Craft Edge

Hi I just got my Cricut Expressions up and running yesterday with SCAL.

I wanted to let you know that it works well on recycled billboard vinyl. I created a wallet pattern in Adobe Illustrator and exported an SVG file for use in SCAL. Then I had to resize it so it was again the right size that it was when I was working on it in Illustrator.

I used a pressure of High and the blade setting was 6. It worked well, I don't know if that is overkill. Seems to be just about right.

Billboard vinyl is a nice robust material that you can get from many places. I got mine from a local sign company, but I see billboard vinyl in many places. Why not approach your local shopping mall and get some to try out? It cost me nothing. I originally wanted the billboards for bicycle tarps since I am frugal. When I got the stuff I decided to experiment with it.

The other thing though is depending on the robustness of the particular vinyl, your domestic sewing machine might not be up for the task. I myself use a 1948 Singer machine which works well.

I talk about this and other topics on my blog at sewnagain.blogspot.com. If you do visit my blog, please comment because it's lonely out there.
Alison

It also works on tire innertube, but only if you freeze it, first. Otherwise the rubber is too spongy.
Also, it is a bit too thick to cut all the way through, but the Cricut is great for making guide cuts, which I'll finish off later with a craft knife.

I am making rubber stamps for my billboard vinyl wallets and soap totes on my Etsy shop.

I suppose this would work better with the deep blade housing, the existence of which I have just learned.

If you read the Cricut forum you will see that most people are very disappointed in the deep cut housing saying it doesn't cut any better than the regular one. Try using a 60 degree blade in your regular housing. You can pick some up cheap on e-bay.

Here is a video that shows you how to cut chipboard and I am sure would work on Vinyl or many other things. It uses the regular blade. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20XQyuba_Yk

~ Kylee

Whoa thanks for the video!

When I am putting recycled vinyl onto the cutting mat, I usually use UHU glue stick, and painter's tape on the edges of the piece that I'm cutting. If I have a mat with dried UHU on it, it can be reactivated with a damp cloth.

I also plan the job with inside cuts first, and the outline cut last. If the outline cut is done first then the piece might shift or lift off the cutting mat.

More discussion about the techniques I use are on my blog at http://VinAlly.blogspot.com

SewnAgain wrote: also plan the job with inside cuts first, and the outline cut last. If the outline cut is done first then the piece might shift or lift off the cutting mat.

Our Cricut is on the way and we are excited to get busy using it with SCAL. I totally get the concept of what your saying but I have yet to find where and how to set the cut order. Can you tell me Thanks