How to Cut Heat Transfer Vinyl Rolls
We cut heat transfer vinyl rolls to the exact width you need. Add your chosen width to the cart and select the corresponding ‘Pickup Options’.
Place your vinyl design on the surface you are applying it to, and smooth it down using a scraper tool. Rub the tape to help it adhere. Slowly peel back the paper backing at a 45-degree angle.
Choosing the Right Vinyl
Creating and printing crafts and designs using vinyl requires a mix of practicality and creative consideration. From adding a monogram to a towel, or jazzing up a cup or a t-shirt, to creating birthday banners and etching glassware, the choice of vinyl can have an enormous impact on the finished product. To ensure the best results, selecting the right vinyl can mean the difference between a smooth crafting journey and a frustrating one.
The teeming online marketplaces abound with brands offering a wide variety of vinyl for both permanent and removable applications. While the prices are competitive, it is crucial to consider a brand’s quality and reputation before making a purchase. Cheaper options may offer inferior materials that deteriorate quickly or cannot be stored for long periods before degrading.
Some popular brands, like TeckWrap, stand out for their variety of colors, designs, and patterns that are available in both permanent and removable adhesive vinyl. They also offer a range of holographic effects and other specialty vinyls. They are an excellent choice for those who want to create unique and eye-catching designs that will effectively communicate their message to customers. Other brands, such as Siser, boast an extensive selection of heat transfer vinyls for use with fabric. While their vinyls are a bit more expensive, they provide high-quality products that will last for a very long time.
Pre-Cutting
The first step in using a vinyl cutter is to pre-cut the material you’re going to use for your project. This is especially important for beginners, since cutting too little or too much can ruin your design and leave you with an ugly mess to clean up. Ideally, you want the blade to cut through the vinyl without cutting through the paper liner backing. This is known in the craft world as a “kiss cut” and will make it easier to apply your design later on.
You can also try changing your cutting settings to increase or decrease the thickness/depth or blade setting if you’re having trouble getting Cutting Vinyl Rolls a clean cut. Finally, double-check your page settings to make sure you’re using the correct paper size for the type of vinyl you’re working with.
Once you have the paper backing removed, place a sheet of transfer tape over the top of your vinyl design. Use a scraper tool to burnish the transfer tape+vinyl together, which will help it stick to your surface and hold on.
Then, just like with a normal cutting mat, load your design into your vinyl cutter and run it! It might take a while to get your cutting settings just right, but most of these machines do a great job of making the process as simple and efficient as possible. For more advanced users, USCutter offers a range of commercial cutters from best-in-class brands such as Roland and Graphtec — these are typically aimed at a full-scale signage business but offer supreme versatility and precision cutting.
Loading the Vinyl
Using vinyl by the roll is great for when you’re making multiple projects at once and for saving money versus buying it by the sheet. Fortunately, the new Cameo 4 cutter makes it even easier to work with rolls since it has a built-in roller that you can use to feed your material through.
Make sure that your roll is centered on the rollers before pressing the load button. This will ensure that your mat is loaded evenly so it will cut straight. If you don’t do this, Cutting Vinyl Rolls Manufacturer your mat could end up being fed into the machine with one side or corner loaded before the other, and then it will come out from under either of the two rollers, which can cause your cutting job to be off.
When you’re ready to start cutting, make sure that your mat is lined up with the guides in the Cameo and that it has the correct materials settings selected (for iron-on vinyl, choose Iron-on from the list of material options). Press the Go button to begin your cut.
When your design is complete, remove it from the mat and apply it to the surface of your project. Smooth out any bubbles and wrinkles, and then use your scraper tool to “burnish” the transfer tape+vinyl combination to help it adhere better to the surface.
Cutting the Vinyl
If you’re using a Silhouette Cameo or another vinyl cutter that takes roll-size materials, you should always start by adjusting your page settings to the correct size of your material. This can be done on the Page Setup screen by clicking the paper icon. If you don’t do this, your CAMEO may not cut the vinyl properly.
Once you’ve adjusted your page settings, it’s time to load the vinyl. Place the vinyl (paper liner side down) onto the blue or green cutting mat, then line up the straight edges of the vinyl with the white printed grid on the mat. Press down firmly, then smooth out any wrinkles or air bubbles with your hands or a scraper.
When you’re ready to make your project, click the green “Make It” button in Cricut Design Space. On the next screen, you’ll see a prompt to Set Base Material. Select “Vinyl” from the list of available options, or click Browse All Materials to access a complete list of material settings. You can also choose a different blade setting (either a fine-point or standard blade) on this screen.
After you’ve made your project, the last step is removing any excess vinyl that isn’t part of your design. This is called weeding, and it’s an important step if you want your final product to look professional. To weed, you can use a Cricut hook, a sharp knife or a pair of tweezers.