Cutting Machine for Dummies (Newbies)

[leelee9878]

I am looking to make some disney crafts that would require a cutter, my friend has a cricut and said that I would be able to borrow it. After doing some research I found that you are unable to use the Waltograph font with the Cricut anymore. Most of my projects would use this font. So my question to this helpful board is, can I get around this (which I dont think I can), or should I buy a machine that would allow me to use Waltograph. If there is a machine that would allow this font, can you please let me know which one, and how I would go about doing this. I will not be doing anything extensive, just a few projects here and there mainly wedding related. Any help would be greatly appreciated as I find I am at a loss here.

 

[Reddy]

If you have the money to get a new machine - get a Shilotte Cameo machine then either up grade to the pro program or get SCAL (sure cuts alot) or MTC (make the cut)

if your friend has an older cricut & hasn't update in a long time then you could use SCAL2 if you can find it - good luck (seems the Cameo has been cheaper than that programs)

if you get a program that uses SVG files either help your self to the files on my blog or the ones several of us are posting here in the file share (I'm planning on getting all of mine here just want to clean them up & have a copy all put together so you see what goes where)

 

[leelee9878]

If you have the money to get a new machine - get a Shilotte Cameo machine then either up grade to the pro program or get SCAL (sure cuts alot) or MTC (make the cut)

if your friend has an older cricut & hasn't update in a long time then you could use SCAL2 if you can find it - good luck (seems the Cameo has been cheaper than that programs)

if you get a program that uses SVG files either help your self to the files on my blog or the ones several of us are posting here in the file share (I'm planning on getting all of mine here just want to clean them up & have a copy all put together so you see what goes where)

Thanks for your comment, just confirming if I purchase the Cameo I will need to purchase the scal as well, right? Just want to see what my total costs would be around. My friend purchased a cricut about a year ago so I doubt it's old enough for the other option you mentioned.

 

[Reddy]

Thanks for your comment, just confirming if I purchase the Cameo I will need to purchase the scal as well, right? Just want to see what my total costs would be around. My friend purchased a cricut about a year ago so I doubt it's old enough for the other option you mentioned.

if it is an E2 then it won't work
any of the programs will work with the cameo
I would go to the MTC & SCAL sites & get the free trail & see which one you like better - I have several friends that love MTC - I brought SCAL1 & then upgraded to 2 - cheaper for me at the time
I believe PN has the pro version of the cameo program
all have good points so play with each & see which works for you

 

[PrincessNancy96]

I have the designer edition for the silhouette.. It cost about 40 dollars to upgrade from what the silhouette portrait (the smaller version of the cameo) software comes with. You have to have the designer edition to cut the svg files.

With the designer edition I can cut any svg files (usually only have to adjust the sizing) since my cameo only cuts 8x12 (you can cut smaller but that is the largest it will go to)..
I am able to pull up Reddy's cool Disney files and adjust the sizing and cut them out with ease..

I mainly use mine for titles that is why I went with the portrait.. I have the E2 and the create and a E in my closet and have so much invested in carts that I could not get rid of my cricuts. Besides my DD can use them in college and when she starts teaching.

I am able to find a lot of free files online for tags, banners, etc.. I love that I can cut all kinds of fonts.. I love to cut Waltograph....and I especially love that you can weld words together.. it takes a little time but it's great.. You can of course shadow you words with the offset... (you can then adjust the size of the shadow too)...

Good luck with your decision!

 

[dogcarbon]

I have a cameo, and I have upgraded to the Sil Studio Designer Edition of the software to be able to cut the SVG files.

BUT if you don't want to upgrade, you can download for free the program called inkscape, and then you open the svg file in inkscape and then File/save as with a dxf file extension, and the general Sil Studio program will open the dxf files.

And a general price for the Sil Cameo is about $270, but sometimes if you can wait on shipping or a good sale, you can get it for about $205.

 

[leelee9878]

Thanks everyone! I think I'm going to get the cameo, now I just have to wait for a sale. Do they typically go on sale at a particular store?

 

[dogcarbon]

Thanks everyone! I think I'm going to get the cameo, now I just have to wait for a sale. Do they typically go on sale at a particular store?

Amazon regularly has them for $270-ish, with different bundles available.

OhMyCraft is $270 (with a 20% off coupon is $216), BUT, you will wait on the shipping. (I bought mine when it was a 25% off coupon, but that was over a year ago). Or they sometimes have other offers, just watch and see what they have to offer.... BUT it has been reported by various people that the shipping is long, sometimes a month longer than they say.....

 

[3pletprincesses]

scrapsome.com as it for $250 and I can only say good things about the service there.

 

[princesslynn]

I hate to hijack this thread, but I've been pondering the same purchase. One question I had was can you use the T-Shirt iron on sheets (the same kind you can print on) in the Silhouette? Could I print images and cut them out with the Silhouette (if that makes sense).

I've tried searching to find my answer but I'm not so up on the "lingo" so I'm not sure exactly what to search! I would love one of these for work (I'm a librarian...oh the displays I could make with one!) but it would be EXTRA cool if I could design t-shirts but then be able to "cut" the designs out instead of sticking with basic geometric shapes because that's easier to do by hand.

 

[Reddy]

I hate to hijack this thread, but I've been pondering the same purchase. One question I had was can you use the T-Shirt iron on sheets (the same kind you can print on) in the Silhouette? Could I print images and cut them out with the Silhouette (if that makes sense).

I've tried searching to find my answer but I'm not so up on the "lingo" so I'm not sure exactly what to search! I would love one of these for work (I'm a librarian...oh the displays I could make with one!) but it would be EXTRA cool if I could design t-shirts but then be able to "cut" the designs out instead of sticking with basic geometric shapes because that's easier to do by hand.

I seen shirts done that way - I really want the silhouette for that reason

I loved the freezer paper idea for painting shirts

 

[princesslynn]

I seen shirts done that way - I really want the silhouette for that reason

I loved the freezer paper idea for painting shirts

I thought the freezer paper idea was great, too! I might have to break down and buy one...I know there are lots of "legit" work related things I could do with it, and making some fun t-shirts for our giant family reunion trip would be the cherry on top!