NEECD HELP What Blade and settings

[allandra42]

I m trying to cut very intricate vinyl on a tile with my name. It has spindly little curvy vines and leaves and I cant get it to cut without it messing up. I have all the different blades which blade should I use? What setting do you recommend I am cutting very slow which helps but it is still so messed up I cant use it. Lesa

[Gigi]

Since there has been so much discussion about it, have you tried the 45 degree detail blade? I have done intricate cuts with my regular blade on vinyl, but it wasn't real small - just thin. I cut very slow if it's intricate and use very little force - around 42. What is messing up? Is it cutting through or not. Is the problem when you weed it? Could you possibly be cutting with too much pressure so the vinyl is lifting and tangling? Just groping for an answer. Are you sure your blade isn't out very much - you barely need it showing with vinyl.

There are many with much more experience with vinyl than me - just trying to think of things that caused me trouble early on.

Take a deep breath - there is usually an easy solution once we figure out what may be causing the problem! Have you cut the file before? That is sometimes the problem as well.

Good luck - hope one of these thoughts help and know others will chime in!

[Thyme]

You want to use the 45 degree blade, preferably the detail one.
You are correct to keep the speed slow.
As regards force, do a test cut at 10 and increase as necessary

[allandra42]

Thanks ladies yes it was picking up and tangling. It was cutting the vinyl but not completely through on the backing which is what i wanted. I was using a 45 degree blade with make the cut. I finally put the detail 45 in and took it very slow and it fixed the problem. I cut two of them and was up until 4 am. I have accomplished very nice vinyl and a print n cut with this machine this week I feel like maybe i will learn to use it after all. Should i use knife cut on vinyl with the detail blade?

[Thyme]

Glad you got it sorted.
You can use either knife cut or WYSIWYG, its personal prefernce

[ursulasmith]

I just wanted to re-iterate for newbies- what a difference a blade makes!! I just cut a very intricute cut out of (lighter) card stock, using the detail 45 blade and with that blade, the cougar cut it no sweat!! I had been using the regular blade, and it did have some difficulty with some of the more detailed designs. I was a bit chicken to change blades, but I finally did tonite, and WOW! What a difference! I will be chicken no more .

This machine is amazing! Just sayin

[Thyme]

congrats!

[Retta]

Ursala - that is my go to blade. Glad it worked for you too.

[Gigi]

That is awesome, Ursula. I still have not used the detail blade but now I really do need to see what it can do!! So glad you took the plunge!

[kmmhug]

This has inspired me to get brave enough to try my detail blade. I have been making normal cuts quite nice finally, but still not happy with my detailed ones. I find it very discouraging when my cheapo Cameo cuts better on details than my Expensive well built Cougar! However, perhaps it is a blade issue so I will make myself get out that detail blade and figure out how to load it and use it! I am cutting glitter paper cardstock, so I think I should use the heavier duty one correct?

[Elizabeth]

Be very careful cutting glitter paper! It not only dulls your blades really quickly, the glitter can come off and damage your machine. It sure is pretty, though.

[kmmhug]

I have been mirror imaging the cut and putting the paper upside down to help with that. Any other tips?

[Elizabeth]

I pop in a cheapo Cricut Blade when cutting anything that I think might dull my blade. (I am very protective of my good Black Cat Blades.) Good idea putting the paper face down.

[kmmhug]

Urgggg......I am so frustrated! I used a brand new detail blade, regular paper no glitter, and a nice font fairly wide letters with circles cut in center. The stuff on the right side of the page cut fabulously. The stuff in the middle started eating my paper, and by the left side of the cut it did not even cut it all the way out and still was tearing up the paper. I paused it several times to make sure nothing was caught around the blade, and there wasn't but it still made a horrible cut! What am I doing wrong???????

[Retta]

I dont know if anyone told you or maybe you already know? But, if you cut the inside of the letters first it will usually cut better. Making sure the paper is adhering well helps and where the clamps are holding the paper makes a difference for me. I use Inkscape and don't know much about MTC or SCAL but some fonts aren't easy to cut until worked with sometimes. They may have too many nodes or aren't connected like it looks like until you zoom in. If you want I don't mind looking at it if you have MTC orInkscape. I don't have Scal. But I would have to get on my computer.

[kmmhug]

I would love someone to look at it, but I don't know how to post it. I just am so frustrated. I went ahead and cut it with the silhouette which is supposed to be just for taking to crops. It cut fine there out of MTC so I don't think that is the problem. I used the same mat and paper on both machines. I don't understand why it cuts fine on part of it and awful on the other side.

[Retta]

I'm sorry you are having issues. But I'm sure if we take It a little at a time we can figure it out. I'm just not good at MTC. You will need help from Rachelann. If you find her under the members and use a pm (private message) to her I'm sure she can help you. Sorry I'm not more help!!!

[rachellann]

This has inspired me to get brave enough to try my detail blade. I have been making normal cuts quite nice finally, but still not happy with my detailed ones. I find it very discouraging when my cheapo Cameo cuts better on details than my Expensive well built Cougar! However, perhaps it is a blade issue so I will make myself get out that detail blade and figure out how to load it and use it! I am cutting glitter paper cardstock, so I think I should use the heavier duty one correct?

is this the sealed glitter cardstock if so it does take more force to cut thru it. if it is the just glittered card where you can rub some off it is not really reconmened to be cut on the Cougars as it can get dawn inside the machine.

[rachellann]

I would love someone to look at it, but I don't know how to post it. I just am so frustrated. I went ahead and cut it with the silhouette which is supposed to be just for taking to crops. It cut fine there out of MTC so I don't think that is the problem. I used the same mat and paper on both machines. I don't understand why it cuts fine on part of it and awful on the other side.

you may eamail me with any file or images you would like me to look at I just replyed to your pm.

[kmmhug]

I actually never ended up using the glitter paper, since I just wanted to get a good clean cut...

Rachellann, thank you so much for trying so hard to help me tonight. I really do appreciate it. Perhaps this machine is just to much machine for me...IDK, perhaps after some dinner, I will feel more optimistic and ready to give it another try. If my blade is no good, It will be a while till I can get another one as I believe they are out... I sure hope not. I looked at it and it seems fine! When my husband gets home, I will have him find his magnifying glass and look at it closely. I am legally blind without my glasses and even then not perfect so perhaps he will be able to see something I am missing!