How to Make a Silhouette Mat Sticky Again
The cutting mat is an essential function of your die cutting machine! In that location is a surprising amount to know almost the cutting mat. Whether yous are new to the Silhouette Cameo or a long time user, you simply might learn something new!
The Silhouette Cameo mat comes in several sizes - the 12×12 inch Cameo mat (standard grip), 12×12 inch Light Tack Mat, 12×24″ and 8×12″. The mat is articulate and comes with a 1 inch grid printed on it. When your mat is facing the correct direction, the viscous side is upwards and the Silhouette logo is in the bottom correct manus corner. To betrayal the adhesive on the mat, remove the blue cover sail then identify your materials on your mat.
Silhouette Studio has a digital representation of your cut mat in the program. There are several different options you can select regarding the digital mat that are worth mentioning. Let's take a look at how the mat appears in studio.
Anatomy of the Digital Cameo Mat
The nighttime grey grid in the background is Silhouette Studio's representation of the cut mat. Information technology comes with a ane inch grid, just similar the existent mat. It even sports the Silhouette logo in the bottom right hand corner!
The white box on peak of the gray mat is your material. You lot tin change the material size in the Design Page Setting's window. In the to a higher place example, my material size is 10x12 inches.
The red border effectually the outside of the material is the cut border. The Silhouette Cameo can cut up to 12 inches wide and 16.5 feet long (if you lot are cutting without a mat). The largest mat size is 12″x24″. The cutting border is more often than not the size of the material you lot are working with. Note: if you have longer than 12×12 inch material, you must adjust the material size and the cut mat size in the Design Page Setting window or the cut border volition remain at the 12 inch marker:
The light gray edge on the material is the printing edge. If you want to impress anything from your Silhouette Studio software, turn the "Impress border" line on and ensure that everything you want to impress is within the gray box. The print border is 8.5×11 inches (the aforementioned size as a standard sheet of printer paper).
Adding or Removing Grid Lines
I prefer to piece of work without grid lines showing, merely if you desire to turn them on in Silhouette Studio, you can press G on your keyboard whenever y'all are non in a text box. Silhouette Studio will turn the filigree on (or off). You can also become to the Grid Settings Window to turn them off or on. If you want your digital mat to expect like the actual mat, turn the grid on with a 1 inch spacing and 1 divisions:
You tin can control how many divisions and the size of the spacing in the Grid Settings Window.
In this window y'all tin can tell Silhouette Studio if you desire to come across the grid and if you want your items to snap to it (which is helpful if you are trying to align something with the gird lines). You can also change the color of your grid and turn the ruler and crosshairs on or off.
The higher the spacing, the bigger the main boxes will be. In this example, my spacing was at 2. This fabricated each box two inches square:
You lot can also add in the divisions, which volition break upward your spaces into smaller sections. For example, I added 4 divisions per space, so each ii inch square was now broken into .25 inch squares. You can however predominately see the 2 inch spaces with the divisions existence slightly thinner/lighter:
You can mess with these settings to discover something that works for you lot. Personally, I merely turn the grid on if I want to brand sure design elements line up, only y'all tin can do what works best for you.
Cutting without a Cutting Mat
You lot tin can cut certain materials without a cutting mat. The material must have a backing or carrier sheet such as adhesive backed vinyl or rut transfer vinyl (HTV). While you can cutting these materials without a cutting mat, I still recommend it as the mat helps stabilize the material and ensures a proper cut. You lot cannot cut paper (for example) without the cutting mat in place. To cut without a cut mat, on the Cameo 3, you lot will desire to make sure that y'all do not take a cutting mat in your design. To turn the cutting mat off, get to the Design Folio Settings window and change the Cut Mat to "none" from the dropdown menu:
This will remove the dark gray cut mat from the groundwork. Note: it is of import to pay attention the the black arrow on your screen. This volition evidence you which direction the automobile thinks is the top of your material. In this example, my material size is 12 inches wide by 9 inches long. The machine expects me to feed the material in then the 9 inches is at the top, not the 12 inches. This is important to note equally loading your material in the opposite direction will bear on your cut job. The height of your screen is not always the top of your material!
When you load a job that does not accept a cut mat into the Cameo 3 auto, simply press the "load" push on your touch screen. When you remove the cut mat from your file in Silhouette Studio, the machine knows that you are cutting without a mat and will advance your cloth into the auto at the right distance. If your textile is pulling in too far, it'due south likely that you did not turn off your cutting mat. Alternatively, if your motorcar isn't pulling your material in far enough, it's possible you turned off your mat and intended for a mat to be used. (Note: this is not the same as it is for the Cameo 1 or 2 machines.)
When cutting without a cutting mat, you do not want to cut all the fashion through your material. Your machine has a built in cutting strip that runs forth the path that your bract follows, but the strip is not a replacement for a cutting mat. The cutting strip will help protect your machine and your bract from damage should you lot cut through the textile, but information technology volition eventually article of clothing out even with proper use:
To supervene upon your cutting strip, simply pare upward the cut strip and stick a new one down. If your automobile is missing certain areas when it cuts (even if you always cut with a cut mat), check your cutting strip to see if it is in need of replacement.
Cut With a Cutting Mat
To load a cutting mat into the Silhouette Cameo, remove the protective covering canvas from the mat:
Next, utilize your fabric to the mat. Utilize the filigree lines on the mat to line the cloth upwardly with the edges of the viscid portion of your mat.
Next, butt the mat up to the rollers on your machine. Employ the blueish line printed on the left paw side of the cut deck as an alignment marking:
Printing the load button and your auto will advance the cutting mat into the proper location:
If the mat did not load straight, unload the try reloading.
Notation that the roller bar can exist moved upward and downwardly on the right hand side by flipping the lever higher up the bar. When the lever is flipped forward or down the bar is not locked into place:
To lock the bar in place, flip the lever to the upward position:
The bar volition not motility much, merely it will move a little bit. If your mat is sliding effectually when cutting, make sure your lever is locked in place.
Adjusting the Roller Bars
When cutting, your roller bars should just overlap the edges of your mat or material:
If your mat or fabric is smaller than 12″ broad, y'all volition need to move the roller bar over to properly hold the mat or textile. The right roller tin can be adjusted by twisting it until it unlocks (look closely at the roller and it volition have a lock and unlock position):
Slide it over to the side by side cease and then lock it into identify. In that location are stops where the roller bar can be aligned to and wait similar grooves in the bar:
There are 4 stops on the bar. They are in the 12″ mark for the Silhouette Cameo mat, slightly less than 12″ mark for cut 12″ cloth without the mat, 8″ marking for cutting with an 8″ mat and slightly less than 8″ marker for cutting 8″ materials without the mat:
Every bit infinite the eye rollers over your material as well, or slide them out of the way for bulkier or delicate materials.
Prolonging the Life of Your Mat
If you accidentally cutting all the way through your mat, you can record the back side of it using packing tape. This will not really ready the mat, but volition piece of work like a bandaide and permit y'all to keep using the same mat for a while longer.
Alternating which direction you load the mat will prolong the life of the mat. The cutting mat tin be loaded in two ways. You tin load the top of the mat by the black arrow, or turn your mat effectually and load it from the bottom. The mat is non square though, then yous cannot load it from just any management, only top or lesser.
Modify where you cut on your mat. If you always cutting in the top left corner, this section of your mat will lose it's sticky faster. Irresolute where you are cut on your mat will assistance space out the harm to the mat, making it last longer.
Clean your mat. If you have a lot of built up fuzz or have been using high fiber materials such as cloth or handmade paper, gently make clean your mat with warm water. Let it air dry when finished.
Make sure to store your mat flat, with the cover sheet over the adhesive. If your mat is bent, apply books to help flatten it.
Use record to agree materials in place. If your mat is across it's days, you can try using tape to agree your materials in place. This helps with very thick materials as well.
Restick your cutting mat with a temporary adhesive or glue. At that place are a lot of tutorials out there that recommend dissimilar adhesives to replace the adhesive on the mat when it wears downwardly. You'll have to decide which you prefer.
FAQ
My mat is likewise sticky- how can I make information technology less viscid?
To make a brand new mat only a piddling less sticky, utilize a clean t-shirt! Shine the cloth over the mat and so remove. It will go out the mat but a little less sticky so your materials practise non stick too much. For fragile materials, consider using the Low-cal Tack Mat instead.
My mat isn't glutinous enough- how can I go far sticky once more?
Try washing your mat with some warm water. Let it air dry. This usually brings some of the sticky back to the mat. If it'south non sticky at all, yous tin can try to use some adhesive spray to revive the mat, or use tape to agree your materials in place.
My mat is sliding around when cutting, what'due south going on?
Make sure your roller bars are appropriately spaced. The rollers should *merely* overlap the edges of your cutting mat. See in a higher place for more information about adjusting the roller bars.
Can I use other brands of mats in my car?
The official ruling is no on this one. Using a different brand of mat in your machine can ruin the calibration of your car and it also voids your manufacturer warranty. Stick to Silhouette brand mats and you should be covered!
How long does a mat concluding?
A cutting mats life span will depend a lot on what yous cut. Someone who cuts a lot of paper, for example, will demand a new cutting mat before someone who cuts vinyl as you lot're non cutting through the vinyl bankroll sail. Having a back upwards mat on hand is always a good idea though, but in case.
Should in that location exist score lines in my mat after cutting?
Yes, some scoring is expected when cutting with a cut mat. Y'all are cut through the fabric and this volition leave marks on your mat. If you are cut a lot of the same shape, make sure to motility the shape around on your mat or rotate your mat to prolong it'south life.
My mat isn't sticky AT ALL- why?
Did you remove the cover sail? The mat comes with a bluish or teal colored cover sheet that covers the adhesive. Make sure to remove the embrace canvass, attach your materials to the mat and then cut. Supplant the embrace sheet when you are done cutting to go along your mat clean between uses.
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Source: https://www.craft-e-corner.com/blogs/project-inspiration/the-silhouette-cameo-mat-all-you-need-to-know-and-more
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