Cutting Masks

[gcn]

Attaboy Michael

My first cuts will be lozenge masks for my hannover and cookie cutting Aviattic lozenge for the wings using the kit decals as templates.

One of the things i'm most looking forward to is either loz rib tapes or the masking strips for rib tapes. That will certainly be a job not missed.

Gary

[Michael Scarborough]

OK, guys...well I am two full weeks behind schedule. The machine is still in the box but I am hoping to fire it up and test drive it tomorrow.

Cheers,
Michael

[gcn]

I've bought the illustrator plug in, which works well.

Steepest learning curve was working out how illustrator worked. I've done all the lozenge masks for my hannover and I'm now on my third colour.

I've also done wheel masks and rib tapes.

I found Tamiya tape better for lozenge but I think Frisket film will be better for small numbers and letters.

[Michael Scarborough]

Well, I am off to a lousy start......followed the directions letter by letter, put the CD in the drive, and it just sat there making a "chunk, chunk, chunk", sound repeatedly. I will freely state that techno is not my thing although I am determined to learn.

I assume this just means my CD Ron drive is not reading the CD? I have a call in to the help desk at Silhouette but they say it could be up to 24 hrs before they respond...on a weekday.....this being Friday and Monday being a Holiday...well.....crud.

Man...talk about a failure to launch.

Anybody have any suggestions?

Jeers from NYC,
Michael

[uncletony]

Well, I am off to a lousy start......followed the directions letter by letter, put the CD in the drive, and it just sat there making a "chunk, chunk, chunk", sound repeatedly. I will freely state that techno is not my thing although I am determined to learn.

I assume this just means my CD Ron drive is not reading the CD? I have a call in to the help desk at Silhouette but they say it could be up to 24 hrs before they respond...on a weekday.....this being Friday and Monday being a Holiday...well.....crud.

Man...talk about a failure to launch.

Anybody have any suggestions?

Jeers from NYC,
Michael

Buy a Silver Bullet?

Just kidding, but I found their customer service /response time to be absolutely amazing. They sent me the wrong table and when I inquired I got a email from the owner within minutes and a replacement table overnighted to me, all no questions asked.

Does sound like a borked CD / DVD.

[Michael Scarborough]

Assuming this all works out a Silver Bullet may well be in my future.  I'm starting to work on some pieces inspired by Klimt and the more I do, the more applications for stencils I am dreaming up.

In the meantime, I just want to get this thing to work.

If other CDs are working, then I assume the problem is with this particular CD and not the drive.

Danke, Bo-san,
Michael

[gcn]

You can download the software from their website. Iirc my cd wouldn't work so that's what I did

[Michael Scarborough]

Thanks much, GCN!

It just occurred to me now that that might be a possibility and here you've confirmed it.

I shall give it a shot.

Cheers

[Michael Scarborough]

OK....seems to have worked....I have what appears to be the page as it appears in the instruction book. (I know....using an instruction book marks me as a Neanderthal.) Will give it all a spin tomorrow.

Cheers

[Michael Scarborough]

OK...back in the game....

Software seems to have downloaded fine and I am working through the book step by step.

I tried cutting out some text using draft paper. The text appeared to have cut cleanly but the draft paper stuck to the mat to the point where it tore apart and I have just spent the past half hour scraping off a mess. (Drat...and with a fresh manicure!)

So, as I plan to cut all my stencils out of Frisket, I will try that next.

Any words of wisdom??

Thanks,
Michael

[Pgtaylorart]

The cutting mat is very tacky when it is new. Take an old t shirt which is fairly lint free and press it over the mat 3-4 times to make it a bit less sticky. The paper will then come up easier without tearing.

George

[uncletony]

SB system must be different; cutting matt comes with adhesive dots that you re-apply just about every media change, no problem getting even tissue paper off of it when it is fresh...

[Michael Scarborough]

OK....thanks, George. Will give this a try. I may also try adapting Bo's dot idea using the little adhesive dots used on drafting boards. (Yes, I still draw plans with a pencil.) I can reattach the protective cover that came with the cutting mat and just attach the target paper using the dots around the outside. All seem like viable possibilities.

Onward......

[Pgtaylorart]

I don't know how the Silver Bullet works exactly, but the Silhouette needs a tacky surface under the entire area to be cut. If there is no tack, the paper will pull and bunch up as the blade cuts causing the machine to jam. Trust me, I had this happen when my mat's tackiness got a bit low. The machine will make an awful noise and possibly strip the gears as it tries to move, but can't.

George

[BigBlue]

Michael,

I am the new owner of a Silhouette Portrait.  I found the following settings to work well for Grafix Frisket Film (clear, .002):

Blade: 2
Speed: 1
Thickness: 2

No double cut, no line segment overcut.  These settings cut the film, but not the backing paper at least for me.  I would also recommend using an extra bit of film (or similar) over your mask to help transferral its intended location.

Hope that helps and good luck.

Chris