Written by Paul D. Race for HobbyCutters.comTM |
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HobbyCutters.comTM Home PageCraftcutters like Silhouette's Cameos® and ProvoCraft's Cricuts® were initially designed for the purpose of cutting vinyl and other materials for craft projects, but since then, they have found many other uses and become much more flexible and robust. Although many hobbyists are adopting more sophisticated products like 3d printers and laser-based woodcutters, there is still room for the sorts of things craftcutters do well. This site is intended to:
Craftcutters For Hobbyists and DesignersA modeler, designer, or putz house builder who wants to get the best use out of any computer/craftcutter setup will need:
Fortunately, there are many options and multiple combinations. One reason for this site is to help folks find the best combination for their needs (and avoid some "urban legends" that are still prominently posted on countless amateur sites). Another is to share ideas and resources that will help modelers, war gamers, and countless others make optimum use of their cutters. About Time-Sensitive Material - When talking about individual products or even product lines, it's possible for everything you "know" about them to be overturned by one decision on the part of the manufacturer. For that reason, we are including the month and year of publication prominently in some of our more time-sensitive articles. That way if for some reason we don't keep up and you come across the article five years from now, you'll have an idea of how outdated it is. Frankly, a lot of other folks could have saved me some trouble if they'd been doing the same thing all along. About Our Resources - When we started writing articles about simple craftcutter projects for another resource, we realized that the vast majority of reader questions were not about our projects, but about hardware, software, and related issues. Consequently, we realized that this site also needed to answer those questions before some of our project articles would even "make sense" to beginners. We have a number of project articles in the works, and we created this site as a place to make them as accessible as possible. If they're presently outnumbered by reference articles at this time, please don't assume that's our long-term plan. :-) Topic IndexIntroduction to Craftcutters Redux - This article was written for another resource several years ago, and so much has changed that the original article became flat-out-wrong on several important points. The current version is an overview of the current classes of machine and what they're most likely to be useful for.
This article even includes suggestions for projects you can attempt if you are just using a cartridge-based first-generation Cricut.
HobbyCutters.comTM Discussion ForumsHere's a place to share tips and tricks, to ask questions, and to share answers. We are striving to make this a very safe place. New members are moderated, full membership is only by application, and absolutely no scamming, spamming, or trolling is allowed.As of this writing, we're just getting started. And, frankly, trying to work out some of the bugs in the software. But to see the discussions so far, click here. For information about membership, please click here That page also contains links to the forum application page.
Cricut Frequently Asked QuestionsQuestions about the current Cricut products (Explores, Joy, and Maker as of this writing) that don't always get answered on other sites. Mostly we're focused on practical issues, like what We may not have all the answers, but we're starting with the ones we do. As we get questions from readers, we will add to this list.Cameo CornerAs we come across or create materials that are speciic to Sillhouette's cutters and software, we will post links on the "Cameo Corner" page.At the moment, there are only a few links, but we're just getting started, but reader questions and cool projects keep coming in, so it's a start. Legacy Cricut ArticlesThe following articles are written for folks trying to kid a first-generation Cricut along, or to use it with original and downloaded images. Most of them are still in working condition, but without manufacturer support, what can you do? You might be surprised.
Cricut History So Far - Explains how Cricut created an industry, then 'switched gears' in ways that left loyal users feel left out, as well as current status. If you ever wondered why so many people seem to love their devices and distrust their manufacturer, this should give you some clues. It might also help you decide if that old device in your garage is worth dusting off and trying new things. Using Sure-Cuts-A-Lot With Legacy Cricuts - describes a currently available solution for using the "latest and greatest" version of Sure-Cuts-A-Lot (SCAL) to drive first-generation Cricuts, so you can cut downloaded and original graphics. You can even download a trial version of SCAL to test the process before you even spend any money on it. Unlike several other pages that allude to this content, we also tell you where the potential 'gotcha's' are and suggest some troubleshooting steps if it doesn't work the first time. ConclusionI realize that so far our reference material outweighs our project material, but we're just gettig started. Hopefully, we've provided a necessary foundation for other articles and resources I hope to provide shortly.In addition, if you've been thinking about getting a cutter for your own or your club's purposes, I hope this helps you avoid any critical mistakes. Watch this page: more articles are in the works. As always, we want to hear your suggestions, criticisms, additions, etc. Enjoy your hobbies, and especially any time you can spend with your family in the coming months! Paul Note: HobbyCutters.comTM, Family Garden TrainsTM, Garden Train StoreTM, Big Christmas TrainsTM, BIG Indoor TrainsTM, and BIG Train StoreTM are trademarks of Breakthrough Communications (www.btcomm.com). All information, data, text, and illustrations on this web site are Copyright (c) 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 by Paul D. Race. Reuse or republication without prior written permission is specifically
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