Cutting Vinyl Rolls
Cutting vinyl rolls is a great way to save money on larger projects like banners, signs and t-shirts. The Silhouette CAMEO 4 Pro can cut various size materials by simply making a quick adjustment to the roller bar lever.
Start by putting down just the leading corner or edge of your vinyl, paper liner side down, onto your mat. Smooth out any wrinkles or air bubbles with your hands or a scraper.
Sizes
Rolls of vinyl come in a variety of sizes. Some are sold by the yard while others are sold in convenient 12-inch sheets. This makes it easy to cut the size of your project without having to buy more vinyl than you need. These rolls also save money if you’re creating large wall quotes or sign products for advertising use.
Crafting vinyl comes in a wide range of colors and finishes, making it perfect for many different projects. It can be used to make tshirts, sweatshirts, onesies, tote bags, and even ornaments. It’s also great for home improvement projects and can be cut to the right size for a window or other surface. It’s important to know what type of vinyl you’re using for your project before you make a purchase, as not all vinyls are created equal.
Before you start cutting, it’s important to do a test cut. This will help you ensure that your settings are correct and that the blade is cutting through the vinyl properly. If you’re not happy with the results of your test, you can always adjust your settings before cutting a larger piece of material. Most cutters allow you to move the roller bar Cutting Vinyl Rolls lever so that it can accommodate different sizes of materials. For example, the Silhouette CAMEO 4 Pro can cut materials between 9” and 24”. Simply position the roller bar so that it’s snug against your chosen size of vinyl.
Materials
Vinyl is a plastic, film-like product with an adhesive backing like contact paper, peel-and-stick wallpaper and shelf liner. It comes in countless colors, sheens, textures and patterns and can be cut into pretty much any design you can imagine for use on a variety of slick surfaces such as glass, ceramics, cars and signs. It is available by the roll (often sold in a 75” wide strip) or in stacks of flat sheets.
Almost any adhesive backed material can be cut with a Cricut, Craft ROBO or Silhouette Cameo vinyl cutter. This includes a vast array of wall graphics, personal decals, custom apparel and stencils as well as heat transfer t-shirt vinyl and clear adhesive vinyl.
Most adhesive vinyl is cut using a fine-point blade and comes with a paper liner. When you prepare a project in Design Space, select Vinyl from the Material Settings dropdown menu. Once the machine is set to cut Vinyl, place the vinyl on a new LightGrip or StandardGrip mat that has been used several times previously without becoming sticky.
With your machine set to cut Vinyl and the vinyl properly placed on the mat, load the mat into the machine and start cutting by pressing the flashing buttons. Once the cutting is complete, remove the mat and the vinyl. This process is called weeding and involves removing all the “negative” areas around and within your cut design so you are left with only the “positive” parts of the vinyl.
Cutting Machines
There are a wide variety of cutters for vinyl, but the most important consideration is how you plan on using it. For example, you might want a home machine like the Cricut or Silhouette for making small batches of stickers and decals to sell on Etsy. These machines have a narrow focus and won’t last as long as professional plotters, but they can work well for light daily use.
For those looking for a bit more power, there are a number of home craft cutters with dual tool holders that let you cut and draw in one pass. They can also have a range of additional tools that let you emboss, etch and stipple media. The Cutting Vinyl Rolls most advanced models have a camera that senses printed registration marks and can automatically contour cut around them, which is great for cutting iron-on designs for clothing or stickers.
The USCutter MH Series is a popular option for mid-range home cutters. It’s compatible with Roland blades (the industry standard) and can handle a range of media widths. It’s easy to set up and can get cutting in an hour or less. It’s not a good choice for big jobs as it lacks the large memory and expertise of more expensive plotters, so it can sometimes freeze during long or complex cuts.
The mid-range Roland GS-CAMM-1 is another great choice for a home cutter. It can cut both adhesive and heat transfer vinyl, as well as paper and cardstock. It has a servo motor, which is faster and more powerful than steppers. It can handle a range of media thicknesses and features a vertical control that lets you set starting and ending depths to make multi-pass cuts with more accurate results. It’s compatible with both Mac and PC software and works with a wide range of design programs.
Tools
A cutting machine is a necessary tool for working with vinyl. It can help you create a design in Silhouette Studio, resize it as needed, and cut out the vinyl. Most importantly, a cutting machine can help you make sure that your cuts are correct. This is important because it can prevent the vinyl from adhering to the wrong surface or tearing in the process.
A utility knife can be used to cut adhesive vinyl, but it requires a steady hand and a sharp blade. Scissors can also work, but they are often too flimsy to cut through thicker vinyl or intricate designs. A rotary cutter is a better option than scissors or a utility knife, as it uses a rolling blade to cut through materials. It is also much faster than using a manual cutting tool.
When working with vinyl, it is recommended that you use a pair of earmuffs or earplugs to protect your ears from the immense noise produced by power tools. You should also wear rubber gloves to protect your hands.
An additional tool that is useful when working with vinyl is a weeding tool set. This set comes with five pieces: fine tweezers, hook tweezers, the classic weeder, and a piercing tool. The weeding tool set makes it easier to remove any excess vinyl from a design after it has been cut.
