A Guide to using the Silhouette Cameo Cutter

[JCL]

I've never understood why there is redundant Auto(Inches) as a setting, when inches can be selected further down. It's like my local supermarket. The butcher there hasn't got a hair on his head (not even eyebrows), yet he still wears a string hair net.

 

Once or twice I've had Studio go completely screwy on me. If this ever happens to you, and you've tried everything else, it can generally be fixed by uninstalling and reinstalling.

[Biased turkey]

 

my player went on to another one, which adds a bit more information, with some good demonstrations:  see

 

 

 

Mike

 

 

Thank you Mike for that instructive video

Edited September 12, 2016 by Biased turkey

[Biased turkey]

A 80 x 80 mm rectangle drawn using inkscape is imported in Silhouette studio ( designer edition ) as a 64 x 64 mm one.

I select the "Import as is "option  in the   preferences- >import options->SVG menu.

Same if I select the "center" option.

I was aware of that problem since the day I started to import  SVG files, so  the first thing I do after  importing any .svg file is to resize it.

Now , could someone please tell me what's wrong ?

Jacques

 

.

Edited September 13, 2016 by Biased turkey

[raymw]

For larger size of cutter (where off sets are much larger- think stanley knife size of blade) the blade holder is rotated to line up with the cut direction, not merely relying on being dragged around the corner. If the blade offset can not be found, or entered into the controller, then the following pencil diagram may show how to get precise corners.

 

'x' is the offset from the centre line of the blade holder. In the example, to cut a square (A) then cut a line C1, away from  the desired area, to line up blade in x+ direction, then start the cut B1 , but offset by x from the corner, and go x past the end. Then cut line C2 to rotate the cutter again, prior to line B2 and so on for the remaining two sides. That will make your drawing more complicated, and cutting time longer, but it will give you precise corners, (at least in thin material where effect of blade angle can be ignored) once you've experimented to find x. I doubt if the results of this extra effort will be noticeable, and I leave it as an exercise for you to work out how to handle curves.  

 

[JCL]

Just a quick one.

 

I've had a few cutting requests over the last few months, which is very flattering, thank-you. Unfortunately my Silhouette cutter is at the back of the shed in a movers box at the moment and won't be coming out for a while. If anyone has a request, it might be worth putting it up onto here, alternatively is anyone interested in providing a service? (Am I allowed to ask that?)

 

Also, unfortunately I don't cut pdf files of Scalescenes or similar kits as the files are password protected for editing.

 

cheers

 

Jason

[Biased turkey]

 

 

...then start the cut B1 , but offset by x from the corner, and go x past the end. T  

I don't get it. We try to compute the offset  x and the first thing you say is to offset the cut by x  ??? sounds like a chicken and egg problem to me.

[raymw]

To get x, if you don't know the value - the distance from the blade to the centre/pivot point of the holder, then you will most likely need to  find it by trial and error, (and if  you are really fussy, the value will depend on the thickness of the material, angle of blade, pressure, and whether or not the material being cut is brittle, or soft). However,  once you've found it, then afaik the suggestion I made will compensate for the distance 'twixt the centre and blade, and orientate the blade for the cut direction. The software for cnc machines, for example, will allow for offsets and backlash, which is a slightly different thing. If you had the mind to, then the hpgl type code that the cameo runs on could be modified to include the necessary code to include the 'C' cuts mentioned, either by getting into it when it translates from dxf/whatever, or by subsequently parsing and rewriting the final code. At the end of the day, 'the juice may be not worth the squeeze', but if it is, then that is most likely what someone will have to do it.
 
I guess a better explanation would have helped, but if you want to cut a square 'A', is the path of the cutter, whereas 'B' is the path of the centre of the tool holder (but shown in a different location, since my pencil is not multi-coloured...)
 
edit to add - here's an example of a bigger knife, showing how it is rotated before each change of cut direction. On the machines we're talking about here, there is not enough room to easily add such a system, nor free software to deal with it.  http://stoneycnc.co.uk/donek-drag-knife/

(I have no involvement with the company, they just came up when I searched for cnc drag knife)

 

edit again - on first seeing the video on that donek page, it looked as if the knife was motor rotated, however that is not so. Other videos on that site show that for sharp direction changes, the knife is raised, but with point of blade touching material surface, then moved slightly in the new direction, most likely as pressure is applied, so that the blade  is turning, due to offset, before cutting in the new direction. That works well, obviously, for thicker/tougher materials.

Edited September 13, 2016 by raymw

[Biased turkey]

Ethical question here: I joined one of the the most important french speaking  model railroad  forum : Loco Revue . There is a huge  ( 311 pages so far  ) thread about paper and cardboard modelling using cutting machines  ( mostly Silhouette  Cameo and Portrait ) . The thread starter ( François Pignon )  made some great paper structures. Am I allowed to post here a few pictures from the competition ?

For those interested here is a link:

http://forum.e-train.fr/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=26005&hilit=toutankarton&start=270

[Biased turkey]

Thank you raymw for  those aditional informations. Now you 1st drawing makes a lot more sense to me. Good idea to make the shortn cuts C1 to C4 for "preorienting" the blade.

Those professional cutters  ( and blades ) are really impressive. Are you  in the cutting machines business ?

 

 I contacted silhouette asking them what's the offset of the standard and premium blades.

The reply  " Hello Jacques,

 

Thank you for your email.  Please provide us with more detail information of what you would like to do.  We look forward to your email. 
 

 

Thank you,

Silhouette Support Team "

Of course not the kind of reply I was  expecting .

 

Jacques

 

[Biased turkey]

A 80 x 80 mm rectangle drawn using inkscape is imported in Silhouette studio ( designer edition ) as a 64 x 64 mm one.

I select the "Import as is "option  in the   preferences- >import options->SVG menu.

Same if I select the "center" option.

I was aware of that problem since the day I started to import  SVG files, so  the first thing I do after  importing any .svg file is to resize it.

Now , could someone please tell me what's wrong ?

Jacques

 

.

Problem solved: the confusion  is with Inkscape. All the Inkscape .svg  type fileS are not created equals.When saving an inkscape file  for opening with Silhouette Studio  Designer edition , select the  PLAIN  SVG  ( *.svg )  type and not the  inkscape SVG (*.svg ) type. This way the object saved in Inkscape will be imported in Silhouette Studio with the correct dimensions.

From an Inkscape manual:

Plain SVG is the standard SVG without Inkscape-specific markup. Use Plain SVG for best interoperability with other applications that may be used to open the file.

 

Jacques

Edited September 13, 2016 by Biased turkey

[raymw]

HI Jaques,

I resell and use DeskCnc, and have written software for myself, and a few others for specific cnc milling applications and extrusion type 3d printing. The cutting tools I usually use are 2 or 3 bladed, and rotate up to about 20,000rpm, mainly chewing through aluminium, occasionally other materials, but one day I may get around to sticking the cameo cutter in the spindle (I think I mentioned that more or less at the beginning of this thread), and try a mini version of the draw knife, but it would be not too difficult to make a more robust single blade cutter.  But then, I've used 0.5mm diameter milling cutters on plastic and metal, and if I wanted coach sides I would probably mill them out for myself.

 

However, for the sort of model making we are talking about, I think the cameo is excellent value, and it is not something you have to worry about ventilation or coolant being splashed around, but I have far too much stuff so I must try not to get too involved.

[Rob Pulham]

The gent that bought my Kirk parcels van (Don Gillam) has asked me to build another Kirk kit for him. This one a 52'6" BG. Don asked if I could convert the kit from a D111 to either a D154 or D282. With that in mind I spoke to Laurie at JLRT about getting some castings for queen posts etc for it. Being busy at the show Laurie advised emailing him later to get a parts list and then once I advise what parts and how many he will give me a price. now I fully intend to do this but since it's to go under a plastic model I also thought that I might have a go with my silhouette cutter to see what could be done.

 

I am quite pleased with the result for a first attempt and feel that I might do better with subsequent cuts.

 

 

[BG John]

Aaarrrrggggghhhhh!!!! The first of many, I hope, windows for the Scalescenes 4mm Low Relief Factory I'm about to start scaled up to 7mm, and one glazing bar broke! I wouldn't advise making windows this way for a 4mm scale version, as the bars are only about 0.5mm in 7mm! RMwebbers may already be questioning my sanity, so if I suddenly disappear I may well have been carted off by men in white coats. I've no idea how many I'll screw up before I get some good ones .

 

[JCL]

Hi John, a bit unfortunate on the bar. Did it break coming off the mat or when taking out the insert off-cuts? If the former, I always use a Stanley knife blade at a very shallow angle to push underneath the part and slowly take it off the mat. If it's a freelance building, would that be a good position for a fan vent or something?

[BG John]

When I was taking out the inserts. None of them quite cut through. I was pushing them out, so I'll try a knife on the next one, but I was concerned that having a blade anywhere near it would cause more problems. I'll have a nice supply of 4mm scale paving slabs by the time I'm finished! I use a Stanley knife blade on the mat, and it came off cleanly. The missing bar is still attached to the off cut, so I may be able to attach it when I add the glazing. I'm planning to put one either side of the glazing, so should be able to hide a few faulty ones, but I'll see how these test ones work out before deciding if my sanity will survive doing that. I think there will be 16 windows in this building, and then I'll have more buildings to make with different sizes of similar windows. A vent or something could be a good solution to a few broken ones.

 

I'll assemble the first one with the window closed, then see if I can do an open one.

[BG John]

I looked at the second one under a magnifier, and it hasn't cut right into the corners. I created the Inkscape file from full height and width lines converted to paths. Would it have been better to make each pane a rectangle?

[JCL]

HI John

 

Try both. I found rectangles made of lines better, but Mike uses actual rectangles. There is also a setting in the cutting panel to slightly extend a line which might help. Don't do your tests on a full window, maybe on 9 squares to start with to see what works best for you.

[BG John]

I made this one by opening the Scalesecenes PDF in Inkscape, and editing one of the windows. Next time I'll try drawing on a blank page, and use several methods.

 

On number 2 I broke one end of two bars, and 3 and 4 came out perfectly. So a bit of practice makes perfect, unless I get over confident! I'll do the opening windows tomorrow, as they're more fiddly, but fortunately smaller.

 

I'm impressed how finely it will cut though. Trying to do this by hand would have been a bit of a disaster.

[JCL]

I know this makes me feel inadequate, Allan Downes is so far ahead of us (hi Allan). He cuts his own and apart from shop windows, doesn't even use glazing! http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/70935-anything-you-can-do-i-can-do-better-robinson-and-downes/?p=2430259 .

Edited September 20, 2016 by JCL

[MikeTrice]

Aaarrrrggggghhhhh!!!! The first of many, I hope, windows for the Scalescenes 4mm Low Relief Factory I'm about to start scaled up to 7mm, and one glazing bar broke! I wouldn't advise making windows this way for a 4mm scale version, as the bars are only about 0.5mm in 7mm! RMwebbers may already be questioning my sanity, so if I suddenly disappear I may well have been carted off by men in white coats. I've no idea how many I'll screw up before I get some good ones .

What styrene thickness were you using?

[BG John]

I know this makes me feel inadequate, Allan Downes is so far ahead of us (hi Allan). He cuts his own and apart from shop windows, doesn't even use glazing! http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/70935-anything-you-can-do-i-can-do-better-robinson-and-downes/?p=2430259 .

These need glazing to give them some strength!

 

What styrene thickness were you using?

10 thou. I may try turning the blade up another notch next time, to see if that helps, or just scores the mat.

[MikeTrice]

I will write in more depth later, however short term to determine blade depth setting take your blade and adjust it to what you think is the just under the right length, then get a scrap piece of styrene and holding the ratchet blade firmly in one hand plunge the blade into the styrene as far as it will go. Now drag the blade to an edge. Remove the blade and look to see if the blade has cut through. If it has not ratchet the blade up a notch and keep on repeating unitl the blade has cut all the way through. You can get a reasonable idea by assuming that each notch on the ratchet blade is 0.1mm so for 10 thou (.25mm) I started at 2 and ended up settling for 3.

 

I have recently been cutting 10thou with reasonable results using the blade having been adjusted to a depth of 3 then in the Studio software the settings thickness 33, speed 1 and double cut set. The blade depth setting in Studio is for information only and has no effect on the actual cutting.

 

Even in 10thou I use the advice given in my Inkscape thread of adding crosses across the window openings as it helps snapping out. If the crosses have not gone all the way through then I run a scalpel along them to finish the cut before bending back to snap out. For fragile items such as these I always include more than I think I need, to allow for failures.

[allan downes]

I know this makes me feel inadequate, Allan Downes is so far ahead of us (hi Allan). He cuts his own and apart from shop windows, doesn't even use glazing! http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/70935-anything-you-can-do-i-can-do-better-robinson-and-downes/?p=2430259 .

 

Hi JCL.

 

I wouldn't say that I was ahead of everybody in terms of skill but certainly ahead of everybody in terms of years !

 

 

After what seems like an eternity of cutting holes in cardboard and plastic one gets pretty good at it both in accuracy and speed - but you do need a stanley knife and not a flimsy  scapel in order to do so ! (or a Cameo Cutter ???!!! )

 

 

Cheers.

 

Allan

Edited September 20, 2016 by allan downes

[MikeTrice]

I spent last night trying without success to cut out the LNER Toad B parts in 20thou styrene. The best I could achieve was to heavily score them. In fact I have always had to do this with 20thou. 10thou on the other hand cuts with relative ease. Whilst experimenting and tracking this thread I thought it might be useful to put up some conclusions for general comment. To do this in one sitting will be a tall order, so I will post contributions as and when time permits.

 

So to start here are some basics regarding the Silhouette cutting process.

 

A standard Silhouette ratchet blade is shown below. It comprises a blade 0.9mm wide at its tip which pivots about its centre axis as cutting changes direction. The distance from the centre line of the blade to its tip (0.45mm) is what I believe the offset measurement to be. The numbered dial extends and retracts the blade from a setting of 0 to 10 representing 0.1mm per measure. The standard blade has a 45 degree cutting angle:

 

The way the cutter works is the cutter holder is moved across the material to be cut and the blade plunged down until the tip of the cutter holder bottoms out. In an ideal situation the blade needs to extend just sufficiently to cut through the material shown here mounted on a cutting mat:

 

If the blade does not extend enough no amount of pressure or repeat cutting will ever cut all the way through:

 

Should the blade project too much then it is likely that it will gouge out a path through the cutting mat itself ruining it for future use:

 

So how do know what depth to set it? The easiest most accurate way is as mentioned earlier. With the blade set too shallow take a scrap piece of material over a self healing cutting board, take the ratchet blade in one hand and plunge the tip through the material then drag it to a side. Take it out and look at the cut. Extend the blade one position at a time until the material is just cut through.

 

Here is the blade set to cut through 20 thou styrene (0.5mm). Note how much more of the blade needs to pierce the material. If you try the same technique to establish the correct depth on a scrap piece of styrene, note how much harder it is to pierce the material as more blade increases the plunge resistence:

 

Here are the settings presented in the current version of Silhouette Studio:

 

The dropdown (currently set to ratchet blade) selects the blade type. There are really only two to consider, the rachet blade and the pen. Which one is selected determines the offset used by the cutting software, 0mm for the pen, 0.45mm for the ratchet blade and other types of blade. As has been noted previously there does not appear a way to customise the offset used.

 

The diagram showing the blade setting is purely for guidance to the user and to the best of my knowledge has no relevance during the cutting process. The cutter has no way of knowing how far the blade has been set to protrude, it just blindly plunges the blade into the material up to the grams force specified.

 

Speed sets the number of centimeters cut per second (x10) so a setting of 1 represents 10cms per sec.

 

Thickness sets the downward force of the cutter in 33 increments from 7 grams force to the machines maximum of 230 grams.

 

Double cut causes the machine to cut everything twice.

 

What is interesting is to look closely at the correct setting for cutting 10 thou (0.25mm) styrene:

 

Note how the effective part of the blade does not reach the centre line of the cutter. This implies that unless the software can compensate for it (without knowing the actual blade depth set) any cut of compeletly separate lines into a corner for example will not join.

 

A lot depends on how the software sends cutting commands to the cutter. Should the corner appear to be connected then the blade will pivot and the second line cut and the cuts will be joined.

 

Were it possible to cut with 20thou (0.5mm) then the blade depth would just about reach the corners although not through the full material depth:

 

More to follow.

 

 

 

 

 

[MikeTrice]

With the depth of cut being different in 10 thou (0.25mm) and 20 thou (0.5mm) so too is the width of the cut line. 10 thou on left, 20 thou on right: