Question regarding precision placement

[Rendered Memories]

Hi all, just got a cricut, and haven't even taken it out of the box yet - yikes. Considering getting SCAL, but, I have a question. Say that I have a color .jpg and a corresponding .svg file. Is there sufficient precision with SCAL that I can print the jpg in color on my printer and then load it in the cricut and use SCAL to precisely trim around the outside of the object? I see that most of the cutting is done from cardstock and/or background papers where precision placement would not be as important and didn't know if it was because precision placement is not possible, that there is a lack of .jpg's and corresponding .svg files, or whether I am one of the few people that this appeals to

Thanks in advance for your assistance.

Roberta

[firstcut]

In general, this is not possible. The Cricut itself just isn't a very precise machine, with much variation in loading, etc. There are some rather contorted procedures we have come up with to get marginal results with lots of effort, but if this is your main purpose, you would be much better served with a machine with this feature. Those machines have print and cut software and laser alignment.

[Rendered Memories]

Thanks Kay - appreciate it! Nice blog you have there.

Roberta

[DonnaL]

Actually, you CAN somewhat 'fussy cut' with your Cricut, but mostly with cartridges and pens vs. svgs/scal to jpg files; although some folks have had some luck with pens and then cutting slightly outside those lines with custom files (not me!).

Thanks to thepinkstamper.com videos, I have learned what all those mysterious buttons on the left side of your Expressions are capable of. An example in her video is cutting a circle or star around photos and centering her son's nose, etc. I know this is a little 'off-topic' compared to your question but it's a skill that may transfer over to learning to be 'precise' where you want to make your cuts.

Another thing I like about her website is she makes her MISTAKES in front of you in her videos, too! This actually helps you think to yourself 'oh, remember to alway hit this button AND this button' or else it won't 'listen' to what you are trying to do! Her cricut videos are all grouped together in 'episodes' so that you don't have to search through lots of pages of other subjects (although it's addicting to watch her assemble greeting cards, etc. too!)

Hope this helps,
Donna

[Rendered Memories]

Thanks Donna, appreciate the information.

Roberta

[pennsylvaniakate]

I have done several "print & cuts" and they have turned out fine. Especially when you shadow your object before cutting. This gives you a border around whatever it is that you are cutting, and it is less noticeable if it is not perfect.

[firstcut]

DonnaL,
You bring up an excellent point. Unfortunately, there is not a center point feature or other way to calibrate when using SCAL (or CDS) and it always returns to the start point which you can not set yourself. I posted this under wishlist a long time ago and would love it if those of you interested in precision work would add to that thread or request it yourself.
Here is the thread
http://forums.surecutsalot.com/viewtopi ... 56&start=0

Here is another thread regarding other techniques
http://forums.surecutsalot.com/viewtopi ... 98&start=0

Kate, you'll have to forgive me, I used to work on the Space Shuttle so I have a pretty demanding definition for the word "precision" If you are willing to have a mat around the image, the techniques above do work fine for that!

[pennsylvaniakate]

Lol, yeah, my husband is a machinist so he'd get on me for using the word so loosely, too. However, I did cut a dress that I had printed, and it had only a fine line of excess in two spots equal to about two inches. That's pretty darn good. I cut first, press load and put my printed under the first cut piece. So probably the only error is in my lining it up. Let's just say it's precise enough for crafting! *Grin*

[firstcut]

There is a good bit of variation among machines. Some are better than others. Mine is not very accurate and as a Mac user I can't run 2 cuts in a row without unloading the mat (bug in SCAL software) so I don't get results I am satisfied with most of the time, but know that others can. It is much easier with CDS than with SCAL, but then you don't have the flexibility to use your own shapes.

[pennsylvaniakate]

Wow, that bites that you have to unload every time. Hopefully the SCAL2 Mac release will solve that.