Silhouette Cameo
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They were using it on thin styrene .010, .015, .020 with decent results. Using it to scribe in detail works very well, and it cuts well enough for them to "snap" out the cut parts. They were able to scribe house siding and brick patterns with a fair amount of success. Also, the builders were saying that being able to duplicate cuts and make really square ones was working well. It has its limitations though, to be sure.
If anyone is interested, the thread I was reading can be found here. Don't be put off by the first couple of pages which show poor results. As they experimented more with the machine, they got better and better results. Also, the Silhouette SD they are talking about is the predecessor to the newer Silhouette Cameo machine out now.
If anyone is interested, the thread I was reading can be found here. Don't be put off by the first couple of pages which show poor results. As they experimented more with the machine, they got better and better results. Also, the Silhouette SD they are talking about is the predecessor to the newer Silhouette Cameo machine out now.
Unlike the Cricut, the Silhouette machines include vector drawing software which allows you to create any shape you want. You can also control the depth of the cut and the amount of force used.
That sounds...interesting.
As in perfect for people making model buildings.
Or even plastic detailing on a costume piece like rank tabs or unit badges or the like.
Seriously. Imagine being able to do with sheet plastic what can be done with photoetch brass. If you can draw it you can make it. Hmmmm.
Keep us posted, please!
Since one of the things it definitely will do is adhesive vinyl, one would think this would be possible.
The photo below shows the results of a styrene cutting test using a Silhouette Cameo die cutter. The TOS insignia was entered into the Silhouette Studio software as a font character from the Star Trek Font Pack (remember that?). Since the character is a vector, I didn't have to do anything to it to get the cuts the way I wanted.
After a couple of test cuts using 65 lb card stock, I tested cutting .010, .015, and .020 styrene. I fooled around with the settings a bit and got pretty good results in all three thicknesses. The machine cut completely through the .010 and .015 styrene (though it did require the use of the "cut twice" option) and scored the .020 enough that I was able to "snap" the pieces out fairly easily. I would be hesitant to stick anything thicker than .020 into the machine. My guess would be that you'd get scribed lines that would be useful for guiding you in finishing the cut with a knife, but probably nothing more than that. (That, in itself, could be useful though.)
The largest piece shown below (the outline) is roughly 1.5" tall.
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Due to the small size and delicate nature of the "star" in the center, snapping it out of the .020 styrene was a little bit challenging. A couple of swipes with a knife along the lower legs, however, and it came right out. I would imagine that snapping out something with mostly straight sides would be a cinch.
The edges of the cuts showed much less piling up of excess styrene around the cuts than I expected (maybe because the blade is brand new). On the .015 cut it is almost non-existent and on the .020 I think it would be trivial to remove.
While my goal was to actually cut out a shape, I can see how this machine would be very useful for someone wanting to add detail onto a piece of styrene without cutting all the way through it.
I chose this shape because the curves are complex, I could control the size, and it had a couple of different shapes embedded inside of each other. The curves that were cut are absolutely perfect--beautiful.
My total experience with this machine is less than an hour but I can say this: I could never have made those complex cuts by hand without distorting the original shapes.
After a couple of test cuts using 65 lb card stock, I tested cutting .010, .015, and .020 styrene. I fooled around with the settings a bit and got pretty good results in all three thicknesses. The machine cut completely through the .010 and .015 styrene (though it did require the use of the "cut twice" option) and scored the .020 enough that I was able to "snap" the pieces out fairly easily. I would be hesitant to stick anything thicker than .020 into the machine. My guess would be that you'd get scribed lines that would be useful for guiding you in finishing the cut with a knife, but probably nothing more than that. (That, in itself, could be useful though.)
The largest piece shown below (the outline) is roughly 1.5" tall.
Due to the small size and delicate nature of the "star" in the center, snapping it out of the .020 styrene was a little bit challenging. A couple of swipes with a knife along the lower legs, however, and it came right out. I would imagine that snapping out something with mostly straight sides would be a cinch.
The edges of the cuts showed much less piling up of excess styrene around the cuts than I expected (maybe because the blade is brand new). On the .015 cut it is almost non-existent and on the .020 I think it would be trivial to remove.
While my goal was to actually cut out a shape, I can see how this machine would be very useful for someone wanting to add detail onto a piece of styrene without cutting all the way through it.
I chose this shape because the curves are complex, I could control the size, and it had a couple of different shapes embedded inside of each other. The curves that were cut are absolutely perfect--beautiful.
My total experience with this machine is less than an hour but I can say this: I could never have made those complex cuts by hand without distorting the original shapes.
THAT is really impressive! I could easily see that as something glued onto a base to create a cast or etched effect, even laminate several together to get a more bold effect.
Wow I just had the most crazy idea in the universe. Take the decals for the 1/1000 Enterprise, cut the names/numbers and StarFleet pennant out of plastic and glue them to the kit, and paint them. That could be....hm. hm. The effect of having those marking appear embossed..hm. well, maybe not but it seems it might be very dynamic and visually interesting.
OTOH cutting detail panels for a Klingon D-7 would be a snap now. easy to replicate and duplicate shapes.
Wow I just had the most crazy idea in the universe. Take the decals for the 1/1000 Enterprise, cut the names/numbers and StarFleet pennant out of plastic and glue them to the kit, and paint them. That could be....hm. hm. The effect of having those marking appear embossed..hm. well, maybe not but it seems it might be very dynamic and visually interesting.
OTOH cutting detail panels for a Klingon D-7 would be a snap now. easy to replicate and duplicate shapes.
I've been creating some pieces with the Silhouette Cameo for a kitbash I'm currently working on. I needed some round pieces and the SC created several perfect "donut" shapes for me. I was working with .020 styrene sheet and while the SC didn't cut all the way through, it cut deep enough that it was a simple matter to snap the pieces out of the larger sheet. I love that I can make identical pieces and circles so easily!
In the photo below is a piece made of two donuts glued together. The second was made with the same size center hole but a smaller outer diameter to create a "lip" on the piece. I cut the smaller donut and then, without removing the styrene from the machine, I modified the drawing, removing the two circles that defined the donut shape and adding two smaller concentric rings. I then used the line tool to add some lines going between the two rings. Before sending it to the cutter, I set the blade to only half as deep as I do when I cut styrene. My intent was to "scribe" the lines in and the result was the added surface detail shown below. (This piece got a coat of Tamiya spray primer and then a coat of Tamiya spray paint which did not diminish the scribed lines at all.)
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I'm not sure, however, if I would call these lines "scribed" as much as "ploughed". As the photo below shows (taken in macro mode), the cuts pushed up material on either side of the cut. This isn't unusual when cutting styrene, or even unexpected. These furrows give the detail a slightly raised appearance and can be felt if you run your fingers over them. Note in the picture above, however, that these are pretty darn small furrows.
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I actually like how these came out, though I'm sure it would be a problem on some projects. In that case though, I wonder if this would still be useful as a guide to where to run your scribing tool?
In the photo below is a piece made of two donuts glued together. The second was made with the same size center hole but a smaller outer diameter to create a "lip" on the piece. I cut the smaller donut and then, without removing the styrene from the machine, I modified the drawing, removing the two circles that defined the donut shape and adding two smaller concentric rings. I then used the line tool to add some lines going between the two rings. Before sending it to the cutter, I set the blade to only half as deep as I do when I cut styrene. My intent was to "scribe" the lines in and the result was the added surface detail shown below. (This piece got a coat of Tamiya spray primer and then a coat of Tamiya spray paint which did not diminish the scribed lines at all.)
I'm not sure, however, if I would call these lines "scribed" as much as "ploughed". As the photo below shows (taken in macro mode), the cuts pushed up material on either side of the cut. This isn't unusual when cutting styrene, or even unexpected. These furrows give the detail a slightly raised appearance and can be felt if you run your fingers over them. Note in the picture above, however, that these are pretty darn small furrows.
I actually like how these came out, though I'm sure it would be a problem on some projects. In that case though, I wonder if this would still be useful as a guide to where to run your scribing tool?
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This is a really interesting thread and I can see the potential to do a lot of good things with this machine. I looked around and it seems like the upfront cost is fairly steep for the every day hobbyist but that could easily be offset if you could maybe make custom pieces for hire. I'm curious about the blade life and cost for replacement blades? Does the manufacturer state any limits for what specific types of materials the machine can handle?
Thanks for posting this I'll be watching to see how you progress. I hope it works out.
Regards,
MattL
Thanks for posting this I'll be watching to see how you progress. I hope it works out.
Regards,
MattL
As to the 'plowed' effect of the scribing, I think it's only an issue depending on the scale of the finished model. If one were using this for a 1/1 scale prop or costume detail I don't think there's an issue at all.
The ability to run multiples of an item seems a really good thing for someone making surface detail from sheet plastic, such as armoring up a Klingon D-7.
To quote the bad guy from Robocop: "IIiiii LIKE IT!"
The ability to run multiples of an item seems a really good thing for someone making surface detail from sheet plastic, such as armoring up a Klingon D-7.
To quote the bad guy from Robocop: "IIiiii LIKE IT!"
No idea on blade life, but I'm sure whatever they say it is I am not going to get it cutting styrene instead of paper and cardstock. :tongue:
A replacement blade costs around $12.
The blade is TINY, as the two photos below show. The blade can be set to 10 different depths. In this photo it is set at 10, the deepest depth, or roughly 1mm.
Not that I can find. However, it does list these materials in the manual:
"Thin materials such as vinyl and smooth heat transfer material. Medium-weight materials such as paper, cardstock and flocked heat transfer material. Thicker materials such as textured cardstock and pattern papers. Thick materials such as canvas."
I don't know what they mean here by canvas...probably art supply canvas of some kind.
Agreed. And, for a project of that type, the .010 and .015 thick styrene which this machine easily cuts would likely be perfectly suitable.
By the way, the drawing studio/cutting software is free to download here if you want to take a look at it. It is available for Windows XP/Vista/7 or Mac OS X 10.5.8 and higher (Intel only).
The product manual is available in pdf form here.
http://silhouetteamerica.com/support/programs/silhouette_studio_V2.5.0.exe
The product manual is available in pdf form here.
http://silhouetteamerica.com/support/programs/silhouette_studio_V2.5.0.exe
Wait, what?!
There's nothing in this that, conceptually, should require an Intel chipped Mac!
arrggghhh. Top of the line G5 with the dual core PPC processors and I'm shut out.
Oh, there's probably a workaround, and I'm far, far away from being able to buy the machine, and my drawing skills are for crap, but that doesn't change my internet nerd rage!
While the Silhouette Cameo is limited in its usefulness due to its inability to cut through thick styrene, what it can do, it does very well--and that is mainly precision cuts in thinner styrene.
Below is a photo of a cut I made into .010 styrene in order to make a part that would have small, recessed panels in it. First, I drew up two identical strips. Then I modified one by putting a series of square panels (3/8" square) along its length. Here's the sheet of styrene fresh out of the cutter.
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The shot below better shows the precision cuts made by the machine. The strip with the holes cut in it will be glued to the identically sized solid strip resulting in a piece with subtle recessed paneling.
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The question of blade life was raised earlier. Well, it isn't going to be great cutting through styrene, let me tell you. When I first got this machine, the blade would have cut completely through this .010. In this case it cut almost completely through. It was a trivial matter to pop out the pieces, but it does show that a week of cutting mainly .020 styrene has taken a toll on the blade. My styrene blade doesn't get used except on styrene. I have a 2nd blade that I use for paper, cardstock, vinyl, etc.
Below is a photo of a cut I made into .010 styrene in order to make a part that would have small, recessed panels in it. First, I drew up two identical strips. Then I modified one by putting a series of square panels (3/8" square) along its length. Here's the sheet of styrene fresh out of the cutter.
The shot below better shows the precision cuts made by the machine. The strip with the holes cut in it will be glued to the identically sized solid strip resulting in a piece with subtle recessed paneling.
The question of blade life was raised earlier. Well, it isn't going to be great cutting through styrene, let me tell you. When I first got this machine, the blade would have cut completely through this .010. In this case it cut almost completely through. It was a trivial matter to pop out the pieces, but it does show that a week of cutting mainly .020 styrene has taken a toll on the blade. My styrene blade doesn't get used except on styrene. I have a 2nd blade that I use for paper, cardstock, vinyl, etc.
See post #14 for a picture of the blade and cost.Awesome stuff. So much potential!
So, how expensive are replacement blades? I assume they're not smart enough to just use easily swappable X-Acto no.11s in a special mount or anything easy and cheap like that.
I ran across a site the other day for someone who is selling an adapter that they say will allow you to use cheaper blades, but I didn't have time to investigate it thoroughly.
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