silhouette help please?

Does it have a calibration feature? I just opened my silhouette box, but I know my old cutter had a calibration that I had to do when it was off like that.

 

I have the same problem and have yet to spend the time to figure it out. If you/when you find the calibration info, can you link a girl up here????

 

http://www.silhouetteamerica.com/pr...e-for-proper-print-cut-registration-alignment

 

I was having the same issue using print ant cut. Trista mentioned the lighting when it was reading the registration marks and making sure there was enough light. I have a lamp above my Silhouette and turn it on and it helped plus making sure it was lined up well on the mat.

 

I was going to suggest 1) turning off and unplugging from the wall, 2) lots of light and 3) making sure the registration marks have printed correctly - these can be adjusted to be bigger or smaller, etc. Hope it works out as it's such a waste.

 

I've found that when it starts out right and then is off at the bottom, it's usually fixed by going into the registration marks settings and increasing the thickness and length.

 

I just opened my silhouette today and OMG am I ever confused with this whole thing. I cannot believe there is not a better more in depth instruction manual then what it comes with. I was finally able to print and cut today some Planner items but I do not understand the tracing and registration stuff at all!!! For example I was cutting a square out but it had white stripes and brown stripes so the white appears blank ya know? It keeps cutting out the white lines and around the brown...I don't know how to explain it. I will try to share the free file I found online later so you can see what I am explaining. I was so frustrated trying to get it to cut out the actual square and not the lines I finally gave up after wasting three papers. I am fascinated though by all the things I look forward to doing when I figure it out!

 

@DixieDoesPSP Well, luckily for you! @WendyBird is a Silhouette Master!
But, from playing with mine yesterday, I'm betting you have to make the cut outline go around the thing like one piece instead of cutting each individual piece. And I bet that makes no sense!

 

If it's a square, you can use the shape tool to make the square yourself and avoid tracing altogether. For a one-off, this is probably the easiest option.

Otherwise... now you know why TLP designers include all black versions for tracing, and why that one is free. You could pull it into PS/PSE first and create an all black version.

 

@DixieDoesPSP the trace feature for PNC is very fickle. I always create a solid black version in Photoshop (if it's not already included) of what I want to cut. 9 times out of 10 its just faster that way.

 

Agreed - if it's a square or circle, it's easier to use the shape tool and your cut will be cleaner.

If you do need to trace, turn the High Pass Filter off and increase the threshold until the whole shape is yellow (usually around 98%). I usually turn the scale down to about 4 too.

 

There's a broken picture and it's an old software version, but this might help.
http://www.wendybirddesigns.net/silhouette-tutorial-print-and-cut/

Definitely time to update the tutorial!
(this was way back before I had a nice craft room and I was working on the floor too! )

 

I hear you @DixieDoesPSP, I got one for Christmas and was in awe how little there was in the "instruction manual". Forever I wondered why people said they never used theirs, and now I know why. I'm dead set a and determined to learn this thing inside and out though.

 

That is exactly what mine is doing.

 

Did you try the suggestions here? Are you getting anywhere?

 

Hi, i had the same pb with my portrait at the beginning. I wasn't using the good button to load the mat. i had to push the button with the grid... Did you fix your pb?

 

Nope have gotten no where and Im so frustrated Im about to give up. The paper is way to expensive and I have had to have my ink cartridges refilled 3 times already and havent made a thing!! I promise you I have tried LOL