Graphtec Blade Setting
There are two types of cutting styles, this will determine your blade settings. If you are looking to cut sticker sheets otherwise known as “Kiss cut stickers” you will need to have the blade cutting through the media but not the backing sheet. If you are wanting to have individual stickers, you will need to set your blade up for “Die-cut stickers” where you cut completely through both layers of your sticker media. How can you do this successfully and consistently according to your chosen media’s thickness?
One way, & probably the most used is by eye! Grab the blade holder and adjust so the blade is sticking out a bit less than 1mm. Throw it in the machine & do a test cut. Adjust your force accordingly & retest until you have the desired result.
If you’d like a more precise & mathematical method, then Graphtec has you covered. A loupe (pictured below) is included when you purchase your Cutter. Take your blade holder, place it in the top & look through the viewfinder. As shown in the image, you will see the tip of your blade lined up against a scale. Each line on this scale is 0.1mm (100microns)
If you know your individual media and backing thickness separately, then you can adjust your blade to suit your media and cutting type. You’ll notice that as the blade wears you will need to re-adjust your settings. Likewise, for when you replace the blade, you can easily set your new blade to the same depth each time. As well as seeing how far the blade is protruding, the Loupe’s magnified view allows you to visually assess the condition and sharpness of the blade.
If you can’t find the Loupe, or just adjusting on the fly and want a more precise result than by eye, you can also use the guides on the plunger itself. When looking from above at your blade holder, you will notice a slot on the top. You can turn this part of the plunger to adjust your blade depth. There are 5 scale notches around the plunger. Each of these notches are 0.1mm (100 microns) allowing you to accurately adjust the blade to your desired length.
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