by Gigi » September 30th, 2012, 10:04 pm
There are guidelines - Penny has one on her blog -http://pennyduncancreations.blogspot.com/2012/07/thought-i-would-review-mediums-with-my.html but we always hesitate to recommend a force as every machine is different. And there are a ton of lightweight papers that all cut at different forces. I keep a log so I know which blade I am using and the force so it works every time once I figure it out.
I use my click blade all the time and love it and it is almost always on 1. My blade is out about 1mm. One text weight paper can be cut at 40 and another at 55, depending on the density. If you are dragging through your mat then the blade is out too far and /or the force is too high. I am guessing the force is too high.
Are you using the test cut? That will save you a lot of wear and tear and help give you a good idea. Start at 40 and see if it's cutting through at all. Then go up by 10 until you have a clean cut without digging into the mat. You will see a fine line in the mat - that's the adhesive, but you should not be able to feel the cut with your fingernail.
And yes it does take time. As you play around you will get a feel for the weight of the paper and instinctively know the force. But as much as I cut, I still do a test cut if it's a new paper or a deeper color. Darker colors are usually more dense.
Keep posting if you get stuck - there are a lot of people willing to help.
Silver Bullet Admin/Tech Support
Happily using an 24" Silver Bullet Platinum
Gigi