• If the cardstock has spots that didn’t completely cut:
Try increasing the cutting Force and verify the material is well adhered to the mat. Also, some
cardstock brands require two passes, so reduce the cutting Force and set Multi-cut to 2.
To rescue a shape that is mostly cut, flip the entire sheet over and use sandpaper to sand the spots
where the cuts didn’t complete. You should be able to sand down to where the blade did cut in those
spots and your design will then release from the waste. This is the best way to maintain smooth outer
edges on a cut that didn’t quite complete.
5.02 Adhesive Vinyl Tips
• There are many kinds of vinyl available. It’s a very easy material to cut and has many applications. This
section will provide you some tips for cutting adhesive vinyl. For iron-on or heat transfer vinyl (aka HTV),
refer to Section 5.03.
Preparing the Design
• For easier weeding of the waste from the backing sheet, add some weeding lines.
For smaller projects. just add a single rectangle around the perimeter of the shape(s) you are cutting.
Select everything and apply Object>Merge. This will then ensure that the interior shapes are cut first,
with the outside rectangle cutting last.
For larger projects or those with a lot of small shapes like text, add some weeding lines between rows or
columns. The lines do not need to be vertical and horizontal; angled lines can also be used. Refer to
Section 8.06 of the StarCraft CREATE User Manual.
• If the vinyl design is to be applied to the inside of a window so that the main viewing will be from the other
side, you’ll need to mirror the design. Refer to Section 2.07.1. Note that your design can be mirrored either
horizontally or vertically.
Cutting
• Vinyl has a backing sheet which can serve as the carrier/mat during cutting if you wish to cut without a mat.
The vinyl needs to be at least 4 inches wide so that both sides can be gripped by pinch rollers. If you are
cutting from vinyl which is narrower than this or cutting from smaller sizes, then use a cutting mat to hold the
vinyl during the cut.
• While there are many types and thickness of vinyl, in general it is very easy to cut. Do the Test cut and then
gently lift the cut off the backing sheet. Make sure the test cut is a clean cut and the blade did not penetrate
the backing paper.
• The settings required for any particular type of vinyl can vary based solely on the color. Thus, do not
assume when switching from one color to another of the exact same type, that the same settings will apply.
Always do a Test cut.
• On long cuts, it’s important to have the vinyl aligned straight in the cutter. While you “think” you have it
aligned, most likely it’s not. The result of having vinyl at a slight angle is similar to trying to reroll excess
giftwrap paper or aluminum foil. The longer the material, the more askew it is.
Solution: Estimate the needed length of vinyl from the vinyl roll. Then, with about half of that vinyl fed
into the cutter, drop the pinch wheels. Use the up and down arrows on the control panel to feed the vinyl
forward and back for most of the length of the project, to make sure the vinyl stays aligned. Adjust the
vinyl as needed.
• 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.
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