Silver Bullet Cutters Forum

Thank you Elizabeth, we are more than excited.

Congrats to all of you, Suzan, and have fun!

What an exciting time for your family Suzan...Congratulations!!!! That is such happy happy news!!!

I have FINALLY tripped over the solution!!!! Yea- Cartwheel, Cartwheel!!!!

My original process...work in my beloved photoshop, import into AI ===>Image, Trace, Make===>>> Save as an SVG from AI with the imported Scal feature.
--->>> When I would import and cut in SCAL, and cut my design, it would cut and cut and cut, sometimes duplicating an image 2 & 3 times. I finally figured out it was cutting each line double, it was cutting the inside and the outside of each line.

This is what I did this morning and my test worked!!! I earned that extra cup of coffee. Work your image however you like in photoshop/illustrator.
Save as a jpeg.
Open Scal, Select File, Trace Image.
Select your jpeg, you can see your node count and Source Image if you like, I have found out the "Softening" takes out a bit of the jagged lines and the higher the "Optimize" number the smoother the curve and the less nodes required to cut. Remember "Update Preview" because if you hit enter, the image disappears...not sure where it goes! But keep working the Softening and Optimize #s to get your image where you want it. Once complete Save as SVG option.

And the best part about it.....drum roll please....my design cut perfect the first time! The machine did not go crazy cutting and cutting! I know this might sound simple to some but it has taken me a long time to figure this out and as a newbie I am extremely excited!!! Now I just have to figure out how to do layers on the dang thing!!!!

Congrats! Thanks for the info. I need to explore the trace image settings more. I will use you tips when I do.

Artisan12 wrote:I have FINALLY tripped over the solution!!!! Yea- Cartwheel, Cartwheel!!!!

My original process...work in my beloved photoshop, import into AI ===>Image, Trace, Make===>>> Save as an SVG from AI with the imported Scal feature.
--->>> When I would import and cut in SCAL, and cut my design, it would cut and cut and cut, sometimes duplicating an image 2 & 3 times. I finally figured out it was cutting each line double, it was cutting the inside and the outside of each line......
And the best part about it.....drum roll please....my design cut perfect the first time! The machine did not go crazy cutting and cutting! I know this might sound simple to some but it has taken me a long time to figure this out and as a newbie I am extremely excited!!! Now I just have to figure out how to do layers on the dang thing!!!!

I had no problem cutting the first file you posted - your svg that I imported into SCAL, but I am glad you found a way that works for you - that's what it is all about!

GiGi- I couldn't cut the first file at all. It cut and cut and cut. I have come to realize if you cant see the grid of SCAL through your image it cuts both the black and the white image as if they are seperate entities.

Now I'm on to doing things in layers!

Brooke, I don't mean to belabor this - I just hate to see you going to unnecessary work. I just imported the file again as it was. I made NO changes and cut it twice separately. Each time it only cut the design once. (and nicely I might add!)

Would love to know what the difference is - if I am not having trouble with it you shouldn't either. Only the fill is selected (how it imported) and there is no white - so I can't even recreate what you are seeing! If I select and break apart there is nothing there to break apart! Puzzled......

Gigi-

I have no clue and you are not belaboring anything! By openning a File in Trace Image it is the first time I have not cut and cut a design, ate my paper and all the other good stuff that happens when a design keeps cutting. I have to be doing something wrong or my settings are different then yours. Not sure how that could be. I'm just glad I can cut once now!! So happy!

Happy New Year All!

But you shouldn't have to trace a design that is already a vector image and good to cut. It just bugs me cuz I don't want you to have to go to the extra work.
Just for the heck of it, can you please do a screen shot of your cutter settings when you have a minute?? Would love to make this easier for you!