PASTBLASTER
Grand Master
- Thread starter PASTBLASTER
- Start date
What machine did you get?
I bought a Silhouette Cameo 3 and the thing is a piece of junk but it is nice being able to cut stickers when I need to.
I bought a Silhouette Cameo 3 and the thing is a piece of junk but it is nice being able to cut stickers when I need to.
PASTBLASTER
Grand Master
Hackcell
Grand Master
Are Silhouette machines that bad?
I could probably write a short novel on my issues with this thing and I don't want to derail the thread but lets just say that the hardware is far less precise and had a much lower build quality than I was hoping and the software is buggy, missing a lot of what I would consider important features and ultimately not designed well at all.
it "works" but it delivers what I would have expected from a $100 machine, not a $300 machine.
Hackcell
Grand Master
Thanks for the feedback... I was thinkning on getting one to print decals. I`ll look for other options then.
PASTBLASTER
Grand Master
No worries on derail man, thisis a good place to discuss what cutters are bad since other folks are looking to do the same thing!
Mine cuts pretty well, but I still have some slight bends when the machine transitions from vertical to horizontal cuts. I'd imagine it's a setting I have to adjust, but still learning a bit!
Mine cuts pretty well, but I still have some slight bends when the machine transitions from vertical to horizontal cuts. I'd imagine it's a setting I have to adjust, but still learning a bit!
PASTBLASTER
Grand Master
I'm pretty sure you can print on Vinyl with the right machines. I just wanted to make some stuff for my Small Arcade and Personal projects.
electricgrave
Beginner
Currently looking into Cricut, the precision and materials is what really got me curious about this stuff.
whitecomet
Beginner
Ive got a silhouette Portrait and silhouette Cameo.. ive used these for printing sticker vinyl and also heat press vinyl... some of the designs have been intricate but came out fine.
I have had a couple of problems but this is more down to user than the machines:
I have had a couple of problems but this is more down to user than the machines:
- Converting the AI files to DXF had a few boxes which needed to be ticked when saved.
- Poor cuts have been due to the quality of vinyl used
- The starting areas of printing isnt perfect (but part is due to me manually loading it)
- The software has once/twice made a cut which wasn't on the design
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If you're importing AI or DXF you're already bypassing 80% of the terrible software design by not even using their design software.
Have you ever tried to use the wirless/bluetooth functionality? anytime I print anything it takes me a good half hour of futzing with the thing to get it to connect.
Also have you ever tried to cut printed stickers? (as in printing a full color design and then cutting that)? that's where my biggest disappointment was it doesn't support any bleed out so you can end up with white edges instead of color all the way to the cut. Also the camera isn't super accurate so while the the cuts near the top are "ok" they get worse the further down the page you go and are completely misaligned by the bottom making those stickers unusable.
This effects vinyl to if dimensions need to be accurate. If you're just printing a sticker that is going on a piece of glass or other large flat surface that's fine. But I was trying to print black out for a recess around a speaker in a cab, so the cut vinyl dimension needed to be accurate for it to fit in the recess and and it was just not scaled well at all. I don't expect it to be perfect but I also don't expect it to be off by 4% either.
whitecomet
Beginner
Yeah tbh I've really only used it for sticker vinyl for single colours and logos. The heat vinyl I have layered but the sizes seemed to keep true.
As you said I draw everything in illustrator and use the software just to cut from, I do very little editing in the software and it is connected via a USB.
So, couple of questions for you
Have you bought the Adobe Illustrator integration and is it worth the cost?
Do you cut your vinyl on the cutting matts or do you just feed the vinyl in alone?
Where do you get your vinyl (so far I've only cut vinyl on the stuff that was included with the cutter)
Have you bought the Adobe Illustrator integration and is it worth the cost?
Do you cut your vinyl on the cutting matts or do you just feed the vinyl in alone?
Where do you get your vinyl (so far I've only cut vinyl on the stuff that was included with the cutter)
whitecomet
Beginner
No I haven't bought the AI integration, I draw all my designs in AI and then you can export them as DXF files. You an then open the DXF files in Silhouette Studio. However you do need to make sure you save the DXF files with a outline path and any colour but black.
I use the cutting matts that have been provided, though for longer cuts I have stuck two matts together using masking tape and has worked without issue. This could be why the start point isnt always where it displays on the screen (normally 1 square lower than screen template).
I use MetaMark for my sticker vinyl, I have a friend who is a professional sign maker/vehicle wrapper etc... he recommended this brand and it has always been good as it doesn't bubble.
I use the cutting matts that have been provided, though for longer cuts I have stuck two matts together using masking tape and has worked without issue. This could be why the start point isnt always where it displays on the screen (normally 1 square lower than screen template).
I use MetaMark for my sticker vinyl, I have a friend who is a professional sign maker/vehicle wrapper etc... he recommended this brand and it has always been good as it doesn't bubble.
Interesting. I bought a few of the official longer cutting mats and they're just bad, they have a hole in the top center for hanging them on a hook but the cutter alignment is way off when using these mats and it almost always tries to cut through this hole and damages the blade. the adhesive on these mats is terrible and even if I put a huge manual offset on them to deal with the mis-alignment the paper ends up dislodging from the cutting mat and ruins the material in the process.
whitecomet
Beginner
Yeah I just joined the ones I got with both machines together with some masking tape. The sticky seems to work OK but paper has only slipped when I didn't press it down on the matt and that was the heat vinyl as its more slippy surface.
Not had many problems with either machine, but it seems I'm using it for very basic stuff. I really only bought it to do some car stickers, and some small heatpress vinyl for some event clothing and it has managed all that without issues.
If its full colour stickers or overlays then my friend has the equipment and a die-cutter so he does that for me
Not had many problems with either machine, but it seems I'm using it for very basic stuff. I really only bought it to do some car stickers, and some small heatpress vinyl for some event clothing and it has managed all that without issues.
If its full colour stickers or overlays then my friend has the equipment and a die-cutter so he does that for me
