A Guide to using the Silhouette Cameo Cutter

[MickRalph]

Re scribing - I use a diamond dresser, which I use for an initial scribing of the plasticard, before using the cutting blade.  In this post I reported  that I have used it for scribing nickel silver for the parts to make a loco body, though I have to confess that I still haven't cut out the parts.

 

The first post of the thread has links to dicussion of using the diamond dresser, as Jason indicated in this post.

 

Mick

[Ray H]

I think someone's been using my computer whilst we were away and had thought we'd left the house empty - at least that's the way it looks!

 

Prior to going away I could create a file in Inkscape, save it as . SVG and as .DXF then open Studio - basic version - and the .DXF file would import into Studio and cut. Not now!

 

I have volunteered to experiment in making a factory gate for the club 7mm layout using the Portrait. This morning's escapade was intended to produce a couple of the layers at two different sizes. I have (finally achieved what I wanted to do so we can ignore the design angle for the time being).

 

I created the file in Inkscape using rectangles to give me the outline shape and then overlaid a number of straight lines where I wanted the cuts. I had 2 layers and used different colours for lines and rectangles. I also moved lines between layers when I inadvertently created them in the wrong layer. Ultimately I deleted the rectangles layer and was left with just one layer composed entirely of lines. I saved the file in .SVG & .DXF formats as I have done numerous times.

 

I started Studio and opened the .DXF file. but I couldn't see it. I re-opened the most recent file I'd produced and that was visible but all other files that I opened (including test files with single lines and shapes) were invisible. I then started scrolling around the window and found the open files way off the visible "page". I moved the drawings onto the visible page to facilitate cutting but I don't know why it didn't appear "on" the visible page. That's puzzle 1.

 

I had to resize the .DXF which as far as I knew had been saved the same way as the previously created file which had opened this morning at the correct size. I don't believe that I've altered anything and none of the software has been updated in the interim to my knowledge. That's puzzle 2.

 

I positioned the 0.010" plasticard on the mat as usual, fed the mat into the cutter, as usual and then set the program to cut with the cut shapes well away from the displayed Studio page. The cutter went about its task and I almost have what I need to take to club this afternoon save that the initial cuts started off the plasticard sheet by a few millimetres even though there was a clearly visible margin on the Studio "page". That's puzzle 3.

 

The relevant files are attached if anyone feels like trying to solve this morning's difficulties. Me, I'm off to club now to see which gate size they prefer.

 

Thanks.

 

7mm Gate v2b.svg

7mm Gate v2b.dxf

7mm Gate v2b.studio3

 

[BG John]

That's got me even more confused than I was already with my problem Ray! I opened your Inkscape file, and the top bar of a gate is 75mm long. Opening the DXF file in Inkscape, the same line is 19.844mm, which just happens to be 75px!

 

I start another post about my problem!

[BG John]

I've just got my Portrait working for the first time after reinstalling everything on my computers some months ago. Inkscape and Studio are both the latest versions. The Portrait is connected to my Windows 7 laptop, running Studio 4.1.201ss. Inkscape 0.92.2 is on a laptop running Linux Mint 18.1.

 

I had no problem saving my work as a DXF, and cutting it from Studio, but it came out about 94% of the correct size. Loading the DXF file into Inkscape shows that the DXF is too small, with sizes matching what the Portrait cut, so it's not a problem with Studio. It appears that Inkscape is creating DXF files wrongly. I've found an interesting discussion about it here, so it seems to be a common problem, although what size the DXF file turns out seems to vary!

 

Has anyone found a practical workaround for it?

[BG John]

I drew a 100mm square on the file before exporting it as a DXF. Then opened the DXF in Inkscape and the square was 93.something mm on both sides. So I used Edit > Select All, scaled everything up by 106.something %, and saved the DXF. When I reopened it, the square was still 100mm, and also when I opened it in Studio. My test cut was the right size. I deleted the square before cutting.

 

Now I just need to experiment with my cutter settings, as they were all lost in the computer reorganisation, and I might actually get to produce something useful at last!

[Ray H]

I drew a 100mm square on the file before exporting it as a DXF. Then opened the DXF in Inkscape and the square was 93.something mm on both sides. So I used Edit > Select All, scaled everything up by 106.something %, and saved the DXF. When I reopened it, the square was still 100mm, and also when I opened it in Studio. My test cut was the right size. I deleted the square before cutting.

 

Now I just need to experiment with my cutter settings, as they were all lost in the computer reorganisation, and I might actually get to produce something useful at last!

 

I have a vague recollection that I experienced this as well a little while ago. The only trouble is that I can't remember what I did to get round it. It may well have been the same as you.

 

I'm planning to create and cut the remaining gate layers this weekend so I'll see whether your problem pops up here.

 

I hadn't thought about opening the .DXF file in Inkscape. I'll give that a try. At least that should prove where the error is created.

[BG John]

I have a vague recollection that I experienced this as well a little while ago. The only trouble is that I can't remember what I did to get round it. It may well have been the same as you.

 

I'm planning to create and cut the remaining gate layers this weekend so I'll see whether your problem pops up here.

 

I hadn't thought about opening the .DXF file in Inkscape. I'll give that a try. At least that should prove where the error is created.

I don't think there's much doubt that it's an Inkscape problem, having read the comments in the link I posted, and tried this. It seems like a simple, although rather annoying, solution to the problem, until the bug is, hopefully, fixed. I've only produced a simple drawing so far though.

[Ray H]

I've just tried something.

 

I have modified the original .SVG file to incorporate the extra "layers" of plastic than I intend to laminate together - 12 in total, of which two have already been cut.

 

I then saved the file as .SVG and in .DXF format. I then closed and restarted Inkscape and opened the .DXF version. It had shrunk. However, I then saved it as a .SVG file (in its reduced size) and again in .DXF format.

 

Again, I quit Inkscape and restarted it. I opened the most recently saved .DXF format file and it was the same (shrunken) size as the file from which it was taken - i.e. there was no further shrinkage.

 

I've since changed the .DXF file format version Base Unit to px and the file opens in the correct size in both Studio and when re-opened in Inkscape.

 

It still opens off the "page" in Studio and although all the drawn lines in Inkscape were or have been changed to black, the imported file in Studio shows a couple of the lines in red. I won't know until the cut has finished whether it started cutting in the correct position on the sheet or whether it has done as before and cut outside the margin. However, it looks as though it is OK this time.

Edited October 28, 2017 by Ray H

[BG John]

I didn't get any further shrinkage either when I tried it. Not that it helps, but kind of interesting!

 

When you say you "changed the .DXF file format version Base Unit to px", where/how did you do that? I can't find a Base Unit setting.

 

I've always found that the imported file loads way off the page in Studio, and that's no different to how it's always been.

[Ray H]

These are the first times that any .DXF file has not appeared on the Studio page, although I invariably have to move the "drawing" to the top of the page.

 

The "Base Unit" appears as a secondary window after you've given the name to be used for the .DXF file. The same window where you can select or otherwise the Lwpolyline or ROBOCraft options.

[BG John]

Thanks. I tried that, and when I reloaded the DXF, my 100mm square was a 353.999mm square! I think I'd tried different options there yesterday.

 

I don't think you said, but I assume you're using Windows. I'm using Linux, and when I tried exporting for the first time yesterday, I got an error that said that Numpy was missing. Apparently this is a part of Python that Inkscape uses for scaling the files. It worked when I installed it. I'm not clear on this, as it's beyond my techie knowledge, but I'm wondering if this may cause different things to happen in Linux. Anyway, I think I'm going to have to stick with resizing the DXF as I did yesterday. I want to make things, not mess around with computers! At least I managed to cut the parts I'd drawn today, and they came out pretty well.

[Ray H]

Sorry, I'm a Windows 10 user sufferer so can't help with Linux.

 

The gate has been laminated and needs a little tidying then I'll post a picture.

[ScRSG]

Some of the above posts re the use of the Silhouette Cameo Cutter, and to the same extent any 3D printer, CNC or laser cutter, is the question of suitable software. Why is it necessary to use two (or more)different packages to produce proper designs for these machines?

The hardest part of using these is learning the software and I must confess is what puts me off buying any of these machines. We have discussed at our group the possibility of buying these as club property, and it would be so much simpler if the software that came with these machines did all that was required, even better if one piece of design software was available to power all of the above machines! Does such a thing exist?

[Buhar]

The issue is that we're working at the edge of the machine's capability and doing things it wasn't designed for. The silhouette and portrait are aimed at card crafters where high accuracy and complex laminations aren't required. Hence the use of a CAD type program piggy-backing onto the Studio software.

Edited October 29, 2017 by Buhar

[ISW]

Some of the above posts re the use of the Silhouette Cameo Cutter, and to the same extent any 3D printer, CNC or laser cutter, is the question of suitable software. Why is it necessary to use two (or more)different packages to produce proper designs for these machines?

The hardest part of using these is learning the software and I must confess is what puts me off buying any of these machines. We have discussed at our group the possibility of buying these as club property, and it would be so much simpler if the software that came with these machines did all that was required, even better if one piece of design software was available to power all of the above machines! Does such a thing exist?

 

I am looking at buying the Cricut machine (Air Express), but not using their (entirely web based) software as I can't be bothered to learn it! I already have / use a 'drawing package' (Xara Designer Pro). From what I can see, all these cutters use the SVG file format for the cutting. Thankfully, this seems to be fairly 'standard' and my existing software will export the SVG format.

 

So I can see why many people use the 'two software' solution to cutting. Using what you already know makes perfect sense. Also, the cutter software is, generally, not as good as separately developed drawing packages.

 

Ian

[Robin2]

I am looking at buying the Cricut machine (Air Express),

DO NOT rush into that.

 

I may be wrong but I recall reading somewhere that the Cricut machines can only be used with design files that you buy from Cricut. And they are not the sort of designs that would be useful for railway modelling.

 

...R

[Robin2]

 I got an error that said that Numpy was missing. Apparently this is a part of Python that Inkscape uses for scaling the files.

Numpy is an extensive mathematics library.

 

...R

[ISW]

DO NOT rush into that.

 

I may be wrong but I recall reading somewhere that the Cricut machines can only be used with design files that you buy from Cricut. And they are not the sort of designs that would be useful for railway modelling.

 

...R

 

Robin,

 

The Cricut software (online only - so need an internet connection all the time) accepts 'any' SVG file. I've already tried, and it imported a drawing file exported from Xara Designer Pro without objection. If I recall, I even got the scale right! Okay, I don't have a machine to 'prove' it will cut the file, but I see no reason why it wont - unless someone knows different?.

 

What draws me to the Cricut machine is the cutting force of ~1kg, about 4-times that of the Silhouette machines, so capable of cutting up to 2mm card.

 

Ian

[dhjgreen]

I am looking at buying the Cricut machine (Air Express)...

Anyone fancying a look at this should search for the Cricut Explore Air, it looks quite tasty, been available in the US since late 2014 apparently.

 

Is that what you meant Ian?

Edited October 29, 2017 by dhjgreen

[ISW]

Anyone fancying a look at this should search for the Cricut Explore Air, it looks quite tasty, been available in the US since late 2014 apparently.

 

Is that what you meant Ian?

 

Yep, 'Explore Air' (or even the 'Explore Air 2' - faster, but more expensive). In the UK they are only (?) available through Hobbycraft, but you can get 15% off if you take out their free membership.

 

I also like the double holder, so you can use a pen and a cutter together (or a scriber and a cutter).

 

Ian

[BG John]

Numpy is an extensive mathematics library.

 

...R

That's partly why it's totally beyond me .

[Tricky]

What a fantastic thread which I have only just discovered. Thank you JCL for all your initial hard work. As I have access to AutoCAD, the possibilities with a Cameo for my Cameo are endless!

[Kiwi]

Some of the above posts re the use of the Silhouette Cameo Cutter, and to the same extent any 3D printer, CNC or laser cutter, is the question of suitable software. Why is it necessary to use two (or more)different packages to produce proper designs for these machines?

The hardest part of using these is learning the software and I must confess is what puts me off buying any of these machines. We have discussed at our group the possibility of buying these as club property, and it would be so much simpler if the software that came with these machines did all that was required, even better if one piece of design software was available to power all of the above machines! Does such a thing exist?

It’s definitely not “necessary” to use any other software than the one that Silhouette supply with their machines. Some people prefer to, and perhaps for their specific needs that’s a good thing. But I’ve been using mine extensively for a year now and have yet to find anything I can’t do to my satisfaction with the standard software.

[Ray H]

Is that the free software supplied with the cutter or the paid for version?

[MikeOxon]

.............................. Why is it necessary to use two (or more)different packages to produce proper designs for these machines?.............................

'necessary' may be too strong a word, since the Studio software is adequate for a great many tasks. It is, however, a 'proprietary' software so, if you wanted to use a different, perhaps more capable, machine in the future, you would not be able to use any of your Studio files.  That is why I use an 'industry standard' format for my designs.