SCAL 5 cutting different than 4

[twentythreemx 3]

I have version 5 and version 4 and 5 is adding weird points to some things and just altering the cuts a bit...  I've compared settings in each and can't find anything mismatched.

Any suggestions on why this may be? Have used 4 for years now and have not had issues and trying 5 and it just won't cut right.

[twentythreemx 3]

i've messed w/ baud rate,  offset, selecting the port manually vs auto select, deleting and readding the cutter.. literally anything i can find. 

its an SC2, SCAL4 only has SC and it works fine, I've tried SC and SC2 in SCAL5 and no difference.

[MZ SKEETER 4,686]

Can you post some photos? They speak volumes on to what problems can be. As long as they are not copywritten.  What do your TEST cuts right from the machine look like? (photos)  It must be correct first, before you cut any design. No mention how you ever set your blade depth.  Too many users see to use a credit card or post it notes, to set blade depth, and this is 10 times too much blade exposed, and will cause many problems.  Blade depth must be correct, before making any other settings changes.

https://forum.uscutter.com/index.php?/topic/39196-setting-blade-depth/

[twentythreemx 3]

ill post pic shortly.. however, it's same machine, same PC, and it's cutting fine in SCAL 4.  It's only an issue in SCAL version 5 though. cuts in 4 are 100% fine. 

[MZ SKEETER 4,686]

Also, since you are using a different software, you should calibrate your cutter to the new software. You can check by making/cutting, a 3" x 3" square.  Measure it and make sure it is really a 3" x 3" square, It not, then calibrate your software until it is correct,. 3" x 3" square.

[twentythreemx 3]

how do you calibrate sure cuts a lot? never had to do that

[MZ SKEETER 4,686]

At the top of your layout screen, should be HELP, look there, or go to the Craft Edge Forum for Sure Cuts A Lot. Search online.  I don't own that software.  pretty much any software has Calibrate cutter to software.  Very few people here use Scalp. The CRAFT EDGE FORUM would probably give you more answers than here.

[twentythreemx 3]

good call i will post over there. i did a search and found nothing for calibration.

 

[MZ SKEETER 4,686]

 

good call i will post over there. i did a search and found nothing for calibration.

 

If your square  measures correctly, you don't need to calibrate it.  Did you cut a square and it doesn't measure correctly by the sizes you entered into your cutting software?

[twentythreemx 3]

my registration verification email won't seem to come through from the craft edge forum, go figure... anyways

 

here's a photo. it does measure correctly with the exception of the weird points its making... if those weren't there it measures correct

this is what its doing to my cuts, adding those weird lines.. you can see in the text below it too (its reversed) but you can see the points on the I for example, should just be italicized and a rectangular "dot" on it...  

[MZ SKEETER 4,686]

That is too much blade offset. Should start at 0.25 mm and adjust at 0.05 plus or minus. 

 

[twentythreemx 3]

here's what that cut is supposed to look like, it's throwing it off a bit besides the corners... 

[twentythreemx 3]

 

That is too much blade offset. 

interesting, i didnt think to play with that because i just mirrored the scal 4 settings that have worked for a long time.

ill make some adjustments to that and see what happens 

[MZ SKEETER 4,686]

Your TEST cut straight from your  TEST button on your machine, should be a perfect square and triangle. Is it?  If it is not, then you are wasting your time doing any setting changes. That has to be perfect first.

[twentythreemx 3]

 

Your TEST cut straight from your  TEST button on your machine, should be a perfect square and triangle. Is it?  If it is not, then you are wasting your time doing any setting changes. That has to be perfect first.

yes it is

[twentythreemx 3]

ok we're onto something with offset, but cant fix it...

SCAL keeps defaulting offsert to 1mm for pen.   Even if I adjust it.. it still cuts it at 1.

So I changed it to the PEN preset which is 0 offset, and it cut pretty good (little rounded, so not enough offset)

SO that's the problem, but why SCAL is stuck on 1mm and won't change...idk. might have to chalk it up to a bug in the software and reinstall or something.

[twentythreemx 3]

i've given up and uninstalled it, wasting too much time on something not that important, version 5 doesnt offer much over 4..6 doesnt seem to eitehr. ill wait until they release something significant and get the next one! unless someone has a suggestion on something better for design & cut. i've been happy with SCAL for a long time but definitely open to something better if its out there, i've never really had a reason to look. 

[MZ SKEETER 4,686]

Best is Flexisign pro, but you don't spend $4k and put that on a value cutter.  Your tech support is Craft Edge and that is who you should be contacting.