A Guide to using the Silhouette Cameo Cutter

[Jol Wilkinson]

I have read this thread with great interest as I need to build a LNWR covered footbridge spanning three platforms and two pairs of tracks. I have been contemplating getting the tricky and repetitive parts laser cut in Rowmark. However the laser cutting service I have been discussing with can provide .75mm as the thinnest although I believe .5mm has now become available. As the various panels will need to be up from several layers to provide the correct detail and relief I have become interested in the Silhoutte Portrait to produce the various detailed and finer parts such as window  surrounds and glazing bars. However, .015” ABS would be the best option to minimise the number of layers to reduce the likelihood of distortion even using “soft” solvents such as Limonene. The "thicker" parts of support timbers, etc. would be made from Evergreen strip.

 

The Portrait is described on the Graphtec UK website as a smaller, lighter version of the Cameo. Does anyone have a view on whether the “lighter” version means that it is less able to cut thicker material? I have emailed Graphtec UK asking that but expect that their answer may be biased on the side of selling the more expensive unit.

 

I’m unclear as to whether .015 can be successfully cut. Reading the discussions on using various blades which is the best? Having cut a fair number of items for other projects in .020 up to .060 ABS by hand, I have found that a scrawker type cutter works best with thicker materialas you effectively machine out the plastic to create the cut. Using a craft knife type blade relies on parting the material as you cut through it. While I can see the benefits of that when cutting fibrous and relatively compressible material such as paper or card (using a scrawker on these materials would tear it), a vee shaped cutter with a vertical face (or even a slightly negative rake) might work with ABS. So could you use a standard blade backwards? It would create a fair amount of dust/swarf and would possible require several light cuts but might work.

 

I use CorelDraw for designing etch artwork so I am familiar with it. Presumably I can export to the Silhouette software but does anyone know if there is any point in getting the Silhouette Connect software? I’ve also got Adobe Illustrator but don’t know that very well.

 

Jol

[aberdare]

Having read and followed this topic since it started as I always wanted a cutter, I finally ordered one on Friday and it arrived today. 

 

It now looks as if this evening is going to be spent learning how it all works. So thank you to all those who have contributed to this excellent thread and who have hopefully made it easier for me to understand it all.

[MikeOxon]

The Portrait is described on the Graphtec UK website as a smaller, lighter version of the Cameo. Does anyone have a view on whether the “lighter” version means that it is less able to cut thicker material?

 

I have the 'Portrait' version.  If you look at the specs for the two models, they use the same cutter heads, have the same maximum cutting force of 210gf, and the same maximum cutting thickness of 0.8mm. 

 

The 'lighter' part of the product description merely refers to the weight of the unit and has nothing to do with cutting performance.  The Cameo has a wider bed, which makes for a larger, heavier unit, just as A3 printers are bigger and heavier than A4 ones.

 

Mike

[Jol Wilkinson]

I have the 'Portrait' version.  If you look at the specs for the two models, they use the same cutter heads, have the same maximum cutting force of 210gf, and the same maximum cutting thickness of 0.8mm. 

 

The 'lighter' part of the product description merely refers to the weight of the unit and has nothing to do with cutting performance.  The Cameo has a wider bed, which makes for a larger, heavier unit, just as A3 printers are bigger and heavier than A4 ones.

 

Mike

Mike,

 

thanks. That's wait I suspected but hadn't found it on the Graphtec UK ste.

 

Jol

[Collett]

 

First cuts.  Of course after reading all the advice I jumped in with my boots on and put my first attempts on to 30 thou of a rather soapy styrene card.  I am very impressed with the crispness and accuracy of the scribing, the software allowed me to group the pieces to allow minimum wastage.

 

The camera is very cruel, and it took rather a while to carve the roof truss clear from the sheet.  But a huge advantage was being able to try out the components against each other on the computer screen before cutting.  This was invaluable with the roof truss as it's supposed to be 0.75mm short of the wall on either side, and the angle of the slope changes as a result.  I hadn't realised this until I tested a copy of the truss by overlaying it on the end wall to confirm the indent, this quickly showed up my error with the apex height and I was able to easily change the truss to match the roof slope before replicating the part and cutting. 

 

For heavy scribing of 30 thou - blade setting 7, thickness 33, speed 1, double cut Yes - machine used Silhouette Portrait

 

I'm very impressed, I had always wanted to be able to make this kind of detail but had always found it impossible to cut accurately enough.

 

One application I'm thinking of trying is making transfers for coach or loco lining, I see people are printing coach sides but has anyone tried the following - 

• Transfer paper - spray with the paint as used on the loco/coach and allow to dry
• Lining pen (0.1mm oil/paint pen from Proops) used in the Silouette to draw the lining patterns drafted on Silhouette Studio, allow to dry.  Or you could use an inkjet printer although printer handling of the paper may cause the paint to crack.
• Halfords varnish coat, and again allow to dry
• Silhouette to cut out the lining with a border of body colour around the lining
• Transfer the paint/lining/varnish sandwich onto the body side as with a normal waterslide transfer

It's a bit of a long process, but the results could be quite spectacular as long as the lining pen delivers the lines correctly.  If the size of the transfer was accurately cut by the Silhouette to match the size of the panel then you could also achieve a nice sharp line against the surrounding paintwork.

 

Of course one could always go mad and attempt a whole coach side with this sort of process, on a clear styrene body shell it would be a good way of making flush window carriages.

 

All the best and keep cutting.

 

 

 

[gwrman]

Hi, I've been following this thread with interest as my wife has one for her crafts, not approached her yet.(still build up the courage) Just wondered if anyone had seen this one:-

 

http://www.brother-usa.com/scanncut/#.UxhTD1visRp

 

Available at Ideal World shopping

Nigel

[MikeOxon]

Hi, I've been following this thread with interest as my wife has one for her crafts, not approached her yet.(still build up the courage) Just wondered if anyone had seen this one:-

 

http://www.brother-usa.com/scanncut/#.UxhTD1visRp

 

Available at Ideal World shopping

Nigel

There was some discussion of this machine, earlier in the thread at http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/79025-a-guide-to-using-the-silhouette-cameo-cutter/?p=1313362

 

I notice it is already discontinued by the supplier mentioned there.

 

Also,another member (Andy Vincent) mentioned haveing one at http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/79025-a-guide-to-using-the-silhouette-cameo-cutter/?p=1320697

 

You could try contacting him for info.

 

Mike

[MikeOxon]

 

 

 

 

 

One application I'm thinking of trying is making transfers for coach or loco lining, I see people are printing coach sides but has anyone tried the following - 

• Transfer paper - spray with the paint as used on the loco/coach and allow to dry
• Lining pen (0.1mm oil/paint pen from Proops) used in the Silouette to draw the lining patterns drafted on Silhouette Studio, allow to dry.  Or you could use an inkjet printer although printer handling of the paper may cause the paint to crack.
• Halfords varnish coat, and again allow to dry
• Silhouette to cut out the lining with a border of body colour around the lining
• Transfer the paint/lining/varnish sandwich onto the body side as with a normal waterslide transfer

It's a bit of a long process, but the results could be quite spectacular as long as the lining pen delivers the lines correctly.  If the size of the transfer was accurately cut by the Silhouette to match the size of the panel then you could also achieve a nice sharp line against the surrounding paintwork.

 

Of course one could always go mad and attempt a whole coach side with this sort of process, on a clear styrene body shell it would be a good way of making flush window carriages.

I've tried something similar, as shown on the tender side at http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/blog/1405/entry-12657-cheats-lining-lettering/

 

I used the inkjet printer to provide the base colour, rather than paint, though I have tried over-painting with a brush and applying a very thin coat, after printing, to get an exact match.

 

One advantage, if you make laminated sides with the cutter, is that you can paint the layers separately, so you don't have to pick out panels individually.

.

Edited March 6, 2014 by MikeOxon

[JCL]

Hi Mike and Collett, I had wondered about that myself, but using the transfer for the background as well - on tenders and splashes for example. Apart from getting in on square ( I would need to practice), my two questions would be:

 

If using transfer paper with a white background, would you need to hide the edges?

How much effort would it be to colour match the transfer with the paint on the rest of the model?

 

My monitor is colour calibrated, but there are a lot of variables there.

 

This is one reason why I had a look at producing complete coach sides on photo paper (see the lner tourist stock tutorial a few pages back). Everything is worth trying though.

 

Cheers

 

Jason

Edited March 6, 2014 by JCL

[MikeOxon]

Hi Jason,

 

I seem to have been fairly lucky with colour matching to GWR green but it does need a bit of trial and error, with small patches first. 

 

The transfer film is very 'floppy' and, although it can be 'teased into position with cocktail sticks (blunt), it's quite hard to get it completely aligned - you can see some droop towards the ends of my tender pic (though I try to blame it on the camera and it's hardly noticeable in practice)  If you are doing a complete flat panel, then photo paper is better, since it is more rigid, but you do have thicker white edges.  No problem if it's inset into a panel or a splasher, for example.  That is why I took to over-painting the edges afterwards and, with thinned paint, even over the face of the panel as well.  Hope that helps.

 

Mike

[Collett]

If using transfer paper with a white background, would you need to hide the edges?

How much effort would it be to colour match the transfer with the paint on the rest of the model?

 

I was thinking in terms of transparent transfer paper http://www.amazon.co.uk/Inkjet-Water-Slide-Transfer-Transparent/dp/B00835TC7Q and that possibly takes out the step of painting the paper with model base colour.

 

I agree the colour match problem would be difficult to overcome, hence the idea of using the same paint as used on the model to spray a base layer for the transfer and a Proops lining pen http://www.proopsbrothers.com/acatalog/Online_Catalogue_Lubrication_32.html in the Silhouette with the appropriate paint to add the lining on top.

 

There are a number of imponderables - will the lining pen deliver the shapes neatly onto the paper/paint surface?  Will the transfer paper react with the base paint and fail to release the backing? 

 

Fortunately for a couple of sheets of A5 transfer paper and some Proops' pens the all up cost is less than a tenner, fifteen with some Micro Sol and Micro Set, so it's not an expensive experiment. 

Edited March 10, 2014 by Collett

[N15class]

I understand trying these machines for cutting out parts for models. I think it would be of use for my carriage building. But time verses price etc eyc. I think for me cutting by hand is the easiest way for me and the small quantity I will do.

 

But whats all this faffing around with transfer papers? lining is far easier to do on the model than it is to scale, colour match and print onto paper. You will of done the lining in the time you done all that. Then you still have to fix it to the model.

I know lining with pens is not easy but if you can draw a straight line with a ruler and pencil you can do it with a pen. Takes pratice but even first efforts tend to look better than poorly applied transfers.

[Collett]

There was some discussion of this machine, earlier in the thread at http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/79025-a-guide-to-using-the-silhouette-cameo-cutter/?p=1313362

 

I notice it is already discontinued by the supplier mentioned there.

 

Also,another member (Andy Vincent) mentioned haveing one at http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/79025-a-guide-to-using-the-silhouette-cameo-cutter/?p=1320697

 

You could try contacting him for info.

 

Mike

Now if you want to go mad there's this beast http://silverbulletcutters.com/

 

I've seen two quotes for the cutting force, here it's 950g but I've also seen it listed as 1,200g - while the Silhouette is less than 300g! Of course there's a price tag to match, £650, but check out the metal engraving

 

 

and how's this for adding rivet detail

 

 

But then for similar money or (quite) a bit more there's the next step along to X.Y and Z dimension CNC machining, 4D if you add a Rotary Table with Stepper motor. The combination of powerful Personal Computers and the falling cost of control electronics/motors is going to have some interesting results.

Edited March 6, 2014 by Collett

[JCL]

HI Collett - it does seem to be one heck of a tool. I think Alan (Metalhip) has one.

[Collett]

I understand trying these machines for cutting out parts for models. I think it would be of use for my carriage building. But time verses price etc eyc. I think for me cutting by hand is the easiest way for me and the small quantity I will do.

 

But whats all this faffing around with transfer papers? lining is far easier to do on the model than it is to scale, colour match and print onto paper. You will of done the lining in the time you done all that. Then you still have to fix it to the model.

I know lining with pens is not easy but if you can draw a straight line with a ruler and pencil you can do it with a pen. Takes pratice but even first efforts tend to look better than poorly applied transfers.

 

Peter, I've seen your pages, lovely models and marvellous paintwork and lining.

 

Of course Foxes Transfers have been doing waterslide for donkey's years, and HMRS have methfix and presfix lining for locos and coaches; so it seems there are others who, like me, don't have the skill or nerve to approach their finished and painted models with a pen full of paint.

 

What I'm looking at in particular is very specific locations on GWR 4 wheel coaches, the narrow vertical panels in 4mm being just 1mm wide.  I can see that whoever painted the Slaters Plasticard model managed to line the panel in 7mm, I would love to pull off the same effect in 4mm.

Edited March 7, 2014 by Collett

[N15class]

Peter, I've seen your pages, lovely models and marvellous paintwork and lining.

 

Of course Foxes Transfers have been doing waterslide for donkey's years, and HMRS have methfix and presfix lining for locos and coaches; so it seems there are others who, like me, don't have the skill or nerve to approach their finished and painted models with a pen full of paint.

 

What I'm looking at in particular is very specific locations on GWR 4 wheel coaches, the narrow vertical panels in 4mm being just 1mm wide.  I can see that whoever painted the Slaters Plasticard model managed to line the panel in 7mm, I would love to pull off the same effect in 4mm.

Thanks for the complement. I still think I have a lot to improve. But I have drawn more lines on waste card than ever on models. I also get in a mess with lining transfers, HMRS stick when I don't want them too, and waterslide don't stick when I want them too.

 

With GWR livery you can paint the model black mask off and paint the bottom brown. The flood the top panels in cream then there is just the line to do. no balancing the black on the beading. Most of the problems with lining is a poorly sharpened pen.

[Collett]

I couldn't be happier with my little Portrait machine.

 

First project is the Goods Shed at Lambourn, a model I've tried countless times before and come to grief.  The Studio software took me a couple of hours to put together from the drawings in Paul Karan's Great Western Branch Line Termini Vol 1 - look out for a first edition 1977 if you can as the drawings are in 4mm scale - I was lucky and found a copy for £7.00 but that was years ago.  It took so long to draw up the cutting plan because (1) I'm not very familiar with drafting software (2) not at all familiar with Silhouette Studio (3) kept having better ideas about how to lay out the pieces to minimise scrap.

 

 

The Silhouette software allows the pieces to be placed next to each other.  I don't know if this speeds up cutting time but it certainly didn't affect dimensional accuracy.  I did stray off the edge of the page with the two roof sections, and as a result the cutter ignored the last 1mm on the bottom end - a fixable problem with a scalpel and ruler but needs to kept in mind for next time.

 

First time through I used 30thou stock.  Not advised but yes it did go through the machine and using the "Coverstock - heavy" setting it made an excellent job of scribing the job out.

 

I did cut out all the parts for one of the rook trusses, must have taken half an hour, so I ran the cut again using 20 thou and a lighter setting.  This didn't cut through the 20 thou but two minutes scalpel work on the trusses and all the parts were clear.

 

It's naughty I know, but I find the scribed lines are so positive that I can scalpel the parts free without a ruler, just run the blade along the line a few times and nick into the corners.

 

So I've used the 30 thou walls and the 20 thou trusses and beams - I'll hand scribe planking on the spare 20 thou walls and use them internally.  Next job are the awnings, external planking, some window frames and I need to do something about the roof slates.

 

Putting the pieces together was a dream, almost like building a kit.  It has come out square, the roof line is straight, in fact all the faults that nobbled my previous attempts due to not quite perfect square/accurate cutting have disappeared and it's a real pleasure to build.

 

QUESTION:  Would these buildings have been whitewashed inside?  Outside paintwork will be light stone with dark stone framing, but inside I imagine they needed a really light colour as the only illumination on winter eves and mornings would have been oil lamps?

Edited March 7, 2014 by Collett

[Buhar]

One more owner on the books, a Portrait arrived yesterday.  Only £125 with next day delivery

http://www.yolo.co.uk/silhouette-portrait-contour-cutter-1039-p.asp

 

Going back quite a way on this thread there was the issue about drawing rectangles against drawing four lines. Jason, you commented

 

This is something to think about - when is a rectangle not a rectangle? When it's four lines. When the the cutter cuts a rectangle, the blade is plunged into the material which is then moved along to cut the first line. The direction of the blade changes as it goes around the corner, and then continues until the second side is cut. This continues until your shape is done. At this point the blade is raised.

The problem is that, as the blade went around the corner, it was fighting had resistance of the material. Normally this doesn't matter, but for very fine work, you might think that this produces a cut that is less accurate than what you need. An alternative in these situations is to create the rectangle using four lines drawn in a rectangular shape. When you do this, the blade will be raised at the end of each line and will turn as it's going back in, so there is less resistance. Looking at your bridge, hopefully you will also make a lot of use of groups to speed things up and ensure consistency.

 

In Mike's Inkscape tutorial rectangles are used all the time.  How then do you get a object with sharp corners (not just squares and rectangles) drawn in Inkscape understood by the machine to be a series of lines so the blade lifts rather than turns while embedded in the material?

[Rabs]

But then for similar money or (quite) a bit more there's the next step along to X.Y and Z dimension CNC machining, 4D if you add a Rotary Table with Stepper motor. The combination of powerful Personal Computers and the falling cost of control electronics/motors is going to have some interesting results.

 

Or even a bit less: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/CNC-3020T-ROUTER-ENGRAVER-ENGRAVING-DRILLING-AND-MILLING-MACHINE-/321169610171?pt=UK_BOI_Metalworking_Milling_Welding_Metalworking_Supplies_ET&hash=item4ac73355bb

I know someone who has one of these and is very happy with it.

Noisy and messy by comparison though.  Definitely less 'home' friendly than a robotic craft cutter.

Edited March 7, 2014 by Rabs

[richbrummitt]

QUESTION:  Would these buildings have been whitewashed inside?  Outside paintwork will be light stone with dark stone framing, but inside I imagine they needed a really light colour as the only illumination on winter eves and mornings would have been oil lamps?

 

Most likely. There are pictures in GWR goods services, and of an engine shed (same idea) in Great Western Branch Line Modelling (one of the first two) iirc. The very bottom of the walls might have been a much darker colour if memory serves.

[Collett]

 

Well the Lambourn shed is coming along - some interior walls done - hand scribing.  My reasons for buying the Silhouette Portrait are well demonstrated by the occasional slip with the plank scribing.  Fortunately the exterior planking will be handled by the machine, just as the lovely square doorways, windows and walls were.

 

 

 

[MikeTrice]

In Mike's Inkscape tutorial rectangles are used all the time.  How then do you get a object with sharp corners (not just squares and rectangles) drawn in Inkscape understood by the machine to be a series of lines so the blade lifts rather than turns while embedded in the material?

I am not certain exactly what you are asking for here. Yes as the cutter comes to a 90 degree angle, or any angle come to that, the blade typically follows in a tiny curve rather than a sharp corner, however at 0.45mm I have never bothered with it as it is almost impossible to see by human eye, even in N. You can of course always use a file to sharpen it.

 

If you draw four lines forming a rectangle rather than just drawing a rectangle I cannot guarantee that the cutter will lift the blade between sides, or indeed draw the sides in sequence. Even if it did lift the balde, the chances are it would come down with the blade in the wrong orientation and still have the issue.

 

The only way to enforce a straight cornered cut is to use four lines in a rectangle, but overlap them by at least 0.45mm at each corner. The same can be applied to any number of straight sided shape, not just rectangles:

 

 

Does that help?

[clecklewyke]

This is an amazing thread, which I regret not having followed earlier.
 
I get tired cutting out the windows of mills etc., of which there will be many on Clecklewyke and Bradford North Western so a couple of questions: (they may have been answered earlier but I have not been able to read thoroughly all the posts)

 

1) will the free software with the cutter import scanned drawings and photos, either to be used directly or as templates?

 

2) will the cutter actually cut Slater's embossed Plasticard ( brick or stone) or would it just score it? Even the latter would be a godsend!)

 

3) In many ways the bundled software looks like Windows Paint which I used to use for lots of things but of which there is no obvious equivalent on my Mac. So it will be useful even just to do drawings, as I gather the machine will plot as well as cut. However, it would be much more useful if the software would output files in other formats than the proprietary format. I can see why this is of short term commercial benefit to the makers but from a user point of view this seems a major disadvantage for the long term - when I might want to use my drawings on a different machine. (And the "long term" in computing might be next year!) Is there any way of exporting to different formats or is there any likelihood of this ever being available?

 

Ian

Edited March 9, 2014 by clecklewyke

[MikeTrice]

Ian, you are right, most questions will have been answered earlier. In summary:

 

1) Yes, the free software will import drawings/photos which can then be traced. It can also import dxf files. Very early in the thread Jason demonstrates how to import an image to create a coal office using the free supplied software. You can also use the free Inkscape program to produce cutting files and send to the cutter via the supplied printer driver. This is the option I personally use.

 

2) There is a limit to how thick can be. 10thou generally is not a problem. People have different experiences with 20thou, some managing to cut through, others (myself included) having to scribe and snap. A lot depends on the embossed plasticard. You might get a better result placing the styrene face down on the mat, then cutting/scribing from the back. Of course the machine can also be used to scribe the brickwork into plain styrene.

 

3) The bundled software is a vector based drawing package, whereas Windows Paint is raster based. Export capability from the supplied software is almost none existant, however Inkscape mentioned earlier has much better support.

 

If you have never used Inkscape before, due to various requests, I put together an introductory tutorial on it here:

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/80563-introduction-to-using-inkscape-to-produce-cutting-files/

and

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/81902-completing-the-4mm-ner-6-wheel-coach/

Edited March 9, 2014 by MikeTrice

[Collett]

I was very pleased today to take delivery of a GW Models Rivet Press - not so much a modelling tool, more a family heirloom.  However, it won't quite do what I want it to do, at least not until the Portrait made a little work holding table for me.

 

 

As well as pressing out rivets on etched brass kits, and pressing rivets into virgin brass for some of my odder intended prototypes - I don't see Bachmann making an outside framed 2-4-0  anytime soon, at least not before I've finished sweating blood over mine.  What I also want the Rivet Press to do is make rivets inside 3mmx1mm U section for solebars and 1.5mmx1mm T section for stantions.  But, the Rivet Press uses an anvil to form the rivet shape, and the anvil won't allow the angles of the U channel or T section to position correctly.

 

I hope you can follow my prototype solution from the pictures - this was knocked up in about an hour using 30 thou styrene sheet - by strange coincidence the channel in the 3x1 U section is.... 30 thou deep.

 

 

Of course I just had to try it before the solvent had properly dried off, so the thing was a bit soft and... it may be that it is too soft full stop.  But it's a prototype, and maybe it's a case of taking the design and, having proved the principal, remake it in more hardwearing materials. 

 

 

Still loving this Silhouette though. 

 

And the Rivet Press, having just made a perfectly straight row of rivets spaced exactly 1mm apart... wow, impressed.  Need to get the hang of the force levels though to impress the rivet but not distort the metal - need to reset the lever stop as well.