, and try this.

Thanks Tyler and Rob.. you guys ROCK!!!

This is a brilliant idea, but I need to make a couple of points about using this method.
1. It will only work if your printer prints at 100% size, and not all do
2. You need to make sure your testing pen is exactly the same diameter as your blade holder or it may sit in a slightly different place in the clamp and therefore distort the results

Yes - very true (Thanks, Dawn, for mentioning those). Those are both things that we considered, so thanks for saying them! I have put the measurements on the template, and put it in a PDF format to reduce as many errors as possible. That being said:
1) If your printer is not at 100%, the image will not print to the right size, but not all is lost! Just get out a ruler. You can check if it printed at 100% by getting a ruler and seeing if the numbers match the measurements on the sheet. We put a horizontal and vertical line on the sheet to help you line up the ruler straight in case you end up doing that.
2) Realize you may still have some tweaking, but hopefully it will be very minimal. With this method, it is hard to compensate for blade offset so we had to use a pen tool. People just need to realize that each holder may have some minimal tweaking involved. We tested it on a few machines and in each case we were within less than .5 mm of the "true" value.

The purpose of this is to quickly help people get a good approximation with minimal frustration! Most bang for the buck kind of deal. So we hope it helps others! And by no means does this replace any previous methods to calibrating, but hopefully it will supplement it and help people to get their print and cuts up and going a bit faster.

This is exactly why I thought it was a great thing that rob got a cat, because I sort of felt it would only be a matter of time before the the two "boys" started to play together. Looks like I was right. And we all benefit.

Rob and Tyler, thanks so much for putting your heads together. I already calibrated under loopy's method, and my numbers are recorded, so there is no risk to trying this method as well. I will eventually try it.

Pat

Thanks Tyler, I didn't want to spoil it, but needed to mention those two bits. Having said that i think it is a great method!

Hey Pat, you are definitely right! We are certainly benefiting!

Very cool Guys!!!!!!!!!! Thank you so much!!

How cool is this? Can't wait to try it. I'm hoping I can adjust for the "hair" that I am still off on my registration. Thanks guys!

That looks interesting Tyler. Does not the fact that the blade is offset and the pen is not make any difference or is it too little to matter?

The blade offset definitely matters, however it should be taken into consideration by the software. It is because of the blade offset that you have to use a pen rather than a blade with this though. It may not get the exact spot because of human error and some other factors, but it is sure a lot easier for most to wrap their heads around this which makes it faster for some. For all the machines I've calibrated, this has been very close to the actual value! As times goes on, more will be added to this.

You Guys are the Cougar's Meowwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!

Who is using this? Has it worked? I'd really appreciate the feedback.

Linda V wrote:You Guys are the Cougar's Meowwwwwwww!!!!!!!!!!!!

Very clever Linda - and SO true!!

Tyler wrote:The blade offset definitely matters, however it should be taken into consideration by the software. It is because of the blade offset that you have to use a pen rather than a blade with this though. It may not get the exact spot because of human error and some other factors, but it is sure a lot easier for most to wrap their heads around this which makes it faster for some. For all the machines I've calibrated, this has been very close to the actual value! As times goes on, more will be added to this.

Tyler,
My calibrations were very accurate to begin with using the old method. But, I wanted to try to see how well it worked.

That being said. When I used your method, the calibrations were exactly the same as with me doing it the old way. And the cut is exact, no difference between the two methods.

I used it with MTC KNK and also used it with Signcut!!!! It worked perfect. Instructions easy to follow and worked like a charm the first time!

Wanted to let you know!

Linda