Some thin soft chipboards may cut at a setting of 110, thus try this setting for your test cut. Increase in
increments of 10, as needed. For denser, thicker chipboards, you will probably need to increase the
pressure quite high, use several passes, and cut at a slow speed. The Zing offers 8 very slow speeds which
can be the key to getting a cut that is both clean and precise.
To simulate multi-cut during the testing phase, just repeat the cut using the same origin. The test cut will be
performed in the same spot. Use one of the Test Cut choices or one of your own small shapes, to make
sure a clean cut can be achieved before attempting to cut your larger shape or shapes.
When cutting thicker materials, the blade holder needs to be raised in the blade holder seat to enhance the
downward force. To do this, use the stack of three credit cards (or other similar items of height)
recommended in Section 2.01. You can also cut test rings to slip over the bottom of the blade holder and
used as spacers to lift the blade holder in the blade holder seat, and then note how many rings you needed.
There is a ring file in the Test Cut menu that will cut a ring sized for the Zing blade holder.
Some chipboard will produce a lot of “crumbs” during the cut and this can build up inside the blade holder as
well as build up around the cut lines causing interference with the blade during the second pass. For this
reason, some users will use canned air to blow the crumbs away from the surface between each pass. You
may also need to clean the inside of the blade holder by removing the blade and taking it apart, so that any
small pieces can be removed.
10.03 Vinyl
Vinyl can be cut with very little force. Start your test cut at about 10. For speed, you’ll also want to use 10.
Vinyl has a backing sheet which can serve as the carrier/mat during cutting. The vinyl needs to be at least
12” wide so that both sides will be gripped by the pinch wheels. If you are cutting from vinyl which is
narrower than this or cutting from scraps, then use a cutting mat to hold the vinyl during the cut.
On long cuts, it’s important to have the vinyl aligned straight in the machine. Cut the needed length from the
vinyl roll (adding a few inches for error allowance). Feed the vinyl about half way through the cutter and then
drop the pinch wheels. Use the up and down arrows in the Set Blade Origin window to feed the vinyl in and
out of the Zing, to make sure the vinyl stays aligned.
Set the origin at least 1/2” away from the right side of the vinyl and a little ways in from the front.
While there are many types and thickness of vinyl, in general it is very easy to cut. Thus, start with a
conservative estimate for the force setting in the initial test cut, say 5. Use the red capped blade and start
with barely any blade exposed. Do the test cut and then gently lift the corner of the vinyl from the backing
sheet. Make sure the test cut is a clean cut and the blade did not penetrate the backing paper.
For easier removal of the waste from the backing, add a rectangle around the perimeter of the image you
are cutting. When weeding, you may need to cut away smaller waste sections at a time and discard.
Otherwise, you risk having the waste inadvertently coming into contact with your cut shapes and sticking!
If you store your vinyl in a warm location, the adhesive can be affected and that can then affect the cutting.
Also note that some vinyl colors have a tendency to pull away from the backing sheet more easily than
others. If you notice the vinyl pulling up in corners and tight spots, try slowing the cutting speed.
10.04 Fabric and Felt
It is highly recommend that the Zing Fabric Blade be used when cutting fabric and felt. It is designed to give
sharper cutting in tight corners and points.
It is not necessary to apply a stabilizer to all fabrics. While some thicker or stretchy fabrics will cut better with
an iron-on stabilizer such as Wonder Under or Thermo-Web’s Heat n’ Bond, others will still yield excellent
results when cut without it. Some users also prefer to iron their fabrics to freezer paper before cutting.
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