A Guide to using the Silhouette Cameo Cutter

[dhjgreen]

7 minutes ago, MJI said:

Could someone please link to suitable settings.  I will be getting thinner glazing to try.

 

Use a page number would do.

 

My other designs will be card or 10 thou white plasticard.

 

 

I have a portrait, so not sure how it relates:

Blade 10, SP1, Force 33, 2 passes; for 10thou plasticard

[MJI]

I am now getting into studio and already have a problem.

 

I am creating some base parts for a DMU window but not sure how to do it.

 

This is my first go.

 

I need to turn this into 5 holes.

 

 

Thanks

 

Martin

 

[MJI]

Or do I need to start with a side and do it that way?

 

Once I get the hang of it I will be doing 5 different designs.

[Biased turkey]

Local pub on my TT9mm scale belgian steam tramway layout. Cut entirely using the Silhouette Portrait. The paper kit is from Scalescenes.

[JCL]

 

Hi Martin

 

 

I would cut the lines in batches based on the colours below. That way, the knife will be in the correct orientation for most of the cuts, and the cuts will be more accurate.

 

(ignore the numbers)

 

cheers

 

Jason

 

[Regularity]

Suggest separate cuts where there are square corners.

[CloggyDog]

On 30/12/2020 at 11:00, MJI said:

I am now getting into studio and already have a problem.

 

I am creating some base parts for a DMU window but not sure how to do it.

 

This is my first go.

 

I need to turn this into 5 holes.

 

 

Thanks

 

Martin

 

 

I've cut Mk1 windows very similar to that as part of the H0 Mk1 sides I've drafted up.

 

You'll need to take out the cut lines where the bars meet the outer and the centre bar. 

 

I just cut them in one go, on my Portrait (original version). For 10 thou plasticard, I set the blade at 10, force 33 and 3 passes to cleanly cut through the sheet. 

 

To get a better 3D effect for the sliding toplights, I do my sides in 2 layers, with the inner having the 4-hole toplights and the outer layer having just the cross bar (along with score lines for the doors, hinges, etc.)  That gives a nice relief effect.

If I want the later Mk1 aluminium frames, I cut and add those as separate pieces. 

Edited January 1, 2021 by CloggyDog

[CloggyDog]

On 30/12/2020 at 11:10, MJI said:

Or do I need to start with a side and do it that way?

 

Once I get the hang of it I will be doing 5 different designs.

 

I've started a thread in the H0 section on my Silhouette-cut Mk1 side overlays

 

 

[aardvark]

Another Silhouette School post: How to Turn Off Silhouette 3mm Kraft Blade Hooks and Loops.

 

This seems like it might be useful - they tell how to turn off the hooks and loops (called "Smart Cuts" - perhaps an oxymoron) which helps cut thick materials without the blade getting stuck.  Sound familiar?

 

The article also tells how to set up your own materials - and relates to a second post: How to Guestimate the Best Silhouette Cut Settings for Materials Not on the Material List.

 

My usual disclaimer that I don't yet own a cutter, so what would I know.  I have no relation with the site - not even a customer.

[kada33]

Could some one tell me how to get to previous post numbers. 

[aardvark]

On 14/01/2021 at 20:33, kada33 said:

Could some one tell me how to get to previous post numbers. 

 

Short answer: no, no one can.

 

My memory says that post numbers disappeared with the lastest "fancy-up", and not to everyone's appreciation.  I went looking to verify my often dodgy memory, and found:

 

 

which says ...

 

Quote

The post numbers have disappeared, are they coming back?
Unlikely, the post numbers were not all that useful, as they could change is previous content in the topic was hidden or removed.

 

If you're trying to decipher an old post-number reference, you can try this as a workaround:

 

 

 

[jwealleans]

If you select the 'share' option from the ellipsis top right you'll get a link which will take you directly to a specific post.

[MarshLane]

 

On 14/01/2021 at 09:33, kada33 said:

Could some one tell me how to get to previous post numbers. 

 

10 hours ago, aardvark said:

Short answer: no, no one can.

 

My memory says that post numbers disappeared with the lastest "fancy-up", and not to everyone's appreciation.  I went looking to verify my often dodgy memory, and found:

 

The problem was the post numbers changed.  If for example there were ten posts 1 - 10 ... and somebody linked to post 8 using the post numbers, that's fine.   But if a post was removed for some reason, or a user requested it to be taken out, the numbers changed. So in the above example, posts 2, 5 and 7 are removed.  Post 8 is now post 5, but the link will still go to the current post 8, which was originally post 13 - hence the linking is haywire and can change at anytime.

 

The current way of working by linking to the specific post is therefore more accurate and does not change - hence why the post numbers were removed, although they were removed by the software company, not rmWeb or Andy Y.

 

See this link, fifth entry.

 

Rich

 

 

 

Edited January 15, 2021 by MarshLane
Added link

[MJI]

OK I have done a few tests on cutting, and wasted 4 sheets trying things out.

 

Best results have been

 

3 depth, 33 force, 4 pass, 5 speed

 

The last pair of DMU sides are really good.

 

First were incorrect

Second tore

Third loaded wrong wasted two sides

Four got it

 

[Regularity]

How is performing tests in a controlled manner, and keeping useful records of the settings, a waste? 
ok, maybe the third one...

[jonhall]

I'm still struggling with my Portrait 1 on Windows 10, I re-flashed the firmware about this time last lear and it worked eratically for the first day of the Stevenage show, but not the second! 

 

I was beginning to believe that the problem might have been hardware and a fault with the cutter, however it occurred to me that the WinXP computer I used to download the firmware upgrade should still work, and indeed it does, although I had to convert Studio3 files to Studio 2 format. Some of my files are studio 4 format, so I might have to do two conversions. 

 

Has anyone else had the Win10 problems with a Portrait 1 and Win10 - there seems to be a feeling online that the issue is the Protrait 1 is USB1, and Microsoft has abandoned USB1, but if you use a USB 2 hub, that should act as a converter between USB1 and USB2 - has anyone tried it?

 

Jon

[ed7]

10 minutes ago, jonhall said:

I'm still struggling with my Portrait 1 on Windows 10, I re-flashed the firmware about this time last lear and it worked eratically for the first day of the Stevenage show, but not the second! 

 

I was beginning to believe that the problem might have been hardware and a fault with the cutter, however it occurred to me that the WinXP computer I used to download the firmware upgrade should still work, and indeed it does, although I had to convert Studio3 files to Studio 2 format. Some of my files are studio 4 format, so I might have to do two conversions. 

 

Has anyone else had the Win10 problems with a Portrait 1 and Win10 - there seems to be a feeling online that the issue is the Protrait 1 is USB1, and Microsoft has abandoned USB1, but if you use a USB 2 hub, that should act as a converter between USB1 and USB2 - has anyone tried it?

 

Jon

 

I have problems.   I can get it to work if I plug the Portrait directly into a USB port on the computer rather than via a USB extension or data hub.  I may also need to re-boot the computer.   

 

Edited January 18, 2021 by ed7
spelling

[dhjgreen]

14 hours ago, jonhall said:

I'm still struggling with my Portrait 1 on Windows 10, I re-flashed the firmware about this time last lear and it worked eratically for the first day of the Stevenage show, but not the second! 

 

I was beginning to believe that the problem might have been hardware and a fault with the cutter, however it occurred to me that the WinXP computer I used to download the firmware upgrade should still work, and indeed it does, although I had to convert Studio3 files to Studio 2 format. Some of my files are studio 4 format, so I might have to do two conversions. 

 

Has anyone else had the Win10 problems with a Portrait 1 and Win10 - there seems to be a feeling online that the issue is the Protrait 1 is USB1, and Microsoft has abandoned USB1, but if you use a USB 2 hub, that should act as a converter between USB1 and USB2 - has anyone tried it?

 

Jon

About a year ago I reported on here that Silhouette were no longer supporting Win10 for earlier models, lovely.

Edit:  I use a Win7 laptop as a work around.

Edited January 19, 2021 by dhjgreen

[wagonbasher]

On 31/12/2020 at 03:21, JCL said:

 

Hi Martin

 

 

I would cut the lines in batches based on the colours below. That way, the knife will be in the correct orientation for most of the cuts, and the cuts will be more accurate.

 

(ignore the numbers)

 

cheers

 

Jason

 

 

I'd greatful if you would point me in the right direction as to how I do that.  I have a silhouette 3.  I do get variable results on corners, just a steer and I will do some digging and playing.

 

Andy

[Steadfast]

On 18/01/2021 at 18:13, jonhall said:

Microsoft has abandoned USB1, but if you use a USB 2 hub, that should act as a converter between USB1 and USB2 - has anyone tried it?

 

Yep, it works perfectly. My new laptop is USB 3 and USB C only, a USB 2 hub now lives in the box with the Portrait. I've made no firmware mods, it's all plain vanilla. It's just a cheapy hub that was in my stocking one Christmas, nowt exotic.

 

Jo

[CloggyDog]

On 18/01/2021 at 18:13, jonhall said:

I'm still struggling with my Portrait 1 on Windows 10, I re-flashed the firmware about this time last lear and it worked eratically for the first day of the Stevenage show, but not the second! 

 

I was beginning to believe that the problem might have been hardware and a fault with the cutter, however it occurred to me that the WinXP computer I used to download the firmware upgrade should still work, and indeed it does, although I had to convert Studio3 files to Studio 2 format. Some of my files are studio 4 format, so I might have to do two conversions. 

 

Has anyone else had the Win10 problems with a Portrait 1 and Win10 - there seems to be a feeling online that the issue is the Protrait 1 is USB1, and Microsoft has abandoned USB1, but if you use a USB 2 hub, that should act as a converter between USB1 and USB2 - has anyone tried it?

 

Jon

 

Hi Jon, 

 

I'm running my Portrait 1 off a Win 10 laptop, running Studio (originally basic, since upgraded to Business) 

I've plugged it both direct into a usb2 port on the laptop and (more often) via a USB hub plugged into a usb2 port. No problems at all. 

 

I think I've even tun it off my win7 netbook, though that struggles running Studio (Tbh, it struggles with most things!) 

[Ray H]

I'm trying to make some stencils for O gauge signals that will be illuminated  from behind - a font size of 16pt seems clear enough.

 

I have Inkscape and Studio. I've seen a demo on YouTube using Silhouette Design that allows you to keep the centres of letters like A, B & D that would otherwise disappear when you remove the cut material from the backing sheet but that requires a (Design) knife thickness that can't be reduced in Studio.

 

I'd like to use Gill Sans if that's possible.

 

I'm trying to achieve the same thing using Inkscape but can't find a way to set the characters to outline - i.e. no fill. Can anyone point me in the right direction please?

 

Likewise, can anyone tell me how to retain the centre pieces that aren't tied to the outline?

 

Many thanks.

[JCL]

Hi Ray, as far as I remember, the Silhouette ignores the fill and only deals with the outline/stroke around the letter. I think the Studio software is also intelligent enough to cut from the inside out, so the triangle inside an A should be cut first, and then the outside.

 

Can anyone confirm this?

[Ray H]

Thanks for that.

 

The portrait is cutting cleanly (with a new blade fitted!). It does indeed appear to cut to the letter outline but I need to keep the entire character rather than lose the centre on letters where there inner outline is not connected to the outer outline.

[PaulCheffus]

25 minutes ago, Ray H said:

Thanks for that.

 

The portrait is cutting cleanly (with a new blade fitted!). It does indeed appear to cut to the letter outline but I need to keep the entire character rather than lose the centre on letters where there inner outline is not connected to the outer outline.

Hi

 

Can’t you just peal the middle part from the backing sheet and use it or am I missing something?

 

Cheers

 

Paul