My SB just did a machine gun imitation....eeep!

[reactiveaz]

I was just happily cutting along....doing some lovely vinyl work and when it was almost at the end of it's cutting, it decided to drag the blade back along the top to my origin point (before it finished the design) and made a horrendous rapid fire noise the entire time. When the carriage reached the origin it just kept making the sound and trying to keep going right even though it had reached the complete right side.
It wouldn't respond to pause or offline keys so I finally had to cut the power! The whole carriage was vibrating like crazy the entire time. My vinyl wasn't jammed or restricted so I'm not sure what happened here. I don't want to damage the machine and I'm a little scared to try it again.
Any thoughts on why this happened?
Thanks!
Michele

[iggylover]

sherri, Thyme, Tyler Any ideas?

[reactiveaz]

I'm wondering if this is because the file I'm sending is too large? What is the max file size I can send through SCAL? Since I just ran it again and the same thing happened, I'm almost positive that's the case. I think I'll go decrease my size and try again....

Michele

[kmmhug]

My cougar once did that when I had the mat slightly past the 12 inch cut point even though it looked like there was room there, it was not in the right spot. To avoid it in the future, I measured it out and put a piece of tape to line up the edge of the mat on so that I never enter it slightly off again! Hope that helps.

[Thyme]

Reboot the computer, do a factory reset on the SB and try cutting a simple small file. That should tell you if there is a hardware fault

[reactiveaz]

Ok, did the reboot, reset to factory settings, cut one single small flower and no machine gun! I'm really thinking it's the size of the original file---it was 8 MB. What is the max file size that SCAL/SB can handle? Then I'll know when I'm preparing my mat runs in the future.
@kmmhug-- I was cutting vinyl off the roll (loose behind machine) so no mat interfered. I've also applied tape as a guide line for lining it up when it's loaded. I was discussing it with one of my partners and we both agreed this would be a great addition to the table--a slightly raised ridge so you would have to work hard to misfeed the medium too far to the right of the cutting carriage.

Thanks all!
Michele

[Thyme]

I don't think it will be the file size, I engrave files that take four or more hours. But it could be a problem with the file - some sort of corruption or something like that

[reactiveaz]

Hmmm....

I used to cut the file in SCAL2. I opened the same file in SCAL3 and it cut it singly. I duplicated the image and pasted it so I could cut more than one. Maybe I'll use the jpeg of that file and start with that and save it as an SCAL3 file.

[Thyme]

Okie dokie, let us know how it goes?

[reactiveaz]

Darn! I started from my original jpeg file, brought it into SCAL3, tried again and same thing.

I'm going to try to upload this file and see if any of you can cut it. What's odd is that when I first opened the jpeg, I saved it as an SVG and it was 250k. This is the file I used but after I placed, oriented and resized (shrank visually) this file on my virtual mat and copied it once, it's now 9.5mb. I don't get it. How does 2 x 250k = 9.5mb? I'm no math wiz but that just isn't right!

Hopefully one of you will be able to figure out what in the heck I've done. Thanks in advance!
Michele

[Angel135612]

I'm no expert with the software, but my first thought in looking at your file, you have the mat set to 36 inches with all the designs to the far right. Did you try moving them to the far left and decreasing your mat size down to 24 inches? Your design looks like it is only taking 12 inches of the mat, so the only thing I can see that could be causing your machine to do what it is doing, is the fact that the design is cutting "out of range". I don't remember if SCAL 3 has an unlimited mat length or not, I don't use anything over 24 inches. If I were going to cut this, I would make the mat 24 inches, and use Origin Point instead of WYSIWYG.

[LisaH]

You have 2 pages saved - the 1st has the design duplicated (it shows up twice) and on the 2nd page it has 9 copies. Since it has saved both pages, that should be where you are getting the large data amount from.

Are you using SCAL3 or SCAL3 Pro?

[reactiveaz]

I'm using just the regular SCAL3 that came with my SB. Sorry about the 2 pages....I didn't realize it saved both that were up there. I guess that would explain the large file. sheesh!
The reason I have my mat set so large is that I actually want to be able to run 10 of these sets of images at a time. My original set up was 60" long. I took it down to 36" with only 2 sets to see if it would help...it didn't. I'll try tomorrow with the 24" mat and see if it shapes up. I guess I may have to settle for only 4.

Would there be a benefit to upgrading to Pro? I haven't looked into that at all. That's what I get for thinking I'd done all my research!

[LisaH]

I'm still learning in the Pro version, and I'm sure others can chime in with even more info, but I think a couple of advantages is longer cut lengths and weeding lines, both of which are geared toward vinyl. I cut over 5 feet of vinyl this past weekend in one run. It was a repeat of 10...and I had my mat set to extra length to make sure there would be no problems. And it was also my 1st completely successful cut on vinyl without a mat! I had never been able to keep it straight before - but reading on here where everyone loads from the back and has cut the end completely square - it worked like a charm!

[Angel135612]

I looked on the Craftedge site, and found that SCAL 3 can have a work space up to 72 inches. So I'm not sure if that would have caused your problem if we are able to have longer mats and send to the machine. In the PRO version, you can have it up to 200 inches. Other than the extra space an the weeding lines, I don't know if there is any other differences between the two. I did check and the price for the PRO version is back up to $199, so it isn't on sale any longer. I do like having the weeding lines in SCAL, I have cut a few things in vinyl using them, and it works great. But I haven't cut anything larger than 24 inches. I don't have any vinyl on a roll, to test it out with (haven't cut vinyl with out a mat either).

[reactiveaz]

Ok, I think I'm going to have to go to the Craftedge site and ply them with this dilemma. I'm at a loss at this point as it will cut one full set without a hitch and get's within maybe 10 cuts of completing the 2nd set and blammo...same thing all over again. I'm unsure how it would be happy to cut one and not two. Off I go.....

[Tyler]

Would you mind posting your full file that you are trying to cut (with the X number of copies, 2nd page removed, etc.)? Post exactly what you are sending to the machine.

Also, what version of SCAL are you running? Are you using WYSIWYG or Origin point cutting?

I just cut the first page of the file that you posted without a problem, but if it is a software issue, it would be useful to be able to replicate the problem. I also duplicated it 3 more times (48 inches long) and also didn't run into any issue.

[reactiveaz]

Ok, I just downloaded the update to the software so I'm completely current (3.039) just in case that fixed anything....it didn't. I was using WYSIWYG but I've just tried the attached file using origin point and the same thing happened.

In the attached file, I've got my mat set to 60" (as that is my ideal length if I finally get to cut 10 sets of the image) but only 2 sets of images on the mat. I figured I'd add the remaining sets when I can cut through 2 ok.
Well, I was going to attach the file but this came up: FlowersLeavesVinyl.scut3 => The upload was rejected because the uploaded file was identified as a possible attack vector. What???? I have no idea what to do from here.....This file was from the original jpeg of the art and turned into an SVG which I then placed on the mat and saved as this file. Help?

I've also taken a screen shot of the cut settings as I cut the file.

In case it matters, I'm on a Mac (OS 10.6.8). I'm using a powered USB hub---could that be it? Should I go directly into the computer?

[Tyler]

Definitely try communicating directly with the machine (avoid the hub even though it is powered...) just to rule out variables for the time being.

You should be fine to upload the file as long as you zip it first.

Do you by chance have a video or anything? When is the "bang" occuring? Is it at the beginning? A certain point in the design? At the end of a shape? What is causing the bang sound - is it the housing hitting the side of the machine or another part? Does it occur on every file (even a single simple shape like a circle)? Is the clamp tightened down properly?

I am running OSX 10.8, v 3.039.

[reactiveaz]

Now that I'm back from the holidays, my hubby isn't going to die from the concussion he received and I've had a chance to breathe again, I'm ready to figure this out!

I just ran a test with the file, with my cable directly into the computer and no problems!!! Hallelujah!!!!

I'm going to guess that was the culprit all the way along. If it turns out that wasn't it and it happens again, I'll definitely video it. Scariest sound ever!

Thank you for all your help....you guys are the best!