Chudimac

Cutting Small Vinyl Scraps?

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Anyone try cutting very small vinyl scraps?  Is it possible to use a mat? If so, do you use the same cut settings and blade depth when using a mat?  It took me weeks to get the perfect blade depth to cut my vinyl and I don't want to touch it if I don't have to!

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I cut small scraps all the time.  Yes, you can use a carrier mat.   Never tried a mat, I don't need to.  Does your cutter have a continuous grit roller on the bottom?  Or sections of grit rollers/ pinch rollers spaced apar

Setting blade depth is pretty easy.  You should try this

To start with, you should set your blade depth correctly, by taking the blade holder out of the machine, and firmly cut across a piece of scrap vinyl, you will be cutting. You should only be cutting the vinyl and barely a mark on wax paper backing, Adjust blade to get there, Then put the blade holder back in machine, and use the force of the machine to get there, same results, only cutting the vinyl and barely a mark in wax paper backing. You should just barely see and feel the blade tip out of the blade holder. 

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1 hour ago, Chudimac said:

Anyone try cutting very small vinyl scraps?  Is it possible to use a mat? If so, do you use the same cut settings and blade depth when using a mat?  It took me weeks to get the perfect blade depth to cut my vinyl and I don't want to touch it if I don't have to!

Getting your cutter set up correctly should become second nature. I realize it's a bit overwhelming when you are new but once you get it figured out it's relatively easy. I think you are probably doing it wrong if it took you any more than about 5 minutes. 

Follow MZ ZKEETER's directions on the actual blade depth and then you just need to dial in the correct pressure to cut through. If you get your other setting dialed in (speaking of blade offset and possibly overcut it needed) then you just have the blade depth which once set is usually fine for most daily cut needs. Cheap vinyl is 3 mil and high end is 2 mil so set it for the 3 mil and you are done with that part. The pressure may vary from one material to the next and so you should be comfortable doing a quick pressure test with each product until you can come to grips with that your cutters normal operating pressures. You will find that you run at one or two general settings most of the time. I usually cut HTV and cast vinyl at the same pressure and often jump up about 5gr for calendared. Your cutter will vary. 

I'm just saying that you should probably practice the routine so it's not a worry or you will not know what's going on if things go awry. The single biggest mistake most new cutter owners make is they equate cutting depth with blade depth. You don't change the depth of cut by lengthening or shortening the amount of blade sticking out. Set that correctly manually as Skeeter shows and then you dial into your downforce to cut just through the vinyl and scratch the surface of the carrier. 

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Keep trying, I find it that when I think its small enough to only need 2 pinch rollers that it really needs all 3 of them on the smaller ones to keep it from turning.

I guess it would be the same on the MH i have a SC2

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I have the three pinch rollers spaced.  I've cut some scraps before but they normally need three pinch rollers and if they are uneven scraps,  they will slip if one section is too short for a pinch roller.  I want to take advantage of every little piece of vinyl for cost effectiveness for the business.  

Thanks for the tips on the blade depth.  When I attempted to cut vinyl and read this on the forums it wasn't too bad to set the depth correctly.  I think my initial problem was that I was trying to cut cardstock (not heavy).  This machine is obviously designed for vinyl only. I never was able to find a blade depth or setting that was good for cardstock.  FYI, if you call help, they still tell you the credit card line.  I've actually held a credit card up as I'm doing it and it is way off.

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It's less blade, more force.   The Graphtecs have a  large grit roller to the right side that is approx 6.5 inches wide..  I can cut 2" wide scraps, no problem.. 2 pinch rollers side by side.     

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I'd love to delve into the scrap cutting topic.  I have a job ... requires 6inch strips on my cutter.  However, the strips simply go all caterwonky when I try to cut them.

Is this just a matter of using all three pinch clips on the tiny strip?  

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Yet no one addressed the question on if carriers can be used and if so, do any changes have to be made? I get alot of 12x12 pieces and 3 pinch rollers wont let me run two different colored pieces at the same time. Hence the need for a carrier... is it possible?

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59 minutes ago, vyrus74 said:

Yet no one addressed the question on if carriers can be used and if so, do any changes have to be made? I get alot of 12x12 pieces and 3 pinch rollers wont let me run two different colored pieces at the same time. Hence the need for a carrier... is it possible?

Should be fine. I never liked the cutting mats but most machines will feed them through. I have seen some flexible cutting mats that looked a lot better than the Cricuit mat I bought which is stiff and can get caught on the front or back edge if you run to close to the edge. Meaning that as the stiff mat is all the way back like you would be at the start it will tip down in the back due to weight and inflexibility and the front edge can poke up and find things to catch on, the same will happen in the back if you get to near the end. I watched some video with some soft semi-clear mat that looked much better for a roll feed cutter. Cricut mats are made for Cricuts specifically that have that flat landing built into them so they don't need or want to bend. 

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