A Guide to using the Silhouette Cameo Cutter

[dhjgreen]

You can draw to exact measurements and zoom in to see more detail.

 

So you could draw to 4mm/ft instead of 7mm/ft and reduce (which might cause inaccuracies).

 

Stu

If the item is a small part you might want to work on a larger drawing and then reduce to actual size.  I made a ground signal from an actual photo and, told the software to cut round it then reduced to 4mm dia before cutting, see pics

 

Edited January 2, 2019 by dhjgreen

[Siberian Snooper]

If you draw something at a larger size, I would suggest that you print the actual cutting size drawing first to check that the cutter will actually be able to cut it, consensus agrees that about 0.5mm is the minimum, but may vary a bit depending on the thickness.

[GreenBR]

Hello,

Hoping someone will be able to help. Just been looking at the portrait 2 on http://yolo.co.uk. Has anyone actually got this updated model and if so what are your thoughts, also what would be the max card thicknesss for this model. Thanks in advance

[MikeOxon]

 

 

 

 

.....................what would be the max card thickness for this model.

 

I only have the Mk.1 model but, in the FAQs on the Yolo site, it states on the page about the Mk.2 that:

 

"The Silhouette has a cutting force of 210gf and includes a blade that can extend to approximately 1mm in depth when using the standard blade.

However, there is still a limitation depending on the material type's density and make up. Certain materials that are overly dense (such as thin metals, acrylic or acetate, for example) may not be able to be cut well or at all and can impair the blade. On dense materials such as mylar, doflex and plasticard you are limited to around 120 micron with the Silhouette machines due to the density of the material "

 

The cutting force is the same as that stated for the Mk.1, so I would expect the maximum cutting depth on plasticard to be the same. Most people find 10 thou (0,24 mm) is about the limit for a clean cut, or 20thou (0.5 mm) to 'snap out' partially cut parts.  The bar under which the material to be cut slides seems to have been raised to 2 mm on the Portrait 2 (compared with about 1 mm on the Mk.1, so this should allow thicker soft materials to enter the machine but the maximum blade depth is still only 1 mm, which determines the maximum depth of cut..EDIT There is also a 'deep blade' that can cut soft materials to 2 mm depth

Edited January 4, 2019 by MikeOxon

[dhjgreen]

I only have the Mk.1 model but, in the FAQs on the Yolo site, it states on the page about the Mk.2 that:

 

"The Silhouette has a cutting force of 210gf and includes a blade that can extend to approximately 1mm in depth when using the standard blade.

However, there is still a limitation depending on the material type's density and make up. Certain materials that are overly dense (such as thin metals, acrylic or acetate, for example) may not be able to be cut well or at all and can impair the blade. On dense materials such as mylar, doflex and plasticard you are limited to around 120 micron with the Silhouette machines due to the density of the material "

 

The cutting force is the same as that stated for the Mk.1, so I would expect the maximum cutting depth on plasticard to be the same. Most people find 10 thou (0,24 mm) is about the limit for a clean cut, or 20thou (0.5 mm) to 'snap out' partially cut parts.  The bar under which the material to be cut slides seems to have been raised to 2 mm on the Portrait 2 (compared with about 1 mm on the Mk.1, so this should allow thicker soft materials to enter the machine but the maximum blade depth is still only 1 mm, which determines the maximum depth of cut..

The deep blade will cut up to 2mm, in fact I have cut 2mm craft foam on my mk1 machine using the deep blade.

[GreenBR]

Thanks for that looks like i did not look around enough for the information sorry about that (must be old fart time again). Thank you for your reply Mike help is much apppreciated,

Thanks David looks like i am going to need the deep blade.

Regards

Edited January 4, 2019 by GreenBR

[DaveArkley]

Embossing styrene sheet

 

I've just received a Curio and was reading about its embossing capability.

Has anyone success in embossing styrene sheet with one. I'm modelling in N, and need yards (real not scale) of 6ft high brick walling. I figure if I could emboss 2mm scale English bond onto plain styrene sheet I could save a small fortune.

 

Cheers

Dave

[Robin2]

Has anyone success in embossing styrene sheet with one.

I think of "embossing" as making an impression with a blunt instrument - and I doubt if it could produce enough force to emboss plastic

 

However I think there were earlier posts in this Thread where someone (maybe more than one) made a "scrawking" tool for a Silhouette machine. By that I mean a tool that would scrape away some of the surface.

 

...R

[Regularity]

Agreed. Embossing is pushing onto the surface; in thin materials this often shows on the reverse (e.g. Slaters Plastikard brick sheets) which is not the same as vacuum-forming, where the sheet is sucked onto a former, which can produce a similar result.

 

Your question relates to scribing, which you should be able to do with less pressure.

 

Two points to remember: firstly, mortar courses are quite shallow in reality (they scale to virtually nothing, but we all “know” that texture should be there, even if there wouldn’t be). This works in your favour, as the scribing only needs to be deep enough to show, and to hold some mortar coloured paint.

Secondly, scribing may raise a slight a slight burr on each side, but any fine grade abrasive paper or scraping across the sheet diagonally with a straight blade will clear that up.

 

I am only a beginner at this kind of thing, but I have been told that where perpendicular lines are required (such as a brick face) then do not draw rectangles, but separate lines. This means that to you would be best advised to first draw the horizontal courses, and then the vertical lines. I imagine that once you have done 3 or 5 verticals to create the desired pattern, it becomes a “step and repeat” exercise.

 

But I am glad you have asked: this has given me ideas for some model buildings I was wondering how to produce!

[PaulCheffus]

I think of "embossing" as making an impression with a blunt instrument - and I doubt if it could produce enough force to emboss plastic

 

However I think there were earlier posts in this Thread where someone (maybe more than one) made a "scrawking" tool for a Silhouette machine. By that I mean a tool that would scrape away some of the surface.

 

...R

Hi

 

I successfully embossed 10 thou plasticard using mine and the embossing tool sold by Silhouette to create planks

 

Cheers

 

Paul

Edited January 6, 2019 by PaulCheffus

[DaveArkley]

Hi

 

I successfully embossed 10 thou plasticard using mine and the embossing tool sold by Silhouette to create planks

 

Cheers

 

Paul

 

 

Any chance of a picture of the results please?

 

Thanks

Dave

[PaulCheffus]

Any chance of a picture of the results please?

 

Thanks

Dave

Hi

 

How is this?

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[bgman]

Here is my trial stonework ( albeit 7mm scale ) but looks promising with the embossing tool.

 

Done on 20 thou plasticard.

 

 

Grahame

 

[Robin2]

Both photos give the impression that the embossed lines are raised above the face of the surface whereas I suspect they should be lower than the rest of the surface.

 

...R

Edited January 6, 2019 by Robin2

[Siberian Snooper]

Both photos give the impression that the embossed lines are raised above the face of the surface whereas I suspect they should be lower than the rest of the surface.

 

...R

They look ok, too me.

[bgman]

Both photos give the impression that the embossed lines are raised above the face of the surface whereas I suspect they should be lower than the rest of the surface.

 

...R

 

 

?

 

If you are looking at my post which shows the trial stonework I can advise that they are definitely below the surface as a mortar line should be.

 

I hope this clarifies your post.

[The Fatadder]

Here is my trial stonework ( albeit 7mm scale ) but looks promising with the embossing tool.

 

Done on 20 thou plasticard.

 

IMG_0268.jpg

 

Grahame

 

Forgive a silly question, but what is the embossing tool and how does it differ from the usual knife blade?

 

It looks like a very good output, and has already got me thinking about applications.....

[bgman]

Forgive a silly question, but what is the embossing tool and how does it differ from the usual knife blade?

 

It looks like a very good output, and has already got me thinking about applications.....

 

Apologies for the poor quality of the photo, this is what I use as an embossing tool as sold by Silhouette.

 

 

It is a blunt ended blade without any adjustment as opposed to the normal cutting blades which have that facility to dial in.

 

I am certainly no expert and learn each time I make something with my Portrait cutter.

 

I believe that this is actually made for use in their other machines and not the Portrait, but I've found it does what I need ( as seen on my previous photograph ).

 

I would refer to it more as a "scrawker" rather than an embossing tool as I think Robin refers in his post.

 

Hope this helps.

Edited January 6, 2019 by bgman

[Regularity]

I’m not sure exactly how to describe it: a scrawker has a cutting edge, and cuts a V in the material, removing material. It can only be used in one direction - like a knife.

The “embossing tool” is a cone, V shaped in section but circular in plan view: there is no cutting edge. It presses a groove, displacing material to either side. It is, however, omnidirectional.

[Robin2]

?

 

If you are looking at my post which shows the trial stonework I can advise that they are definitely below the surface as a mortar line should be.

 

Thanks. It is obviously an effect of the lighting.

 

...R

[PaulCheffus]

Both photos give the impression that the embossed lines are raised above the face of the surface whereas I suspect they should be lower than the rest of the surface.

 

...R

Hi

 

Mine are definitely recessed into the plastic.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[The Fatadder]

I’m guessing that 4mm scale brick work is asking a bit much for it, but 4mm stone would be doable?

[PaulCheffus]

I’m guessing that 4mm scale brick work is asking a bit much for it, but 4mm stone would be doable?

Hi

 

The planks in my photo are 1mm apart if that helps.

 

Cheers

 

Paul

[bgman]

I’m guessing that 4mm scale brick work is asking a bit much for it, but 4mm stone would be doable?

 

 

I'd be slightly apprehensive about 4mm brickwork but stonework could be an option.

 

I've put my micrometer next to one of the smallest stone widths RHS view ( as per my earlier stonework photograph ) to show you what I have achieved.

 

 

This sheet was only a test piece and I may give it a light wire brushing to clear out the small debris and I might also give it some definition ?

 

G

[MickRalph]

The issue of scribing/embossing has been covered a couple of times in this thread, using a diamond dresser tool purchased from Ebay.  You could look at post 541, or do a search for "diamond dresser" in <this thread> to get a listing of the various references to the techniue.

 

Mick