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I been up for two hours trying to figure out how to put this on a picture frame using five different colors of vinyl. I did the red park first. I forgot to hit it in reverse the first time the second time my machine decided to have a mind of its own. The third time I was able to weed the big letters and the small letters keep coming up with the vinyl. The forth try it happened again. After wasting about 5 feet of vinyl I give up. I'm not very experienced and just learning the ropes. How would you professionals go about doing this. The glass space in the picture frame is 9.5 x 7.5 and I am trying to get the words inside the picture frame not on top of the glass.

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What kind of cutter are you using?

 

If its pulling up the letters your blade may be dull, or it could be a depth issue.

 

It takes some time, you just have to practice, try not to get frustrated.

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Can't help with the cutter, but you might want to check your spelling on "wine".

Looks like it should be "whine".

C

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Can't help with the cutter, but you might want to check your spelling on "wine".

Looks like it should be "whine".

C

 

not only that but, Laugh out load?

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some of those fonts might be tough to do at the size your doing as well depending on your cutter

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Weeding text that small in those fonts is going to be the tough part for sure. We weed fonts down to about a quarter inch tall for sandcarving, but the fonts have to be willing. Why not print it out and then put in the frame? Just a thought.

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I did this in WAY BIGGER than yours and it was a pain in the ass with some of the fonts.

 

remove the blade and clean it.  If you have too, put more weight on it.   I cut with a uscutter34 at full speed with 28 / 30 G's of weight and most times, no issues if I keep the blade clean 

 

 

 

 

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Can't help with the cutter, but you might want to check your spelling on "wine".

Looks like it should be "whine".

C

 

 

not only that but, Laugh out load?

I know I am bad at sprlling thanks for correcting me. I wish scal had spell check. 

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I am using a mh 12 at 40g 240 speed leaves a little bit of the letters attached and the top corner of the triangle still attached how often do you guys replace the 45 degree blades? I will try again and I will speed it up.

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I am using a mh 12 at 40g 240 speed leaves a little bit of the letters attached and the top corner of the triangle still attached how often do you guys replace the 45 degree blades? I will try again and I will speed it up.

as stated in your other post on the same thing - if using flexi add to the overcut in the production manager - stepper motor thing.  I run a cleancut 60 degree for about 11 months in the graphtec and roland

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I wish I had the money to buy a bigger and nicer machine then my crappy mh. I have to flip the off switch every time I am cutting a new piece and I forget to do that 25% of the time. I have to watch it to make sure it's cutting right so I do not waste vinyl. It drives me nuts. and I cannot cut more than like 9 inches.

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First step: Read your signature.

 

I like the idea a lot. I think part of the problem like others have sad is the size and style of fonts. They would give you trouble even with your machine perfectly dialed in. I would switch the fonts around so that the more complex fonts are the larger words and the smaller size is the simpler fonts. Maybe even drop a whole line off so you can make the rest of the words larger.

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Even with a high end cutter, those fancy script fonts at such small sizes will be a PITA to weed successfully.  I don't even try to do scripty fonts at those kinds of sizes any more, it's too frustrating.  The only time I've had any success is when I transfer the whole thing onto glass and then weed away the font for sandblasting, and even then it's hit or miss.  Make sure you convert to curves and weld any fancy text that crosses over itself, otherwise it will get cut into smaller pieces and be an even bigger pain to weed...

 

Also, you need to be consistent with capitalization in "I Love you"...

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After wasting more vinyl I conclude that I am just going to have to take out some of the words and it makes some of the letters bigger. I am also going to take out the cursive letters. Quarter inch letters just don't work for me.

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Your situation is what got me very frustrated in the beginning. Learning my limitations took a while and I felt very constrained in what I could do. Don't worry though, with the changes you mentioned I think this project is possible and will look great. I hate wasting vinyl but you have to look at it as a learning process. The vinyl is actually pretty cheap and once you work out these kinks things will flow more naturally. 

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Alot of different fonts, colors , and sizes, are hard on the eyes, I would just go with 1 MAYBE 2 fonts and 1 standard size. It looks much cleaner that way and easier on other peoples eyes, and to read.

 

But hell you could always try and cut each one seperate and apply each one. Just measure and use a level and get them straight. Ive done it before and came out great.

thats alot of vinyl to waste with 5 different colors and use REGISTRATION marks. and to line all them up. An your new.

 

i bet if you cut each one in each color u want seperate, and line them up straight, you wont be disapointed.

 

as for your cutter,

When i first started, I bought a roll from uscutter, like 9.00 plus shipping, and use that to scrap through it, to set up my cutter. just a roll for learning and playing around with it to get things right. 

We were all new at one time. Practice with it cut , if it isnt right ask around, or try different settings. Use cheap vinyl rolls like green star to practice with.

I still dont know everything thats for sure, but have the basics down and still scrap vinyl. its just a part of a cutters life :D

 

Good Luck and enjoy it!!

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ONe of the above comments mentioned speed, is it better to run a cutter faster or slower to get a good cut? I would think slower.

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ONe of the above comments mentioned speed, is it better to run a cutter faster or slower to get a good cut? I would think slower.

 

When cutting small text and detailed work the slower the better. Even though my graphtec can cut small graphics faster, I slow it down. Cutting smaller graphics and text with my MH-365, that I use out of my van, I use the slowest speed on it. I've cut text as small as 3/16" with it.

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I give up on the multi color. I took out the cursive words and some of the other words to make the letters bigger. I got it done last week in all black letters and forgot to take a picture before I went out of town. this is the first time I put the letters on the inside and I reversed it so the sticky side will stick to glass and not the paper I use decorative light brown paper they have at Michael's. Let me know what you guys think

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Next time, remember to dot your 'i' s

 

Those are important rules, it makes for nicer living.

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Like it and glad you overcame your issues with the original design.

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Great! Hope you are feeling good about it. Me and my wife made some painted wood blocks with a a printed picture adhered to the face. Gave them a distressed effect and laid some vinyl lettering over the top. They came out great but only after trying 5 or so times while we figured out the cutter and adhesives that would work on the wood. 

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Looks nice, only suggestion would be to make it all just a touch smaller so the frame doesn't cover up anything.

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