# Craft Robo for dark transfer paper



## tstutzman (Jun 25, 2009)

I have been experimenting with cutting transfers with my Craft Robo (newly purchased) I can not seem to figure out the settings in which to successfully cut inkjet dark paper. Plus do I need to use a carrier sheet? I appreciate your help. Thanks


----------



## Gioclone (Jul 9, 2009)

Hello there,

I purchased a craft robo also for experimentation.

Anyhow, yes use a carrier sheet, cut ONLY the transfer NOT the backing. I ended ordering a blade holder that can allow you to easily cut those.

One thing you will find is that the craft robo will be limited by the actual size it can contour cut. If you are ONLY doing 8.5x11 the craft robo will do good by you.


----------



## tstutzman (Jun 25, 2009)

Thank you that will really help me!


----------



## Cjoe Design (Jun 3, 2008)

I am really close to purchasing the RoboCraft Pro for contour cutting my ink transfers. I understand you need to use a carrier sheet so I started researching carrier sheets. It seems these carrier sheets are good for about 10 sheets and they run $25.00 (2 for 50.00) 
What is up with that? is this true? That pretty much closes the door for me. Am I not getting something right here cause I have not heard anyone else mention this. 

This means if I have a shirt order for 50 shirts front and back print I will spend $100.00 on carier sheets. I might as well sublimate the damn things and not worry about weeding.

I must be getting something wrong!

Please help cause I was going to order one the beginning of nest week.


----------



## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

What dark inkjet transfer paper are you cutting? Some papers are made to be a little stretchy, specifically Ironall Dark/Jetwear IYA Dark/Clearsoft Dark (<-- some of that papers many aliases). 

Dark papers that are not made to stretch are easier to cut, but if you are working with one of the Ironall Dark/Jetwear IYA dark versions, that paper is reportedly difficult to get a clean cut with because of it's tendency to stretch.

It's a long going challenge on the forum, and some have done it with success, others have and are still trying and crashing and burning. 

Just a note to keep in mind when going forward. Best wishes.


----------



## Gioclone (Jul 9, 2009)

You are right about the carrier sheets but DONT CUT THROUGHT THE BACKING, which I did often I didn't know. So I bought other carrier sheet. LOL it was for making some shirts for church and experimentation.

That little machine can work. 

About the stretchy material, get something that will allow you to cut it the same problems affecting the craft robo will affect larger machines because the issue is the material not the cutter.

By the way, I did buy a blade holder for it and it worked like a charm.

If you cab afford it get a larger cutter, I outgrew my robo in a months time!!!!


----------



## Girlzndollz (Oct 3, 2007)

Oh,yeah, the stretchy material is a challenge for cutters in general, not just this one. My info wasn't meant to be cutter specific in any way, just added info on various dark papers. I didn't think my post sounded cutter specific, so if it did, apologies, and just know it wasn't.


----------



## Lnfortun (Feb 18, 2006)

Cjoe Design said:


> I am really close to purchasing the RoboCraft Pro for contour cutting my ink transfers. I understand you need to use a carrier sheet so I started researching carrier sheets. It seems these carrier sheets are good for about 10 sheets and they run $25.00 (2 for 50.00)
> What is up with that? is this true? That pretty much closes the door for me. Am I not getting something right here cause I have not heard anyone else mention this.
> 
> This means if I have a shirt order for 50 shirts front and back print I will spend $100.00 on carier sheets. I might as well sublimate the damn things and not worry about weeding.
> ...


You are right about 10 times usage. You can get one for $19.00 from Specialty Graphics. Joann's Fabric store sells a smaller size for Cricut Scrap book cutter which is 12 X 24. A pack of two for $17.95. I managed to extend the usability of my carrier sheet by washing it with mild soap when it started to lose its tackiness. I further extended it by laying a TDF mask over the adhesive part of the carrier sheet. You can use large scrap of vinyl backing instead. I am still able to use the original sheet that came with my Craft Robo Pro. Taping down the transfer paper with blue painters masking tape in the area near the registration marks help also. The important thing is keeping the registration mark corners flat to avoid registration mark reading error.


----------



## SandyMcC (Jul 23, 2009)

Lnfortun said:


> You are right about 10 times usage. You canget one for $19.00 from Specialty Graphics. Joann's Fabric store sells a smaller size for Cricut Scrap book cutter which is 12 X 24. A pack of two for $17.95. I managed to extend the usability of my carrier sheet by washing it with mild soap when it started to lose its tackiness. I further extended it by laying a TDF mask over the adhesive part of the carrier sheet. You can use large scrap of vinyl backing instead. I am still able to use the original sheet that came with my Craft Robo Pro. Taping down the transfer paper with blue painters masking tape in the area near the registration marks help also. The important thing is keeping the registration mark corners flat to avoid registration mark reading error.


You can also make your carrier sheets for a fraction of the cost. The scrapbookers who own the 8" Graphtec cutters (Craft Robo, Wishblade, and Silhouette) have been purchasing the quilting template plastic from Joann's for years and cutting it to fit. Here's a link:

Quilting template plastic

The best adhesive to buy is Krylon 7020 Easy Tack (available at Michael's). The quilting template plastic has just enough roughness to hold this adhesive really well... especially compared to the Cricut mats. Although the Easy Tack makes an excellent refresher adhesive for ANY of the mats, including the Craft Robo OEM mats and the Cricut mats. BTW, the only thing I don't like about using the Cricut mats in the Craft Robo is that they are so thick that the blade tip is sitting too close to the material being cut. That's not a problem when cutting vinyl, I suppose... but you could never get enough downward oomph if you were cutting cardstock with a Cricut mat.

Also, with the Krylon, as mats begin to lose their stickiness, you can wash the mats with warm water, a scrub brush, and Dawn or Joy and after they air dry, they'll be sticky again! You might need a light spraying of the Krylon, but often not. 

If you need a more aggressive adhesive... say, you want to try cutting fabric on a CR, then try Aileen's Tack It Over and Over. It's VERY sticky... not appropriate for paper or cardstock, but great at holding slippery materials to the mat. You just "paint it on" in a very thin layer using a foam brush and then allow to dry for several hours.


----------



## tstutzman (Jun 25, 2009)

Thanks to all for your tips and advice. I appreciate the help.


----------



## Cjoe Design (Jun 3, 2008)

_I managed to extend the usability of my carrier sheet by washing it with mild soap when it started to lose its tackiness. I further extended it by laying a TDF mask over the adhesive part of the carrier sheet. You can use large scrap of vinyl backing instead. I am still able to use the original sheet that came with my Craft Robo Pro. Taping down the transfer paper with blue painters masking tape in the area near the registration marks help also. The important thing is keeping the registration mark corners flat to avoid registration mark reading _

This does definately make me feel better about getting the Craft Robo Pro! Thanks so much for all your input. I guess I won't mind adding adhesive to the carrier sheet every once in a while. Are you guys stocking like 3 or 4 carrier sheets so you can pre tack them and do your runs? 

Also, am I right in thinking that when making stickers, stencils, and other cardstock items I do not even need a carrier sheet?


----------



## Gioclone (Jul 9, 2009)

You almost always need a carrier sheet. When you cut some vinyl you may not need it.


----------



## Lnfortun (Feb 18, 2006)

Cjoe Design said:


> _I managed to extend the usability of my carrier sheet by washing it with mild soap when it started to lose its tackiness. I further extended it by laying a TDF mask over the adhesive part of the carrier sheet. You can use large scrap of vinyl backing instead. I am still able to use the original sheet that came with my Craft Robo Pro. Taping down the transfer paper with blue painters masking tape in the area near the registration marks help also. The important thing is keeping the registration mark corners flat to avoid registration mark reading _
> 
> This does definately make me feel better about getting the Craft Robo Pro! Thanks so much for all your input. I guess I won't mind adding adhesive to the carrier sheet every once in a while. Are you guys stocking like 3 or 4 carrier sheets so you can pre tack them and do your runs?
> 
> Also, am I right in thinking that when making stickers, stencils, and other cardstock items I do not even need a carrier sheet?


Just ordered 2 sheets of the quilt template from Joann's. Thanks to Sandy's post. I am also going to buy the Krylon adhesive from Michaels.

Regarding cutting stencil or card stock you still need the carrier sheet otherwise you will have potential damage to the cutting surface protector strip. Stickers will be OK if it has backing. Again make sure, if you are not using a carrier sheet, the blade does not cut through the backing.


----------



## SandyMcC (Jul 23, 2009)

I always have at least 3 carrier sheets available when I'm in a production mode. That way I can have one in the cutter cutting, one that has a fresh sheet on it ready to be cut, and one that I'm removing the cut items and waste from. Now, I cut a lot of delicate things, like letters and flowers, and my material doesn't have a backing sheet....so the removal can take time. For your application, having two might work just fine since you have a backing sheet.

And yes, you can forgo the carrier sheet any time your material has a backing. You just need to make sure that the blade length is set to only cut through the top layer. And you can add your own backing sheet if you happen to use a material without one. Xyron, for example, sells a device that you can pass a sheet of paper, cardstock, etc though and it applies a backing sheet with adhesive so that when you cut the items out, you end up with decals/stickers.

One more instance in which you definitely need a carrier sheet/mat.... if you are cutting from a small scrap, then there might not be enough material present for the pinch wheels to grab onto. Therefore you need to put the scrap onto a carrier sheet.


----------



## Titchimp (Nov 30, 2006)

Craft robos are fun but be warned they overheat quickly, too many cuts in a row and you have wait for it to cool down


----------



## SandyMcC (Jul 23, 2009)

Lnfortun said:


> Just ordered 2 sheets of the quilt template from Joann's. Thanks to Sandy's post. I am also going to buy the Krylon adhesive from Michaels.
> 
> Regarding cutting stencil or card stock you still need the carrier sheet otherwise you will have potential damage to the cutting surface protector strip. Stickers will be OK if it has backing. Again make sure, if you are not using a carrier sheet, the blade does not cut through the backing.


I think you'll be really pleased with both, Luis. On the newer KNK's and ACS, we have to use the mat that comes with our cutters, because of the particular pinch roller design... it needs a thick mat to grip the pinch wheels. But on many other cutters, such as the Craft Robo, the quilting template plastic works great.

I know someone who has been cutting custom-shaped confetti "all day long" on two Craft Robos for over 3 years... maybe 4 years now... and she's tried a slew of different mats and adhesives and swears by this combination for her application. 

Definitely shake the can of Easy Tack really well and spray in a well-ventilated area. You only need to spray like once vertically and once horizotally and then allow to dry. We ship a can of Easy Tack with the KNK's because it's perfect for our paper crafters and sometimes they will over-spray their mat the first time and then really have a tough time getting their cut pieces removed. But you should fine that the tackiness is very close to that on the carrier sheets that come with the Craft Robo.


----------



## WaterfallDesigns (Feb 20, 2012)

I'm so glad I found this message. I have quite a few silhouette cutting mats and wasn't sure if I would be able to use them on the Craftrobo pro! Thanks for the info!


----------

