# Whats the best way to trim inkjet heat transfers on a budget?



## BigBark (Sep 2, 2011)

I have a rather complicated design that I need to trim (not just a box or circle), and I would love to have something that can cut the image out and save me a lot of headaches. I have a budget of $2-300 to work with. I would apperciate any help.

Does the silhouette CAMEO offer custom cutting? Or is it only templates from them I can to work with? 

Thanks so much for the help!


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

It can register and cut your design if that is what you mean by custom cutting.

From what I read earlier it can cut fine details and fine lines. Don't really know how "fine" though.


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## BigBark (Sep 2, 2011)

BroJames said:


> It can register and cut your design if that is what you mean by custom cutting.
> 
> From what I read earlier it can cut fine details and fine lines. Don't really know how "fine" though.


Well lets say I have a skull and crossbone design. Could I just upload my own design, load up heat transfer paper, and have the design cut out?


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## playfulthrills (Oct 21, 2011)

BigBark said:


> Well lets say I have a skull and crossbone design. Could I just upload my own design, load up heat transfer paper, and have the design cut out?


you could if you have a rolan cut and print but if you have a cheaper china plotter/cutter has to have a lasor to read the paper to cut it. there is a good video on rolan doing this on UTUBE but anything with CONTOUR cutting will work. 

I bought a US CUTTER that has contour cutting but i havent used it. i paid 230 for mine on e bay plus shipping. i think it called SC CUTTER but US CUTTER web site says it doesnt support contour cutting. U tube vidoes show how to set it up..


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

BigBark said:


> Well lets say I have a skull and crossbone design. Could I just upload my own design, load up heat transfer paper, and have the design cut out?


I do not own a cameo but an earlier silhouette model was among those I considered. From what I understand, the earlier and smaller silhouette can cut images more intricate than a simple skull and crossbone. 

You print the image with the registration marks, feed the printed image into the silhoutte and it automatically reads the registration mark and cut accordingly. Of course you have to press some other buttons but the registration is read automatically.


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## Badgers (Oct 22, 2008)

The Silhouette Cameo DOES have an optical eye. The YouTube video below shows it in action:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gTX_w5MSFnU&feature=related[/media]

You simply need to import the design into Silhouette Studio, add the registration marks and the cut-line(s).

Then print the file to a printer, put it onto the Silhouette Cameo and profile cut the individual designs.


I hope this makes sense!

Alan


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## Des Studio (Apr 8, 2009)

What do you mean the cut lines?
I see in the video the registration mark in the corner, but does the cutter find the circles on its own or by "Cut Lines" do you mean you have to mark each circle as needing cut out?

I'm interested in a cutter plotter soon I think.

Since I'll be doing mostly 1 off type images I would rather not have to outline all the cut areas, is that what was meant by "Cut Lines"?


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

For contour cutting you have to define the cutlines. Whether it is the silhoutte of the design or if tghe insides will also be cut. Take "O" for example. Do you want to count the outer edges of the "O" only in which case it will be an oblong shape or do you also want to cut a hole inside.


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## Des Studio (Apr 8, 2009)

I guess that means I have to trace around the image manually?
Or is that a setting in the driver software


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## Riph (Jan 11, 2011)

I use a Cameo to cut transfers (and other things). You have to use the tracing tools in the software to create the cutlines. Sometimes its easy and automatic, sometimes you have to manually tweak it... it just depends on the image.

You can download the Cameo software and try it out before you buy the cutter, That will be the best and cheapest way to find out if it solves your problem.

Silhouette - Download New Software


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

Des Studio said:


> I guess that means I have to trace around the image manually?
> Or is that a setting in the driver software


You can direct the cutter to cut along the outermost edges of the vector image. Or, also to cut along the inner vectors (these are the holes).


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## Des Studio (Apr 8, 2009)

Thanks Ya'll

I downloaded the software and looked at it and understand it allot better now how it works.
Kinda did a test on a couple images I had. Have to figure out the extra settings abit for defining the cut lines better. Not much in the manual about those settings, just that they are there.
Looks promising, I may try a machine after Christmas.


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## CreativiTEES (Sep 1, 2010)

I have the original Silhouette and use it to cut a lot of one off shirts and its great for that. Sometimes I will trace the image and offset a little bit if it doesn't have a solid line. Sometimes you really have to play with the trace options and offset and internal offset a few times to get the desired shape but it's not too hard. Good deal for the money and they just made a new cheaper replacement blade. I have a couple shirts on my page that I cut with the Silhouette


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

CreativiTEES said:


> I have the original Silhouette and use it to cut a lot of one off shirts and its great for that. Sometimes I will trace the image and offset a little bit if it doesn't have a solid line. Sometimes you really have to play with the trace options and offset and internal offset a few times to get the desired shape but it's not too hard. Good deal for the money and they just made a new cheaper replacement blade. I have a couple shirts on my page that I cut with the Silhouette


can we see the shirt and what paper did you use?


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## CreativiTEES (Sep 1, 2010)

Just go to my profile and I have an album. Right now I'm using jpss for light and some cheap dark colored shirt transfers from a local vendor for $75 for 100. And easy weed vinyl, you might as well get into that too if your gonna have the machine, more $$$.


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

Are snoopy and woodstock "contour cut"?


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## Des Studio (Apr 8, 2009)

I was also wondering which were cut with machine. 
Broke Heart Tattoo?

Couldn't really tell from pictures, are some screened? Or were they all transfers?


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## CreativiTEES (Sep 1, 2010)

All of the shirts were done with heat transfers, some of them with the "contour cut" or print and cut feature, like the broken heart one. Others like the Snoopy and Woodstock I printed out a sheet in whatever color I needed and just sent it through the machine with no registration marks because its all the same color. I just recently got into screen printing to be able to produce more shirts, but for just one or e few I use my vinyl cutter.


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

Snoopy and woodstock seems awfully difficult to lay down on the garment. Why not use vinyl?


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## CreativiTEES (Sep 1, 2010)

BroJames said:


> Snoopy and woodstock seems awfully difficult to lay down on the garment. Why not use vinyl?


No not really just a lot of weeding. I usually only do it for colors to match certain things or for one color one time, I don't need 15 colors of vinyl laying around when I can just print up a sheet for less than $1. If I needed to make larger quantities I would go with vinyl if they even have it in the colors I need.


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## box1920 (Dec 6, 2011)

interesting.. how did you do the snoopy one if you used a cameo to cut the transfer papers. Doesnt the pieces fall apart since its not being held on by anything after its cut out for laying it on the shirt?


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## BroJames (Jul 8, 2008)

I am more curious at how Jeremy handles the curling of dark transfers - unless he uses some transfer sheet.


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## iainlondon (May 11, 2010)

What blade settings are you guys using with the Cameo for Inkjet Darks( I'm using Blue Grid from Coastal) I find that setting the blade to 1 barely scratches the surface,but setting it to 2 is too much.Any tips & advice would be appreciated.Thanks in advance....


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