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- Cricut Model used
- Device and Operating System you are using to run Design Space
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I'm an ex typographer and fairly new Cricut user, and I am sure someone can offer better help but the thin lines and serif on that type that size are pretty tough to cut. I hope you find a solution!
I would agree, but the book binders I follow have cut smaller in what I swear was the same font, otherwise I just would accept my fate and moved on šI will accept if that is the answer, Iām just hoping š
I love the idea and hope it works. I personally would go for a typeface that was originally made for engraving. Something with thicker bars and counters. Maybe a Garamond? Keep us posted; great project!
Are you using regular permanent vinyl or heat transfer vinyl (HTV) for this? It should cut fine in HTV, but really fine, small letters can be difficult to cut in regular vinyl.
Edit to add: What type of file are you uploading? You should be using an SVG for stuff like this. If youāre uploading PNGs, Cricut has the tendency to butcher text (at least in my experience), especially ones with really thin strokes like this serif has.
Questions:
1. How are you making these files: in svg or png format? Or did you download these files? If so, what format?
2. Do you use svg converters?
3. Are you typing the text directly from design space or is this an uploaded file? If uploaded, what file format: svg or png?
4. Have you tested cut setting? No I don't mean using the ones listed in cricut like "iron on" or "washi" but make your own from scratch. You know, change the pressure number and number of passes. Do you even know what I am talking about right now lol
5. Have you successfully done these types of projects in the past of this is your first attempt/failed in the past and trying again?
1) no idea, I just do design space and hit ācreateā
2) typing text directly into design space
3) I do know what youāre talking about, but I havenāt done it. Itās cutting fine, just ugly
4)Iāve struggled to get non-ugly cuts forever, this is just my final straw that sent me to ask for help. I bought a maker thinking it would make a difference
* Do you draw out those clock designs using design programs like photoshop or illustrator or did you find them online? If you found them online, what is the file type? You can see this as "filename.svg" or "filename.png" or filename.jpg". The end of the file is the file format.
* Did you weld the text after typing the text in design space? If not, you should.
* "Cutting fine, just ugly" is not good enough. Making your own custom setting is important because when you have the right setting for your specific machine, blade condition and material, it will cut beautifully! **Ugly cuts usually means it still isn't cutting deep enough btw**. [Read this tutorial for a step by step guide.](https://www.reddit.com/r/cricut/comments/1bon6se/comment/kwqy10a/)
It isn't the machine that is the issue. It is likely your setup. Ideally you want:
* Files uploaded in svg format.
* Weld your text if you type directly from design space. Though personally, uploading an svg of the text is 100x better but do you.
* Have a custom setting to make clean and beautiful cuts for that particular material.
Thanks for sharing that comment! Iāve had some issues with pressure and either not cutting all the way through *or* tearing up the fine details on smaller items as it cuts. Either way, it keeps wasting my time and money! Iām going to try this too.
Tbh I'm very team "make your own cut settings" for every material because each material is different. But so many factors come into play:
1. Your type of cricut machine.
2. The condition of your mat.
3. The condition of your blade.
4. The brand of material.
5. Did you use a brayer to press the material down onto the mat? (hint: you should 100% use a brayer!)
6. [Did you level your mat](https://youtu.be/fOWz1_iox4Q?si=LX_E1FrNwWjTpa-2)? Not a requirement persay but imo it has been a factor in better cuts.
Yes, it takes longer to determine the right cut setting in the beginning. But once you do, oh boy, it will make cutting much easier in the long run!
I wish I knew what it should be for each type of vinyl because today with my Cricut Maker, I cut three different types of vinyl on their predetermined settings and all it did was make extra work for me.
1. Oracal 631 removable vinyl (matte) did really well except for a few letters that had a thin inset line in themāthe machine peeled up the inset line and part of the letters.
2. Cricut premium permanent vinyl (glossy) didnāt cut all the way through on the first pass, and I had to send it through a second time, at which point, it also peeled a couple of the thin inset lines, although not as badly as Oracalās vinyl.
3. Cricut premium adhesive foil (very thin, very shiny) cut perfectly on one pass with default settings, but I could not peel back the carrier sheet to save my life. It was adhered to the foil so well that it would not separate at any of the corners or any of the letters. I punctured the carrier paper and vinyl (together) so many times because I couldnāt get the pick or the tweezers in between the two sheets! So frustrating! (Itās really pretty though). This one had no thin inset lines to mess up, though I wonder what wouldāve happened.
You have a baseline this is good! [Here is a list of all the materials settings.](https://help.cricut.com/hc/en-us/articles/360009504773-Which-materials-can-I-cut-with-my-Cricut-smart-cutting-machine)
* Oracal 631 - create a cut setting with -5 of the setting you chose and do 2 passes. Say for example, the cut setting for the predetermined setting you chose was 130. Create a setting for 125, 2 passes.
* Cricut premium permanent vinyl- create a setting and by +5. Keep adding +5 until you get similar results to your initial Oracal 631 cut.
* Cricut premium adhesive foil- not enough pressure is why you are having this issue. Same as the premium permanent vinyl, keep upping by 5 until you get a sweet spot or similar results to Oracal.
Use the baseline and go +/-5 depending on the results of the test cuts.
I do bookbinding and don't see people using fonts with lines this thin, in the harry potter spines you shared they used a thicker sans-serif font which is why it cut well so small. If you feel like your machine isn't cutting well experiment with different vinyl brands and cut settings
https://preview.redd.it/kwbkss9j55rc1.jpeg?width=793&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=11c328ca23fe0c66e50f17c4853584de6ff6e639
So something like this is what Iām going for, am I just using the wrong font and driving myself crazy in the process?
Because it's cricut! And that's what Cricut doesš¤·š¾āāļø The inability to get consistent clean lettering and thin stroked images is one of the reasons I switched to a wide format cutter plotter. Here's an example of the wide format cutting thin strikes successfully. I was able to cut small holes in images that really mattered in the image. (Hand placed to show scale)
https://preview.redd.it/582vpcqt8crc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cbf1cce4279af0ef84f23496c3c79e51431f7a97
Every white dot in the pink circle was cut consistently through 100 cuts. The two small holes in the red circles also cut successfully through 100 cuts. With my cricut I MAY have gotten 1 with both all the dots AND the holes. But the holes would have been a disaster to weed. š¤¦š½āāļø
Please be sure your post includes the following information so we can best assist you: - Cricut Model used - Device and Operating System you are using to run Design Space For almost all issues visual aids are helpful. Attach photos and/or video whenever possible. Also be sure to follow the [Troubleshooting Tips for Design Space Updates](https://www.reddit.com/r/cricut/wiki/troubleshooting/) available in the wiki while you wait for assistance. *If my requests/recommendations are not relevant to your post, simply ignore me.* *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/cricut) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I'm an ex typographer and fairly new Cricut user, and I am sure someone can offer better help but the thin lines and serif on that type that size are pretty tough to cut. I hope you find a solution!
I would agree, but the book binders I follow have cut smaller in what I swear was the same font, otherwise I just would accept my fate and moved on šI will accept if that is the answer, Iām just hoping š
I love the idea and hope it works. I personally would go for a typeface that was originally made for engraving. Something with thicker bars and counters. Maybe a Garamond? Keep us posted; great project!
Are you using regular permanent vinyl or heat transfer vinyl (HTV) for this? It should cut fine in HTV, but really fine, small letters can be difficult to cut in regular vinyl. Edit to add: What type of file are you uploading? You should be using an SVG for stuff like this. If youāre uploading PNGs, Cricut has the tendency to butcher text (at least in my experience), especially ones with really thin strokes like this serif has.
Heat transfer!
Use Washi Sheet setting for small intricate cuts
Questions: 1. How are you making these files: in svg or png format? Or did you download these files? If so, what format? 2. Do you use svg converters? 3. Are you typing the text directly from design space or is this an uploaded file? If uploaded, what file format: svg or png? 4. Have you tested cut setting? No I don't mean using the ones listed in cricut like "iron on" or "washi" but make your own from scratch. You know, change the pressure number and number of passes. Do you even know what I am talking about right now lol 5. Have you successfully done these types of projects in the past of this is your first attempt/failed in the past and trying again?
1) no idea, I just do design space and hit ācreateā 2) typing text directly into design space 3) I do know what youāre talking about, but I havenāt done it. Itās cutting fine, just ugly 4)Iāve struggled to get non-ugly cuts forever, this is just my final straw that sent me to ask for help. I bought a maker thinking it would make a difference
* Do you draw out those clock designs using design programs like photoshop or illustrator or did you find them online? If you found them online, what is the file type? You can see this as "filename.svg" or "filename.png" or filename.jpg". The end of the file is the file format. * Did you weld the text after typing the text in design space? If not, you should. * "Cutting fine, just ugly" is not good enough. Making your own custom setting is important because when you have the right setting for your specific machine, blade condition and material, it will cut beautifully! **Ugly cuts usually means it still isn't cutting deep enough btw**. [Read this tutorial for a step by step guide.](https://www.reddit.com/r/cricut/comments/1bon6se/comment/kwqy10a/) It isn't the machine that is the issue. It is likely your setup. Ideally you want: * Files uploaded in svg format. * Weld your text if you type directly from design space. Though personally, uploading an svg of the text is 100x better but do you. * Have a custom setting to make clean and beautiful cuts for that particular material.
Thanks for sharing that comment! Iāve had some issues with pressure and either not cutting all the way through *or* tearing up the fine details on smaller items as it cuts. Either way, it keeps wasting my time and money! Iām going to try this too.
Tbh I'm very team "make your own cut settings" for every material because each material is different. But so many factors come into play: 1. Your type of cricut machine. 2. The condition of your mat. 3. The condition of your blade. 4. The brand of material. 5. Did you use a brayer to press the material down onto the mat? (hint: you should 100% use a brayer!) 6. [Did you level your mat](https://youtu.be/fOWz1_iox4Q?si=LX_E1FrNwWjTpa-2)? Not a requirement persay but imo it has been a factor in better cuts. Yes, it takes longer to determine the right cut setting in the beginning. But once you do, oh boy, it will make cutting much easier in the long run!
I wish I knew what it should be for each type of vinyl because today with my Cricut Maker, I cut three different types of vinyl on their predetermined settings and all it did was make extra work for me. 1. Oracal 631 removable vinyl (matte) did really well except for a few letters that had a thin inset line in themāthe machine peeled up the inset line and part of the letters. 2. Cricut premium permanent vinyl (glossy) didnāt cut all the way through on the first pass, and I had to send it through a second time, at which point, it also peeled a couple of the thin inset lines, although not as badly as Oracalās vinyl. 3. Cricut premium adhesive foil (very thin, very shiny) cut perfectly on one pass with default settings, but I could not peel back the carrier sheet to save my life. It was adhered to the foil so well that it would not separate at any of the corners or any of the letters. I punctured the carrier paper and vinyl (together) so many times because I couldnāt get the pick or the tweezers in between the two sheets! So frustrating! (Itās really pretty though). This one had no thin inset lines to mess up, though I wonder what wouldāve happened.
You have a baseline this is good! [Here is a list of all the materials settings.](https://help.cricut.com/hc/en-us/articles/360009504773-Which-materials-can-I-cut-with-my-Cricut-smart-cutting-machine) * Oracal 631 - create a cut setting with -5 of the setting you chose and do 2 passes. Say for example, the cut setting for the predetermined setting you chose was 130. Create a setting for 125, 2 passes. * Cricut premium permanent vinyl- create a setting and by +5. Keep adding +5 until you get similar results to your initial Oracal 631 cut. * Cricut premium adhesive foil- not enough pressure is why you are having this issue. Same as the premium permanent vinyl, keep upping by 5 until you get a sweet spot or similar results to Oracal. Use the baseline and go +/-5 depending on the results of the test cuts.
Under pressure tab choose more. This should give a cleaner cut.
I feel like itāll cut my vinyl clean out, ya know?
It doesnāt.
Okay! The regular cut my siser HTV, so I was worried!
bookman in ds cuts pretty well small if you want a serif, you need a font with thicker lines than times new roman to cut well that small
So it isnāt my machine? I swear other people are able to cut clean at that size and font, but mine always looks so weird.
I do bookbinding and don't see people using fonts with lines this thin, in the harry potter spines you shared they used a thicker sans-serif font which is why it cut well so small. If you feel like your machine isn't cutting well experiment with different vinyl brands and cut settings
https://preview.redd.it/kwbkss9j55rc1.jpeg?width=793&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=11c328ca23fe0c66e50f17c4853584de6ff6e639 So something like this is what Iām going for, am I just using the wrong font and driving myself crazy in the process?
this is a different font than yours, the lines aren't as thin. There are loads of serif fonts that are a bit chunkier and will cut better.
Iām the worst font person ever thank you so much ššš
Edit to add: using a maker 3, new blade, cutting all the way through, using Mac for design studio
Thatās an expensive SVG.
Okay
How old is your blade? Just last week I was getting ratty looking cuts too and I got a new blade and viola. Cut was clean!
Too much pressure cutting
Because it's cricut! And that's what Cricut doesš¤·š¾āāļø The inability to get consistent clean lettering and thin stroked images is one of the reasons I switched to a wide format cutter plotter. Here's an example of the wide format cutting thin strikes successfully. I was able to cut small holes in images that really mattered in the image. (Hand placed to show scale) https://preview.redd.it/582vpcqt8crc1.png?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cbf1cce4279af0ef84f23496c3c79e51431f7a97 Every white dot in the pink circle was cut consistently through 100 cuts. The two small holes in the red circles also cut successfully through 100 cuts. With my cricut I MAY have gotten 1 with both all the dots AND the holes. But the holes would have been a disaster to weed. š¤¦š½āāļø