Foil Quill and Cut

[mmhockeyfan]

Hi,

Has anyone been enjoying the foil quill?! I have and I've run into a problem.

I've foiled and cut various shapes and the cuts were off as shown in the attached picture of the blue heart. I posted the issue to the Craft Edge forum and Sandy McCauley worked out that my foil quill is not centered and she was right. The problem is that I've recreated the same issue with the pen tool (see red heart). I noticed after loading my pen in the pen tool holder the pen was not straight. I rarely use the pen tool. If I could load the pen tool properly then I could possibly jury rig my foil quill. Any ideas/thoughts are appreciated.
Thanks

[mmhockeyfan]

Performed the same cut with the 45 degree blade and it was perfect (see attached pic) so its not a machine issue. Didn't think so and just wanted to be sure.
The wonkiness of the pen and quill cuts are charming but the Virgo in me wants perfection!!

[jobab]

When using the pen tool or foil quill have you got your blade offset set to zero?

[Gigi]

My pen tool has always been exact so I cant tell you - it is exactly in the middle of the tool where it should be.

One workaround, not ideal, but I was having a different issue and this might work. I was thinking about this the other day, but I have not tried it. It could give you a more exact cut. Let's take the heart as you have it - an outside heart that is cut and an inside heart that you are tracing (pen or foil quill). Print the outside heart like a print and cut in a very pale color - so you can see it to line up the pen or quill pen. Put it on your mat after printing the outside heart and registration marks. Line up where you want the inside heart to be. Draw that. And yes what Jo said - be sure your pen tool offset is set to 0.

Then switch to the blade, use the print and cut to line up your registration marks and cut. Then it should be perfect. (in my head anyway!) Make sense?

I have some personal things going on but will try it as soon as I can this week - I think it will give you the best results if you cannot center the pen tool.

That being said, I have had several people test their pen tools by drawing a rectangle and then cutting around it and they have been exact. You might look at the pen you are using and find one that seems to set more directly in the center. The gel pens I have been using are in the double pen tool holder and are exactly in the center. And be sure that your quill pen is exactly in the center - so use the correct adapter at the right height to achieve that. That takes some trial and error.

Hope one of those things helps.

[mmhockeyfan]

Thanks Jobab I've been setting offset to "0". Gigi will take a look at my pen and your workaround. Thanks again!

[Gigi]

Welcome. Keep us posted!