Brother ScanNCut craft cutter

[kcorbin]

I guess the next step is learning how to select the elements so you can cut the lines on those inside areas and delete the arrows and such that you don't want to cut out.

[TheWebdude]

Originally Posted by rickstef

yea, you do need some direction in your life

Nope. Got one: Forward, ever forward.

[TheWebdude]

Originally Posted by kcorbin

I guess the next step is learning how to select the elements so you can cut the lines on those inside areas and delete the arrows and such that you don't want to cut out.

Not yet. Still have a variety of items to run through it. I'll pick that up again this afternoon. Short work day today (only 8 hours).

[TheWebdude]

Project 2: (SD) RX-78-2 Gundam Ver.Ka by June
As before I' m observing to see what gives the best pattern recognition to the machine. This exercise will utilize white card stock , light and med gray card stock (double printed by myself) and yellow, red and blue metallic stock (Neenah Astrobrights - 65Lb 176g/m).

(Photo 1) - White parts page. I can tell this is whats going to work best on this machine. Nearly total pattern recognition (Photo 2).

Cutting was about 2 1/2 minutes and all but 3 pieces were cut. Cuts were error free. I am satisfied at this point (got a lot of unbuilt Gundams - mostly white) but lets continue.

(Photo 4) Light Gray parts page. Still very good recognition but not as good as the white (Photo 5).

(Photo 6) From this point on unless I state otherwise the cuts are always clean and crisp.

(Photo 7) Med Gray parts page. This didn't recognize well at all.
(Photo 8) Cut parts.

Metallics. The manual does state overly reflective items are not recommended and I know from experience shiny things don't scan well but lets see....

(Photos 9 & 10) Didn't recognize
(Photo 11) Red recognition results.

(Photos 12 & 13) Blue page and results.

Synopsis: While the machine may cut metallics it doesn't like these. There is an alternate approach of creating the pattern online at the Mfrs website then loading it in the macine via flash drive. It absolutely loves black and white.

[mbauer]

Excellent! Looks like it does a consistant job of cutting outside lines.

From what you say, I take it the learning curve isn't to steep?! Kinda wonder if it would cut an inside circle ,along with an outside one, creating a ring.

For something I would use it for: Can it cut the outside out but leave little cut tabs, so a designer can sell precut sheets but leave the parts on the sheet, so the buyer would just have to snip the tabs, form the part and start building?

Geez, I'm jealous! And I spent my hard earned money on a used car this week.

Mike

[TheWebdude]

Originally Posted by mbauer

Excellent! Looks like it does a consistant job of cutting outside lines.

From what you say, I take it the learning curve isn't to steep?! Kinda wonder if it would cut an inside circle ,along with an outside one, creating a ring.

For something I would use it for: Can it cut the outside out but leave little cut tabs, so a designer can sell precut sheets but leave the parts on the sheet, so the buyer would just have to snip the tabs, form the part and start building?

Geez, I'm jealous! And I spent my hard earned money on a used car this week.

Mike

I must admit I am immensely pleased so far with my purchase.
There is such a low learning curve that a person should go from opening box to cutting pages in less than 45 minutes.

Everything I've done so far has been with no adjustment on the machine end to determine how well it performs "as is".

I'm going to wrap up my inital review/project sets today but I'll look into your suggestion as well although my instinct would be to say you would have to design in those uncut areas for a pre-cut sheet. I'll look into cutting out rings as well.

(Don't be jealous. I just paid off my truck in January. $6K over 20 months, 0%interest, payroll deduction. Thats a good jealousy candidate and a story for another time and place.)

[Texman]

Rick, looks VERY promising. It seems to work well on pre printed kits, but how would it work cutting out an inkjet printed kit? Have you tried that yet?

[kcorbin]

getting to those interior cut outlines

When you go to print the image you will first add registration marks to the image that the cutting machine will locate to align the image. While the image is open in your image editing program you create layers that don't print out but that will import into the cutting program. On those layers you create outlines for the cutting using the bezier tool.

First you learn about layers and then you learn to master the bezier tool. Here is a Corel advanced tutorial where he is showing how to very carefully outline an image that was imported into the program. On youtube there will be a number of videos for the bezier tool in various programs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn-yXYzPq9I

[TheWebdude]

Originally Posted by Texman

Rick, looks VERY promising. It seems to work well on pre printed kits, but how would it work cutting out an inkjet printed kit? Have you tried that yet?

Everything shown so far I have printed myself on my Epson WorkForce 2660. l have not run a professionally/commercially printed page in the machine yet.

[TheWebdude]

Originally Posted by kcorbin

getting to those interior cut outlines

When you go to print the image you will first add registration marks to the image that the cutting machine will locate to align the image. While the image is open in your image editing program you create layers that don't print out but that will import into the cutting program. On those layers you create outlines for the cutting using the bezier tool.

First you learn about layers and then you learn to master the bezier tool. Here is a Corel advanced tutorial where he is showing how to very carefully outline an image that was imported into the program. On youtube there will be a number of videos for the bezier tool in various programs.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dn-yXYzPq9I

A big plus on this machine is ease of use so respectfully the procedure you described would be a waste of time. If it did anything with printed registration marks it would likely try to cut them out.

I was going to put in the close of the review that scan area is pre-programmed and locked in at 12"x12" and the 12"x24" mat cannot be used for scan and cut function but it applies here as well.

Solutions would be to section off parts that will fit in the 12x12 area and then let the machinr cut (don't recall anything in the manual stating you have to put a full rectangular sheet on the pad and if it sticks to the pad you can scan it.)

Alternatively you can use the online ScanNCut Canvas program to upload an image for conversion to cut data. It's an online version of the machine program but the image I loaded when I tried it had lines finer than the machine recognized and the online version generated cut data for them.

As the only registration point this machine uses is the upper left corner of the mat (Coordinates 0, 0) any image editor with rulers will allow you to ensure your image uploaded is the same size as your entire printed page. I added a few screenshots (partial functionality on a droid but can't upload - emailed Brother about that.) and there is a "remove background" button which if not checked uses the entire image for cut data starting at that upper left corner of the pad. You might want to note the accepted file formats are easily generated by nearly any graphics program, even MSPaint so no specialized or even additioal software required but you do need internet access.

This machine is designed for simplicity and ease of use and is primarily marketed as a fabric cutter geared towards quilters and yes the manual covers creating hems when cutting - a good selling point to a significant other who sews but a dual edged sword in that you might end up using "their" fabric cutter for paper

While in time I'm sure I'll find ways to refine and tune the process the fact is this cutter and all associated programs/items are pretty darned easy to use.