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  #1  
Old 08-24-2010, 10:09 PM
soopirV soopirV is offline
"now where did THAT one go??"
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ
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Lightbulb Cricut "hacked" with software?

Hi Gang,
I've mentioned the Cricut Personal cutting machine on another post regarding decals, but another use has sprung to mind, and I'm wondering if anyone with cross-over hobbies in CNC or, um, scrapbooking (hey, it's all good) has experience with a piece of software I just read about called "Make That Cut"?
From what I've gathered, it's a bit of a hack to the Cricut, which typically requires the user to buy and use trademarked "font" cartridges. This software enables the Cricut user to create custom designs, and "print" them to the Cricut cutter. My wife has a Cricut gathering dust in her closet, and while it's very handy to just buy her cartridges for Christmas and what not, I'm tempted to "borrow" it to cut shrouds and boat-tails. It's designed to cut card stock, and has adjustable blade tension and pressure that should enable it to handle even heavier weights (but then of course you run the risk of creasing). What I'm wondering is if anyone has any experience with this "Make THat Cut" software? Ideally we'd be able to carefully lay out the dims, and perhaps even under-size one version slightly and over-size the next, allowing us to laminate two sheets of cardstock shroud together for even greater stability, but I'm not sure if it's that accurate? I'd be happy to be the explorer in this realm, but if it's already been covered I'd like to save myself the hassle...
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  #2  
Old 08-24-2010, 11:00 PM
rkt2k1 rkt2k1 is offline
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Not that familiar with the Cricut cutting machine, but have seen them in Michaels. I found the following link to the "Make the Cut!" software. Looks interesting. It will accept image files. I could see this being used for all sorts of templates (i.e. shrouds, fins, miter tube, etc.)

http://www.make-the-cut.com/
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  #3  
Old 08-24-2010, 11:21 PM
soopirV soopirV is offline
"now where did THAT one go??"
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ
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I'm tinkering with it now- after downloading the free trial of Make That Cut I can confirm that it will, indeed, import PDF and SVG files (along with several others that I'm not familiar with). I installed a free PDF creator found online, and used the basic TemplateWidget that I found through this forum. I created a basic BT-20 to BT-50 transition, printed it to PDF, and imported that file into MTC. It opened fine, and based on the on-screen guides, it appears to be 100% scale. This is the good news.
The bad news is that I'm having a devil of a time getting the software to "print" to the Cricut. I'm diligently working on the issue, but while I wait for the Cricut to update its firmware (again), I realize a few small flaws in my plan:
The Cricut ain't exactly cheap- I bought it for my wife a few years ago, and don't recall the actual price, but it's >$150 I think. The MTC software is "on sale" now for ~$60. Assuming you use a LOT of transitions, and don't currently have access to a Cricut, $210 is a huge outlay for what you can make (albeit with a much less "awesome" quotient) for mere pennies.
The benefits I see that are fueling my quest to make this **** thing work are simple- We have a cricut, it's not being used. I need transitions, and am not happy with the results I'm getting with my X-acto knife. I paid for said cricut, so I should get to use said cricut. QED.
However, when my wife returns from work (as a night shift nurse in a NICU) and asks why her Cricut is out and all her paper is gone, I'm sure I'll have a different answer!! It's been said that the way a man behaves in front of his friends and his wife do not always align...
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  #4  
Old 08-25-2010, 12:17 AM
stickershock23 stickershock23 is offline
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for the price and the time you are spending you can buy a professional cutter and software. then you get customer support tech help and more..

why spend 100's on a machine that is worthless, spend a little more buy one that will work, last and do anything you want. and get better results faster.
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  #5  
Old 08-25-2010, 12:34 AM
soopirV soopirV is offline
"now where did THAT one go??"
 
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: Tucson, AZ
Posts: 187
Default Give up??

Hi Sticker,
You raise some valid points, but to be clear, this isn't a situation in which I bought a machine and am now trying to dig my way out. The machine has lived with us, nearly fruitlessly, for several years. My mission, nay, my QUEST is now to make it do what I want it to do. All this personality aside, you're 100% right- for people interested in the process, after what I've learned, stay the heck away from the Cricut! Turns out that the software I was so hopeful of...well, the parent company has been served with a lawsuit from the maker of Cricut.
The Cricut would be good choice if you should want flowing, floraly and yet discohesive decals cut from either cardstock, or perhaps (untested, no warranties expressed or implied!) Monokote.
I tried this, the most basic application of this POS. Maybe it's me, but I can't get the separate letters to look intentional...even with guidelines.

Cricut shall RIP beneath the heel of my shoe, as do so many of its shop-dwelling breathren...

Now, if, by some miracle, I'm back on here offering custom cut transition sections for small change, please indulge me...that means only one thing: I bought the full version of the software and am trying to recoup some of that investment. Is $0.30 per cut plus postage outrageous? By my numbers I'll have to sell 200 transitions to break even...me thinks my business plan (if I can get the darn thing to work, and that's not including materials) needs polishing!

Perhaps I'd be better served by just going to bed...
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  #6  
Old 08-25-2010, 07:45 AM
foose4string foose4string is offline
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I'm glad you started this thread. I have looked at the Cricut many times when they have gone on sale, wondering if I could put one to good use for rocket building and finishing. I was thinking more in terms of cutting adhesive backed vinyl for decals and not really of paper transitions ...although, that does seem like a useful application.

I knew the thing took special cartridges for frilly designs and was geared toward scrap-booking, but I assumed the thing would allow a person to import custom designs without too much trouble. If the machine, out of the box, only allows cuts from proprietary software and doesn't offer (or allow, for that matter!) any customizing software, then the thing is indeed a POS. Thanks for the enlightenment!
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  #7  
Old 08-25-2010, 07:47 AM
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gpoehlein gpoehlein is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stickershock23
for the price and the time you are spending you can buy a professional cutter and software. then you get customer support tech help and more..

why spend 100's on a machine that is worthless, spend a little more buy one that will work, last and do anything you want. and get better results faster.


Examples?

Greg
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  #8  
Old 08-25-2010, 08:50 AM
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ghrocketman ghrocketman is offline
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It is indeed an expensive POS that only allows for proprietary software cartridges to cut designs without MAJOR hacking.
The dammed thing was over $400 when they first came out and my heavy-into-scrapbooking now ex-wife just HAD to get one right when they came out.
Being the fact that she is technically and mechanically DECLINED she wanted ME to set the POS up when she wanted to use it.
It gets little use and was a major waste of $400 that could have been spent on a nice large-scale Saturn V.
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  #9  
Old 08-25-2010, 09:06 AM
stickershock23 stickershock23 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by foose4string
I'm glad you started this thread. I have looked at the Cricut many times when they have gone on sale, wondering if I could put one to good use for rocket building and finishing. I was thinking more in terms of cutting adhesive backed vinyl for decals and not really of paper transitions ...although, that does seem like a useful application.

I knew the thing took special cartridges for frilly designs and was geared toward scrap-booking, but I assumed the thing would allow a person to import custom designs without too much trouble. If the machine, out of the box, only allows cuts from proprietary software and doesn't offer (or allow, for that matter!) any customizing software, then the thing is indeed a POS. Thanks for the enlightenment!



I see what you're saying. your already stuck with it, it would be nice to be able to use it.

Search for RIP software, there may be some that will drive it. some have generic plotter drivers built in. I can't say that will work but that would be where I started looking.

The problem with the cricut, its semi expensive for what you get. then all the cartridges and supplies are WAY over priced. I guess if you use it at home for crafts it might be ok. but still way overpriced for what it does.

Quote:
Originally Posted by gpoehlein
Examples?

Greg


http://www.uscutter.com/

http://shop.ebay.com/?_from=R40&_tr...-All-Categories

http://www.uscutter.com/USCutter-MH...tter-_p_25.html

Above is a link to professional machine starting at $299.00 yeah a cricit is less than that, not when you add in cartriges for what $89.00 each?
A machine like that will do TONS more and can be driven my WAY better software. you can even run them with AI or Corel if you know what you are doing.

I don;t want to give away to many secrets, job security you know LOL but also check out E-Bay you can find good used ones for CHEAP.

Quote:
Originally Posted by ghrocketman
It is indeed an expensive POS that only allows for proprietary software cartridges to cut designs without MAJOR hacking.
The dammed thing was over $400 when they first came out and my heavy-into-scrapbooking now ex-wife just HAD to get one right when they came out.
Being the fact that she is technically and mechanically DECLINED she wanted ME to set the POS up when she wanted to use it.
It gets little use and was a major waste of $400 that could have been spent on a nice large-scale Saturn V.



I feel for you. thats what cricut does, they sell a POS and package it as the best thing since sliced bread. they aim at the crafter that knows no better. I feel sorry you got sucked into it. once you have it you have to keep spending money on it to make it work.. it's just bad all around.

To anyone thinking about one.. FORGET IT they are not worth the investment.

Like he said buy a saturn v instead LOL

Hope I helped out, if anyone out there has a cricut and need vinyl for it, Contact me, I can sell it to you for WAY less than a craft store wants got it. I have TONS of scraps I hang onto, I would sell for $2.00 a square foot, some even less.
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  #10  
Old 08-25-2010, 09:27 AM
soopirV soopirV is offline
"now where did THAT one go??"
 
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Location: Tucson, AZ
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Quote:
Originally Posted by stickershock23
Hope I helped out, if anyone out there has a cricut and need vinyl for it, Contact me, I can sell it to you for WAY less than a craft store wants got it. I have TONS of scraps I hang onto, I would sell for $2.00 a square foot, some even less.


Since I'm already saddled with one, I may take you up on the offer for the vinyl! I finally got the MTC software to work properly with the Cricut- but the guys at MTC are smart...the demo version cuts anything you want, and then "watermarks it" by slicing the entire piece in half on the diagonal . Trying to decide if I go deeper down the road of Cricut by shelling out the $60 clams to make the MTC software official I've come this far, but that's a lot of reloads...

Perhaps if I yank the plug on the cutter after the piece is cut before the software destroys it??
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