Print and Cut

[zebazga]

Hi,

I am brand new to the world of, well, all of this. Don't do scrapbooking, don't cut things, it's all greek to me. I have this project though...

What I want to do is take relatively complex graphics, crop to the main object in the graphic (man holding a sword, a birdhouse in a tree, etc), print the image, and then have eCraft print the image.

Without even being sure this was possible, I bought a used eCraft. I've been evaluating 3 software packages, and so far SCAL3 is the one I could figure out the fastest. I can import trace (I forget the exact command) each image and adjust the contrast so it only makes cuts where I want.

So my question. Will I be able to line things up precisely enough that if I print 3-7 graphics on an 8 1/2" x 11" sheet of vellum, that the cuts I create will be cutting around the graphics, not next to them?

Thank you so much for yet another newbie question. I appreciate your help before I commit to buying the software.

[gj1]

btt for an ecraft owner to help answer this one. Does ecraft do a good job with pnc?

[zebazga]

Also, I seem to struggle to get the image to look good in SCAL3. Can I print in Gimp and then cut with SCAL?

[gj1]

You can create in other programs and save as a .jpg from gimp and then use File and Place that image for a picture type image.
Or you can work in other programs like Inkscape and save as an .svg type image and import them into scal.

[zebazga]

So I should not print it from another application, like Gimp. OK. I was hoping to do that.

It seems I can either Place Image, which doesn't do cut lines, or I can Trace Image which I end up with the shape to cut, but it's very very slow to load if I select color, and the image seems not as crisp.

I'm sure the learning curve will be worth it. I appreciate all the help.

[newbiecat]

HI there

This is a video I made about Print and Cut hints and tips for SCAL 3 - now I use it with a Silver Bullet so the software may be slightly different for your Ecal but hopefully it may give you some ideas

best wishes
Pandora
http://youtu.be/c6YyEroM7eI

[zebazga]

This is a video I made about Print and Cut hints and tips...

Yes! I found this myself and watched it diligently. Excellent video and I love your humor. It helped once I figured out getting the image to look good AND have the cut lines (at least I *think* I have cut lines).

However, I can't get registration marks to show. I set my cutter as the eCraft, but when I go to Cutter, there is no Print and Cut button. I don't know if that's because the eCraft part of software is still in demo.

I selected Print > selected Print Registration Mark, and that didn't work.

Also, how do you get the page margins to always show? I only see them in Preview?

Lastly, did I hear you correctly that you could print from Inkscape with registration mark, and then cut with SCAL?

Thanks so much to everyone chiming in.

[newbiecat]

So unfortunately I can't help with the ecraft software since I have never seen it .......

I do sometimes send registration marks from Inkscape BUT ONLY when I am sending to signcut to use for cutting NOT SCAL - if I mentioned if please forgive wrong impression - brain obviiously wondered far from topic on that part

To get the cutter margins to show when looking at the cut preview go to CUTTER / PREVIEW OPTIONS then ensure that you have the box checked which says Show Print Margins. It doesnt show all the time just when you click on the print preview button - however it is so quick to do I probably again either forgot to say that or edited it out when trying to keep the time down

I do almost always have my image and my cut lines on different layers - just find it easier to switch them off and on - or lock them so I dont move anything accidently, again clicking on the cut preview button will soon show what is or isnt a cut line. And you can change that in the palette on the right hand side

good luck with your projects - love to see pictures when you are done

Pandora

[HeatherM]

The eCraft doesn't have any form of optic eye or laser to align registration marks. You will need to use the hinge method for print and cut with that machine. Here are two videos on PnC specifically for eCraft. This one on the SCAL portion http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hEQ4oZtW060&noredirect=1 and this one on how to set up your cut at the machine. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3q5BljHVjJE

If you have a printer with a fairly straight feed path you might consider "Cut then Print". First print your images (either in draft mode or outline) on copy paper. You just need something to show where your shapes will be, not a high quality image. Then you cut your shapes out of blank paper/CS and temporarily stick them to the copy paper carrier sheet and send them through the printer. I have done this with an ink jet printer and it worked very well. I would be afraid that they would come unstuck in my laser printer and ruin it though. Kay (Firstcut) has more detail on this. http://cleversomeday.files.wordpress.co ... method.pdf

[zebazga]

Thanks Pandora and Heather. It's great having people willing to answer questions, instead of feeling isolated and overwhelmed.

Though I will admit the Hinge Method sounds a bit intimidating. Sounds like I have more watching of videos and some experimentation to do.

Thanks ever so much!

Zebazga

Oh, and when I finally get project off ground, pictures for sure! Feedback is always welcome on projects.