Cricut cutting issues - HELP!!!!

[SwartJ]

Hello,

I am losing the will with my Cricut machine so posting on this forum is my last hope (and my Cricut's saving grace!)

I am trying to cut what I would think is a very simple design but for whatever reason my Cricut will just NOT cut to the measurements specified and every single cut is DIFFERENT!!!!

PLEASE can someone help me out because it could be a very simple change I need to make or it could highlight that my Cricut is 'faulty'.

I have attached the 2 .svg files I am trying (desperately) to cut. I have drawn up my designs in Inkscape.

File - Inkscape invitation base:

This is meant to be 29cm x 12cm with scored lines to make the size fold inwards like 'flaps'.

First issue: it doesn't cut this file to the correct measurements
Second issue: some scoring lines cut right through and others are perfect
3rd issue: when I fold the 2 sides inwards, they don't meet in the middle
4th issue: once the 2 sides are folded in, the 4 corners are not all the same
5th issue: the points of the 2 sides are not a sharp triangle point but a half-hearted (and never the same) rounded point

File - Inkscape invitation top:

This is meant to be 14.5cm x 12 cm and is meant to fit into the centre of the Inkscape invitation base.

First issue: this BASIC rectangle shape DOES NOT cut to it's measurements!!!!!

What am I doing wrong with these designs?? Why does SCAL not cut these to exact measurements??

I wasted LOADS of paper and worked well past midnight last night trying to get these 2 'simple' designs to cut perfectly.

These are for wedding invitations therefore need to be PERFECT.

If anyone can help me I would really really appreciate it. Let me know if you don't understand anything or need more information.

Thank you in advance

Jaime
*a very annoyed and frustrated SCAL/Cricut user*

[pastda3]

Grr....I just lost a whole post. Okay, I'm not that good at explaining but I brought your files into SCAL (in inches) and the base was 11.406 w in SCAL and 11.417 in Ink. The height was the same). Do you have your SVG DPI set for Ink under preferences? One time for some reason mine changed to Adobe and my scales were way off. Just a thought. If that doesn't help, maybe someone with the right answer will come along and help you out. Good luck.

Invitation.jpg (58.32 KiB) Viewed 6712 times

[missiethegal]

could some of these problems be due to the Cricut Creep? (the further from the origin you cut, the less accurate it becomes)

[firstcut]

I am away from my machine to try this, but most likely this is not a SCAL problem. Even from cartridges, the Cricut is not very accurate with dimensions and it can't cut very square corners. A worn or uneven mat can cause some lines to cut through and others to score.
One thing that might help is to use the calibration function in SCAL (do a search for recent threads on this) as that should help some with the dimensions at least. But for perfect dimensions on a Cricut you will probably have to use trial and error.

[DogCarbon]

The top layer file...

The rectangle was still a rectangle, and needed to be changed into nodes.... but first I changed the rectangle fill to a color and deleted the stroke, that way I can really see the size of the object. Then I did Path/Object to Path. And the size of the rectangle was exactly 14.5 x 12. then in SCAL, make sure under preferences you have the inkscape box checked.

The base layer file....

First let's talk about the base, then I will discuss the score lines. There is a duplicate of the base, so I deleted one of those. Then I changed the fill to a color and deleted the stroke width... the nodes are based on the middle of the stroke width, so the dimensions I was left with were 28.972 and 11.972. I changed those to 29 and 12 to be your size.

Then I added a layer for the score lines, so you can turn those on and off (I like to cut those at a lighter pressure).
The length of the score lines were 12.028... I adjusted to 12.000. Then I found the alignement was not in the center of the base shape, so I aligned the dash lines.
the dashed lines are just two nodes, there needs to be nodes around all the littel rectangles. So you need to do a Path/ Stroke to Path.

In my personal preference, I would make the score lines longer, thereby reducing the nodes and reducing the amount of cutting time needed. In the attached file, the nodes for each score line went form 229-ish to 72... so I just reduced the cutting time by over half (almost 70% really!)

Hope this helps! I know how frustrating it can be.... Any other questions, feel free to ask!

[susibi]

As it's quite a basic design you could create it directly in SCAL using the drawing tools and basic shapes and make it the size you want.
When I take my designs from Inkscape to SCAL I first make a note of the measurements in Inkscape then check and adjust them in SCAL, I never trust importing 'as is' there's always some tiny thing that gets lost in translation so to speak!. So far I've not had problems; Cricut isn't known for cutting perfectly but these are basic shapes and as such should be OK.
I don't trust scoring in Cricut - just some 2mm cuts along the creases to define the scoring areas then score by hand.

[sstehman]

You are all amazing wih your troubleshooting and your detailed explanations. I am soooo impressed. Wasn't even my post, but learned so much from your methods. Thank you.

[SwartJ]

Thank you everyone for your help and suggestions. DogCarbon thank you so very much for your detailed explanation, tips and files. I will attempt to cut these and let everyone know how I got on.

[DogCarbon]

oh, good to see you back!

I hope it works for you! Any questions, please feel free to ask!