The width of cuts should not be smaller than the diameter of a pencil. Happy Crafting! Some users have also successfully cut balsa wood using the Cricut Explore and the Deep Cut Blade.
Please note that your knife blade will need to be calibrated before the first use. First of all, the knife blade only works on your computer. Follow along as I know that you will learn a new skill and have a ton of fun doing it! Copyright 2022 Moms and Crafters | Bamboo on Trellis Framework by Mediavine. Upload your file to design space and ungroup the images. ).
document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hi! 5. Make sure to really press the tape down so your wood does not slide. I like to use a brayer for this. Basswood, on the other hand, is not as prone to warping and is denser and more durable than balsa. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I'm Cori and I'm so glad you've decided to stop by and make stuff with me! If you purchase something through any link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. When finished your bookmark will look like this. You will want to push the white wheels all the way over to the right.
They can both cut, write, and score 100 popular craft materials (vinyl, paper, etc. I have found patterns for making the barns out of wood. You can , Enjoy this playroom sign Cricut tutorial perfect for basement playrooms! Balsa, surprisingly, is a hardwood. Balsa is the less expensive of the two and can be found easily in craft and hobby stores.
How precise are the cuts? Be sure to put the best side of the wood face down. You can unsubscribe anytime. Here are the warnings Design Space gave me just before starting to cut my project.
1/32 When youre cutting wood on the Cricut, your first project or five should be very simple, until you get the hang of things.
Both also use the Cricut Design Space as the vehicle to upload and create projects. Its apparently strong for its weightbut its not really all that strong at all.
If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. You will need to change the words and rose to the pen setting. All Rights Reserved. I really want to master it, so any guidance is very much appreciated! Basswood tends to be stronger. You cant normally just print on wood. This post shares my ultimate guide to using the Cricut Makers Knife Blade to cut wood. Thats the machine I have. Using a new blade and it just wont cut all the through. Remember the side against your mat is the good side! Mirror images when cutting so that if you end up with any uh-oh spots, you can just flip the cut wood over. These tools are available only on the Cricut Maker. Use a brayer to really press your balsa wood into the mats adhesive. Do not leave the machine while it is cutting. This project was made using basswood, but either one goes for it. There are a ton of free cut file, image, and font resources out there.
If you find an area needs to be cut more and cant be delicately separately with a small hand-held tool, simply click the Go button in Design Space to begin another pass. And youre done!
This post and the photos within it may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. My blog is full of things to help you create a life you love: easy crafts, fun printables, SVG files for cutting on your Cricut, DIY home and decor ideas, and so much more. At the end of your cut, before you remove your mat, double check that its cut all the way through. So lets get started! Be sure to remove that before putting in your machine. Hi! We won't send you spam. Balsa has a high strength-to-weight ratio and can be bent by soaking it in water and then holding it in place as it dries. So choose your most needed features! Often when you search for balsa wood, youll get other results like basswood, chipboard, and plywood, so double check the listing before you buy. Id love to have you, andI promise I dont send too many emails , function ml_webform_success_4037224(){var r=ml_jQuery||jQuery;r(".ml-subscribe-form-4037224 .row-success").show(),r(".ml-subscribe-form-4037224 .row-form").hide()}, Copyright 2022 Let's Craft Instead | Trellis Framework by Mediavine, The Ultimate Guide to Using the Cricut Makers Knife Blade to Cut Wood, how to cut chipboard with a Cricut machine, Craft Foam in thicknesses of 1.5mm, 2mm, and 3mm, Min: 0.75 x 0.75 (includes interior and exterior cuts), Width of cuts should not be smaller than the diameter of a pencil (aka .75), Make sure all cuts are at least .25 away from the edge of the wood (the blade will probably be damaged if it crosses the edge of the wood), Smaller, more intricate images may not cut wellshoot for only moderately complex cuts and monitor the cutting process. While cutting, if pieces start to pop out of your project, you can remove the smaller pieces. (We now even have the next gen, the Maker 3, which is insanely awesome, by the way. You also dont want to damage your material using a tape that is too strong. Before we talk about using the Cricut Knife Blade to cut wood, I want to cover everything you need to know about the blade. There are a few things you need to know when Crciut wood cutting, however.
Unsubscribe at any time. You can see that it reminds you of all the things Ive outlined in this post. Get ready to fire up the grill and get Read More, Who's lovin' summer? You could read my Cricut Maker 3 review here. Then again, your project is going to be very delicate, so maybe its best that its hard to find larger sheets. Click here to view our privacy policy. If youre looking to cut wood,basswoodis absolutely better in my opinion, unless youre specifically making models or something that needs to be really lightweight. She loves to collect barns for them. If this still doesnt work check out Cricuts help pages for chipboard here: I use them for large model airplane wings. Removing the mat will cancel the project, and you wont be able to do any additional cut passes if you need to.
Keep reading as we have step by step instructions below as well. For over a decade, I have been sharing Cricut tutorials and craft ideas here as well as on my YouTube channel. This is all by design so dont worry! Thanks for the info but I was wondering how thick the wood needs to be? You can do other things in the area, but keep half an eye. If youre wondering what you need the Cricut Knife Blade for, heres a list.
Clear the debris (I like canned compressed air for this purpose) and hit the go button again to restart where the machine left off.
DIY Rainbow Keychains a Fun Party Favor!
Sometimes the defects with the grain in non-Cricut balsa and basswood can make the blade jump. But I do think it would be possible! I'd love to have you, andI promise I don't send too many emails ;). I think the housing is different. Now we need to set the tools in your maker. Crafts, home decor, recipes, and so much more! You can try these retailers, or even a local model shop for balsa wood: As with all Knife Blade projects, be aware of the10 things you need to know.
1/16 Want to know how to cut other materials with your Cricut?
Because of all of these reasons, you cant use fast mode cutting with using the knife blade. Want to learn how to do a fat offset like this? If its your first time moving your star wheels, you might have to use a bit of pressure. If small pieces start to come up but you want to continue cutting the design, you can pause the machine and remove those pieces. You will need the knife blade to cut wood with your Maker. Happy crafting yall and be sure to give Cricut wood cutting a try! Im going to walk you through those steps now to help ensure your first project is a success! Unsubscribe at any time. Press the Go button to begin. This process is essential because it teaches your Cricut Maker that the knife blade housing is now attached to the machineit needs to know how to use whats attached to it. Unsubscribe at any time. After you are finished coloring it, add a tassel to complete! So, use this as your guide to starting cutting wood with Cricut.
If the material bows at all, place it on the mat in the position that ensures the curved areas go down toward the mat. But the Cricut Maker has some significant differencesdare I say horsepower?that really take things to the next level. Amazon, the Amazon logo, MYHABIT, and the MYHABIT logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc or its affiliates. This project took about 20ish minutes and about 14 passes to cut out.
You dont want to use the long piece sticking off the end of your mat the weight of the balsa wood will cause the smaller pieces of your project to pop out and potentially jam your project. Heres why these wood bookmarks are so cool: This makes a fantastic library project, handout, or even teacher gift! Check to ensure all cuts are good to go and that you dont need to run the material through for more passes.
And with that, I want to jump in to everything you need to know about using the Cricut Knife Blade to cut wood. . Try the a custom setting using the Deep Cut Blade, a pressure of 220 and multi-cut of 4x, then adjust from there. 6. More to cut through = the need for a knife. They both also have Bluetooth technology, which I lovefewer wires! I keep larger pieces in the machine, howeverremoving them can cause your material to shift slightly, and even the slightest shift can ruin your project. Yes, the Cricut Maker can cut wood and it opens up a whole new world of crafting possibilities. If you love this, you , Make an Uncle Sam craft from paper and turn it into a fun puppet 4th of July craft for kids! Speaking of tools, there are a few tools I want to highlight in addition to the Cricut Knife Blade. Youll want to be around somewhat supervising.
Please help! Tip: you can use this SVG with any material, such as cardstock, and even with leather + vinyl!
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By: Angie Holden|Published: December 20, 2019|Updated: January 19, 2021| 2 Comments. It opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for home crafters like me. It should work well, though! Balsa wood is hard to find, particularly in sheet sizes that are good for the Cricut. Im having some problems with cutting cricut chipboard. Balsa wood is quite expensive compared to basswood, and its harder to find larger pieces. To check the cut, hit the pause button on the machine itself. Thanks for sharing.
To ensure you provide proper clearance for the thicker material, move the star wheels (the small white rings) on the Makers roller bar all the way to the right. Here are the types as well as a little detail on each: I will note that the sizes in your craft store will be really odd. Now that you know a bit about using the Cricut Knife Blade to cut wood, there are three steps you need to take if this is the first time youre using it on your Maker. It does the thinking for you. Its time for another Knife Blade tutorial! (Dont worry, using a strong-grip mat and a tip in the next step helps keep your materials in place without the star wheels.) If you check and the material is not cut through, just touch the C on your machine to continue the cut. Speaking of uploading, the Explore Air 2 and the Maker both give you the flexibility to upload your own designs. You can also use this C to do additional passes once the cut is complete if your material is still not cut through. Then, as extra insurance, you will also want to add some tape to the edges to make sure it doesnt move. Important: Some of my old free printable forms are broken. I suggest using fine tip markers to color on because some of the lines will be small. One of the biggest breakthroughs when the Cricut Maker first came out was the knife blade, and its ability to cut through much more substantial materials. Your email address will not be published. It also shares a bit about the Cricut Maker, what else the knife blade can cut, and the differences between using different types of wood on your Cricut.
For overviews of different Cricut materials, check out my post on how to cut chipboard with a Cricut machine, tips for working with holographic mosaic vinyl, and how to cut leather on a Cricut machine to make a hair bow! Peel up the mat from the wood slowly and watch for any breakage. Cricut Design Space will give you the option to do one more pass if needed. This project gets some play, with kids (or adults) coloring it. You can paint or stain balsa wood anyway youd like! The Makers Adaptive Tool System is a professional cutting technology that isnt available on other machines. Also, the wood itself can only be 11 inches wide. These guidelines on how you should size your cuts come directly from Cricut. I always try to cut down material before cutting to minimize waste.
I am covering everything below including blades, mats, and tips and tricks for success. Make sense?
If the blade gets stuck, the machine will stop and an error will come up on the screen. Once it was done, I got this screen on Design Space, which asked me to make sure my cuts were good before unloading the mat. However, since its a bookmark, thats a win for balsa wood.
The wood sold by Cricut is sized perfectly for their machines. Find more things to make with Cricut here. For more details, review our Privacy Policy. Thats why this Cricut wood bookmark is the perfect option for getting it started. thanks!
We also have guides for acrylic and metal! Make sure cuts have gone all the way through the wood. My maker is not letting me select the basa setting what setting should I cut on I have the knife blade in. Or, contour, and leave out the circle. We won't send you spam. You can cut way too deep and cut through your mat!
And more flexibility with where I can set up to work on a project if my desk feels crowded.
It lifted with ease, so I took a gamble and assumed the rest of the project was good. The material starts to lift with just the first pass and then by the 2nd or 3rd pass the blade is constantly getting stuck and I just end up cancelling the project. (Note that basswood can also bend, and you dont have to soak it in water.). You may have to repeat this several times in the same area before the cut will continue. 1. Here are a few other tips for preparing your material and mat: If its your first time cutting with your Cricut Knife Blade, you must calibrate the blade. amzn_assoc_title = "Shop Related Products";
You can cut with the Maker until all cuts are completely cut through. The cuts are very precise. Balsa wood can be a tricky materialheres how to get the best results.
Just watch below. The machine will first draw the design on and then it will cut the bookmark. We will talk about moving them a little further down in the post. If this does happen, do not remove your project from your machine! You have successfully joined our subscriber list. As you can see below, I add it in the corners as well as the center of each side. Once you start the cut in design space, the machine will do one pass then calculate the length of time. Here are a few to get you started: So, now the only question remaining is what will you make when cutting wood with your Cricut? There was an error submitting your subscription.
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Once all passes are done, do NOT immediately remove the mat from your machine. The Cricut Maker cuts balsa wood quite well, and its by far the fastest of the Knife Blade materials that Ive cut. Hit the C to start the cut again then hit the pause to stop the machine. It is not compatible with the Design Space app. Learn how to make acrylic keychains , Learn how to make a magic leather braid bracelet one of those jewelry crafts that you wont be able to get enough of!
If a piece as a knot, make sure the knife blade will not have to go through the knot when cutting your pattern. You will want to cut the bookmark using the proper wood settings Basswood or Balsa wood 1/16 (1.6mm). Balsa wood tends to be lighter. You will need a strong grip mat. Its a much more consistent product. It is the only blade that can be used when cutting balsa and basswood. 2. I do love that hello sign and right away Im having so many ideas of things I could do with it! Yes, I think you could definitely create finger joints with balsa wood and your machine. Liz, HLMS Reader Support. Use abrayerto really adhere your balsa wood to the mat before taping. I had probably hit Go 15 times and even with it taped, the lines ended up being all over the place. Right now, the Cricut Maker has qualified 1/32 and 1/16 balsa wood, so make sure youre looking at those thicknesses. Any idea what I could be doing wrong??
The more intricate your design, the longer the machine will take to cut. Its just a brush script of my daughters name. Thanks for the info!! This post and photos may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. Can the knife blade be used on the Expression? Now that you know how to cut wood with the Cricut Maker, I have a few additional tips and tricks that may help you along the way. For best results, use the Cricut brand chipboard as well. I dont believe so. So, fine details may not work with thicker materials like wood.
That means that cuts should be no smaller than 3/4inincluding interior cuts. :), Design Space doesnt support the offset feature yet its best to create the offset shadow in Illustrator and save as an SVG, then import into Design Space. Instead, your machine will take multiple cut passes, so cutting thicker materials takes longer. Luckily Cricut has a line of 1/16in basswood with a lovely finish designed specifically for the knife blade. If you are struggling with your Cricut machine,we have a free course just for you! Success! The cut against the mat will be the cleanest so you want that to be your front. You can build this design in Design Space or use the SVG I created , Home Crafts Bass or Balsa Wood Cricut Tutorial: Color-in Bookmarks. Liz, HLMS Reader Support, Can the Explore air 2 cut that wood? Or, at the very least, read the reviews online. You can find this at your local craft store. If you do that and find theres still small corners or parts that havent cut all the way through, but the majority has, then remove your mat, release your project, and use a craft knife to cut the last little bits in the corners. Learn how to unzip files here. Sign up for our email list here to download the Beginner's Guide to Cricut Design Space for FREE today! Itll swap in and out like any other blade :), Hi, I wanted to do the fat offset but the link that shows you how to do it on adobe illustrator, takes me to how to do a shadow on the cricut space. I used a weeding tool to gently lift the a at the end of the cut to see if it made it all the way through. One of the most important things is adding your wood to the mat properly. Have you tried using basswood from Cricut? You can inspect your cuts by using a weeding tool to gently pick at the cut areas. So thats a win for basswood. These wheels are an important part of helping materials stay in place while youre cutting, but they can leave track marks on thicker materials. It can break easily. I would say it would probably need to be the Knife Blade and youd need to play around with the cut settingsI dont think theres one specifically for that material because it hasnt been qualified by Cricut. If your balsa wood is not cut all the way through after all the passes are complete and youve done the extra pass mentioned in the 10 Things lesson, you may need to replace your blade. As your machine begins calibrating, it will cut seven sets of lines with some overlap. Honestlyits not my fave. Many projects can use either, including this one. It will cut with just scissors, however. A small knife tool might be easier to use if there is only a small amount still attached along the cut lines. Make sure your computer doesnt get bored and go to sleep while your machine is cutting! Thanks again for the information, Happy Crafting! Make sure all cuts are at least away from the edge of the wood (if blades cross the edge of the wood, there is a high probability the blade will be damaged). Balsa wood and basswood are similar woods. While I made a coffee sign to teach you how , If your kids are anxious to get their hands on your Cricut, these Cricut crafts for kids range from young kids through teens! If you have any questions about how to cut wood with the Cricut Maker, be sure to ask those in the comment section below and I will answer! They are both very lightweight and are used in a variety of different crafting and modeling projects. For the Explore, there is no setting for cutting balsa wood. Need tips and tricks for cutting balsa wood with the Cricut Knife Blade? (Use a StrongGrip Mat.) You may also want to keep reading as we have some project ideas below to get you started. Cut down the longer pieces of balsa using acraft knife just running a few passes in a straight line using aruler, then snapping it into two pieces. I do like that you can easily use iron on vinyl on top of balsa woodI made this cute little hello sign using teal HTV and I think its cute! However, like with many areas of crafting, there is a learning curve. Enter your email address in the form below to receive your free SVG for personal, classroom, or public library use. Great instructions on using the cricket for cutting balsa. These cuts will take a long time! Proceed at your own caution when cutting projects with thinner or more detailed areas. It will cut many passes mine cut 14 passes. Cutting Balsa Wood with the Cricut Knife Blade. To remove your material from the mat, bend the mat away from your project instead of trying to pull your balsa wood straight up off the mat. Hey guys, today I am sharing a long post on using the Cricut Makers Knife Blade to cut wood! Painters tape is the best choice because it has a light adhesive. Both the Cricut Maker and the Explore Air 2 machine are easy to work with. It feels so brittle and breaks super easily. If you dont want to cut a hole for a tassel, just add any shape over it, and weld them.
|, cutting wood veneer with your Cricut here, Make Your Own Puzzle with the Cricut Maker. https://help.cricut.com/hc/en-us/articles/360009431434-Cricut-Maker-Cutting-Cricut-chipboard-with-Knife-Blade In Design Space, select account menu, Calibration > Knife Blade. You will need that extra inch as clearance for the white rollers. If you want all of the details for cutting wood with a Cricut in an easy to follow video, we have you covered! This post contains , If you want to take your Cricut crafts to the next level, youll want to learn how to make an SVG file for Cricut , Making Cricut stencils opens up a whole new world of possibilities with your Cricut crafts!
Just scroll through the web story below to get the steps for cutting wood with a Cricut in one easy place! Same here. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0";
Your material should never go under the white or black wheels when cutting wood. Unlike paper and vinyl, your Cricut Maker doesnt cut thicker materials like wood in one pass. This will often break away any debris that may be down inside the cut line. I hate ruining wood this way. Do you think Id be able to make some sort of finger joints? Liz, HLMS Reader Support, I am looking to take the plunge and upgrade my cricuit air for the cricuit make, Your list of materials that can be cut using the maker include plastic acetate, do you know if it would cut acyrlic sheets of 2mm thickness? Balsa wood (1/32, 1/16, and 3/32 inch) this is a very soft wood that breaks easily. If you are having trouble, email me and I'll do my best to help you out. It cant be crushed nearly as easily as balsa canits less fragile. You can also learn how to make an SVG file , Make this super sweet rainbow cake topper designed for a first birthday party (with a variation for any rainbow themed event!) Youre literally just cutting a rectangle. There are certain things that you need to take into consideration when planning your wood crafts on your Cricut. If one of these popped pieces jams your Cricut, do not remove your project from your machine! Happy Crafting! Please remember that you need to be very very careful with handling cut basswood with connections of this size. You can cut either wood on the Cricut Maker machine. Its a delicate balance between finding something that will help your material stay in place but wont leave any sticky residue on your project! So, both of the machines are great, but the Maker kicks it up a notch. Now, you have your wood and your blade, are you ready to learn how to cut wood with your Cricut Maker? Do you know how to cut wood with the Cricut Maker? Your email address will not be published. It does come with a protective cap that covers it when not in use. But it weighs practically nothing. It looks like this. This is the first screen I got. No, it isnt compatible with the Expression. Please try again. Clear the piece and any debris and hit the go button again to restart where the machine left off. August 29, 2018 by Cori George 26 Comments. Make sure the tape doesnt overlap into any of your cutting areas. -Amy, HLMS Reader Support. Also, there are many different types and quality of chipboard out there. But keep checking every few passes. It has a high strength-to-weight ratio (its super strong for how light it is), making it good for crafts like model-building. The materials youll cut with the knife blade are thicker than the paper and vinyl products you might normally cut on your Maker. This is mentioned in the 10 Things post, but when designing balsa wood projects for the Knife Blade, make sure to keep your cuts at least the width of a pencil wide. Sign up to get my latest posts straight to your mailbox! It estimated 14 passes and was on the first pass, which was only about 2% of the way toward being done with cutting the file. Thats really nice. The best overlap just means that the cuts appear as a single cut linethere is no gap between lines. Attach the knife blade to your machine, insert a piece of plain white paper on a mat, and click Continue. Cant watch the video or need more details?
Could I use the Cricut Maker to cut out the pieces of wood for the barn? Get your daily inspiration at The Country Chic Cottage for your Cricut machine and more! Required fields are marked *. This happens as certain cuts go all the way through before others. In clamp A add your pen. Now check your email to download your copy of the guide! amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true";
Hi Maxine, This will help keep it from breaking.
Im using the knife blade to show you how much power and capability the Cricut Maker really has.
Youre also making the hole for the tassel. My daughter collects Schleich and Breyer horses. This could be a great way to do personalized name tags. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "leseagr-20";
All of the passes took about 20ish minutes to complete. It can be repaired with a bit of wood glue, though I dont think the results are as pretty as with basswood.
If you use a different kind of wood please use the appropriate settings. Next I began cutting. Weve tackled chipboard, basswood, and matboardand today were talking balsa wood! Please note that some products used may be given to The Country Chic Cottage free of charge. You can also take this into account when putting your material on the mat. Whichever you choose, just make sure it doesnt have any knots. Cricut Design Space will count down how many passes you have left. etc.). This hand-lettered Read More, Get vacation-ready with these SVGs for your Read More, Channel your inner flamingo with these fun Read More, 2020 HeyLetsMakeStuff.com | Privacy Policy. Place it in self-sealing plastic sleeves with a few markers and a skein of floss as a DIY craft kit. Basswood has a smooth, even wood grain that the Cricut Knife Blade deals with very well. You can use the deep cut blade with the Makerjust make sure youre using the black housing. Alright, you know all of the critical information about the knife blades capabilities, and you know how to set up your machine, material, and mat to use the blade. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. However, remember that time estimates can vary depending on your project.
So, do you feel prepared and ready to jump into some projects? When this process is done, simply remove the mat from the machine and find the set of lines with the best overlap. Also, when you move the star wheels all the way to the right, they will still overlap about 1in on your mat.
Please note that your knife blade will need to be calibrated before the first use. First of all, the knife blade only works on your computer. Follow along as I know that you will learn a new skill and have a ton of fun doing it! Copyright 2022 Moms and Crafters | Bamboo on Trellis Framework by Mediavine. Upload your file to design space and ungroup the images. ).
document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Hi! 5. Make sure to really press the tape down so your wood does not slide. I like to use a brayer for this. Basswood, on the other hand, is not as prone to warping and is denser and more durable than balsa. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); I'm Cori and I'm so glad you've decided to stop by and make stuff with me! If you purchase something through any link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. When finished your bookmark will look like this. You will want to push the white wheels all the way over to the right.
They can both cut, write, and score 100 popular craft materials (vinyl, paper, etc. I have found patterns for making the barns out of wood. You can , Enjoy this playroom sign Cricut tutorial perfect for basement playrooms! Balsa, surprisingly, is a hardwood. Balsa is the less expensive of the two and can be found easily in craft and hobby stores.
How precise are the cuts? Be sure to put the best side of the wood face down. You can unsubscribe anytime. Here are the warnings Design Space gave me just before starting to cut my project.
1/32 When youre cutting wood on the Cricut, your first project or five should be very simple, until you get the hang of things.
Both also use the Cricut Design Space as the vehicle to upload and create projects. Its apparently strong for its weightbut its not really all that strong at all.
If you purchase something through the link, I may receive a small commission at no extra charge to you. You will need to change the words and rose to the pen setting. All Rights Reserved. I really want to master it, so any guidance is very much appreciated! Basswood tends to be stronger. You cant normally just print on wood. This post shares my ultimate guide to using the Cricut Makers Knife Blade to cut wood. Thats the machine I have. Using a new blade and it just wont cut all the through. Remember the side against your mat is the good side! Mirror images when cutting so that if you end up with any uh-oh spots, you can just flip the cut wood over. These tools are available only on the Cricut Maker. Use a brayer to really press your balsa wood into the mats adhesive. Do not leave the machine while it is cutting. This project was made using basswood, but either one goes for it. There are a ton of free cut file, image, and font resources out there.
If you find an area needs to be cut more and cant be delicately separately with a small hand-held tool, simply click the Go button in Design Space to begin another pass. And youre done!
This post and the photos within it may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. My blog is full of things to help you create a life you love: easy crafts, fun printables, SVG files for cutting on your Cricut, DIY home and decor ideas, and so much more. At the end of your cut, before you remove your mat, double check that its cut all the way through. So lets get started! Be sure to remove that before putting in your machine. Hi! We won't send you spam. Balsa has a high strength-to-weight ratio and can be bent by soaking it in water and then holding it in place as it dries. So choose your most needed features! Often when you search for balsa wood, youll get other results like basswood, chipboard, and plywood, so double check the listing before you buy. Id love to have you, andI promise I dont send too many emails , function ml_webform_success_4037224(){var r=ml_jQuery||jQuery;r(".ml-subscribe-form-4037224 .row-success").show(),r(".ml-subscribe-form-4037224 .row-form").hide()}, Copyright 2022 Let's Craft Instead | Trellis Framework by Mediavine, The Ultimate Guide to Using the Cricut Makers Knife Blade to Cut Wood, how to cut chipboard with a Cricut machine, Craft Foam in thicknesses of 1.5mm, 2mm, and 3mm, Min: 0.75 x 0.75 (includes interior and exterior cuts), Width of cuts should not be smaller than the diameter of a pencil (aka .75), Make sure all cuts are at least .25 away from the edge of the wood (the blade will probably be damaged if it crosses the edge of the wood), Smaller, more intricate images may not cut wellshoot for only moderately complex cuts and monitor the cutting process. While cutting, if pieces start to pop out of your project, you can remove the smaller pieces. (We now even have the next gen, the Maker 3, which is insanely awesome, by the way. You also dont want to damage your material using a tape that is too strong. Before we talk about using the Cricut Knife Blade to cut wood, I want to cover everything you need to know about the blade. There are a few things you need to know when Crciut wood cutting, however.
Unsubscribe at any time. You can see that it reminds you of all the things Ive outlined in this post. Get ready to fire up the grill and get Read More, Who's lovin' summer? You could read my Cricut Maker 3 review here. Then again, your project is going to be very delicate, so maybe its best that its hard to find larger sheets. Click here to view our privacy policy. If youre looking to cut wood,basswoodis absolutely better in my opinion, unless youre specifically making models or something that needs to be really lightweight. She loves to collect barns for them. If this still doesnt work check out Cricuts help pages for chipboard here: I use them for large model airplane wings. Removing the mat will cancel the project, and you wont be able to do any additional cut passes if you need to.
Keep reading as we have step by step instructions below as well. For over a decade, I have been sharing Cricut tutorials and craft ideas here as well as on my YouTube channel. This is all by design so dont worry! Thanks for the info but I was wondering how thick the wood needs to be? You can do other things in the area, but keep half an eye. If youre wondering what you need the Cricut Knife Blade for, heres a list. Clear the debris (I like canned compressed air for this purpose) and hit the go button again to restart where the machine left off.
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Sometimes the defects with the grain in non-Cricut balsa and basswood can make the blade jump. But I do think it would be possible! I'd love to have you, andI promise I don't send too many emails ;). I think the housing is different. Now we need to set the tools in your maker. Crafts, home decor, recipes, and so much more! You can try these retailers, or even a local model shop for balsa wood: As with all Knife Blade projects, be aware of the10 things you need to know.
1/16 Want to know how to cut other materials with your Cricut?
Because of all of these reasons, you cant use fast mode cutting with using the knife blade. Want to learn how to do a fat offset like this? If its your first time moving your star wheels, you might have to use a bit of pressure. If small pieces start to come up but you want to continue cutting the design, you can pause the machine and remove those pieces. You will need the knife blade to cut wood with your Maker. Happy crafting yall and be sure to give Cricut wood cutting a try! Im going to walk you through those steps now to help ensure your first project is a success! Unsubscribe at any time. Press the Go button to begin. This process is essential because it teaches your Cricut Maker that the knife blade housing is now attached to the machineit needs to know how to use whats attached to it. Unsubscribe at any time. After you are finished coloring it, add a tassel to complete! So, use this as your guide to starting cutting wood with Cricut.
If the material bows at all, place it on the mat in the position that ensures the curved areas go down toward the mat. But the Cricut Maker has some significant differencesdare I say horsepower?that really take things to the next level. Amazon, the Amazon logo, MYHABIT, and the MYHABIT logo are trademarks of Amazon.com, Inc or its affiliates. This project took about 20ish minutes and about 14 passes to cut out.
You dont want to use the long piece sticking off the end of your mat the weight of the balsa wood will cause the smaller pieces of your project to pop out and potentially jam your project. Heres why these wood bookmarks are so cool: This makes a fantastic library project, handout, or even teacher gift! Check to ensure all cuts are good to go and that you dont need to run the material through for more passes. And with that, I want to jump in to everything you need to know about using the Cricut Knife Blade to cut wood. . Try the a custom setting using the Deep Cut Blade, a pressure of 220 and multi-cut of 4x, then adjust from there. 6. More to cut through = the need for a knife. They both also have Bluetooth technology, which I lovefewer wires! I keep larger pieces in the machine, howeverremoving them can cause your material to shift slightly, and even the slightest shift can ruin your project. Yes, the Cricut Maker can cut wood and it opens up a whole new world of crafting possibilities. If you love this, you , Make an Uncle Sam craft from paper and turn it into a fun puppet 4th of July craft for kids! Speaking of tools, there are a few tools I want to highlight in addition to the Cricut Knife Blade. Youll want to be around somewhat supervising.
Please help! Tip: you can use this SVG with any material, such as cardstock, and even with leather + vinyl! amzn_assoc_search_bar_position = "bottom";
By: Angie Holden|Published: December 20, 2019|Updated: January 19, 2021| 2 Comments. It opened up a whole new realm of possibilities for home crafters like me. It should work well, though! Balsa wood is hard to find, particularly in sheet sizes that are good for the Cricut. Im having some problems with cutting cricut chipboard. Balsa wood is quite expensive compared to basswood, and its harder to find larger pieces. To check the cut, hit the pause button on the machine itself. Thanks for sharing.
To ensure you provide proper clearance for the thicker material, move the star wheels (the small white rings) on the Makers roller bar all the way to the right. Here are the types as well as a little detail on each: I will note that the sizes in your craft store will be really odd. Now that you know a bit about using the Cricut Knife Blade to cut wood, there are three steps you need to take if this is the first time youre using it on your Maker. It does the thinking for you. Its time for another Knife Blade tutorial! (Dont worry, using a strong-grip mat and a tip in the next step helps keep your materials in place without the star wheels.) If you check and the material is not cut through, just touch the C on your machine to continue the cut. Speaking of uploading, the Explore Air 2 and the Maker both give you the flexibility to upload your own designs. You can also use this C to do additional passes once the cut is complete if your material is still not cut through. Then, as extra insurance, you will also want to add some tape to the edges to make sure it doesnt move. Important: Some of my old free printable forms are broken. I suggest using fine tip markers to color on because some of the lines will be small. One of the biggest breakthroughs when the Cricut Maker first came out was the knife blade, and its ability to cut through much more substantial materials. Your email address will not be published. It also shares a bit about the Cricut Maker, what else the knife blade can cut, and the differences between using different types of wood on your Cricut.
For overviews of different Cricut materials, check out my post on how to cut chipboard with a Cricut machine, tips for working with holographic mosaic vinyl, and how to cut leather on a Cricut machine to make a hair bow! Peel up the mat from the wood slowly and watch for any breakage. Cricut Design Space will give you the option to do one more pass if needed. This project gets some play, with kids (or adults) coloring it. You can paint or stain balsa wood anyway youd like! The Makers Adaptive Tool System is a professional cutting technology that isnt available on other machines. Also, the wood itself can only be 11 inches wide. These guidelines on how you should size your cuts come directly from Cricut. I always try to cut down material before cutting to minimize waste.
I am covering everything below including blades, mats, and tips and tricks for success. Make sense?
If the blade gets stuck, the machine will stop and an error will come up on the screen. Once it was done, I got this screen on Design Space, which asked me to make sure my cuts were good before unloading the mat. However, since its a bookmark, thats a win for balsa wood.
The wood sold by Cricut is sized perfectly for their machines. Find more things to make with Cricut here. For more details, review our Privacy Policy. Thats why this Cricut wood bookmark is the perfect option for getting it started. thanks!
We also have guides for acrylic and metal! Make sure cuts have gone all the way through the wood. My maker is not letting me select the basa setting what setting should I cut on I have the knife blade in. Or, contour, and leave out the circle. We won't send you spam. You can cut way too deep and cut through your mat!
And more flexibility with where I can set up to work on a project if my desk feels crowded.
It lifted with ease, so I took a gamble and assumed the rest of the project was good. The material starts to lift with just the first pass and then by the 2nd or 3rd pass the blade is constantly getting stuck and I just end up cancelling the project. (Note that basswood can also bend, and you dont have to soak it in water.). You may have to repeat this several times in the same area before the cut will continue. 1. Here are a few other tips for preparing your material and mat: If its your first time cutting with your Cricut Knife Blade, you must calibrate the blade. amzn_assoc_title = "Shop Related Products";
You can cut with the Maker until all cuts are completely cut through. The cuts are very precise. Balsa wood can be a tricky materialheres how to get the best results.
Just watch below. The machine will first draw the design on and then it will cut the bookmark. We will talk about moving them a little further down in the post. If this does happen, do not remove your project from your machine! You have successfully joined our subscriber list. As you can see below, I add it in the corners as well as the center of each side. Once you start the cut in design space, the machine will do one pass then calculate the length of time. Here are a few to get you started: So, now the only question remaining is what will you make when cutting wood with your Cricut? There was an error submitting your subscription.
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Once all passes are done, do NOT immediately remove the mat from your machine. The Cricut Maker cuts balsa wood quite well, and its by far the fastest of the Knife Blade materials that Ive cut. Hit the C to start the cut again then hit the pause to stop the machine. It is not compatible with the Design Space app. Learn how to make acrylic keychains , Learn how to make a magic leather braid bracelet one of those jewelry crafts that you wont be able to get enough of!
If a piece as a knot, make sure the knife blade will not have to go through the knot when cutting your pattern. You will want to cut the bookmark using the proper wood settings Basswood or Balsa wood 1/16 (1.6mm). Balsa wood tends to be lighter. You will need a strong grip mat. Its a much more consistent product. It is the only blade that can be used when cutting balsa and basswood. 2. I do love that hello sign and right away Im having so many ideas of things I could do with it! Yes, I think you could definitely create finger joints with balsa wood and your machine. Liz, HLMS Reader Support. Use abrayerto really adhere your balsa wood to the mat before taping. I had probably hit Go 15 times and even with it taped, the lines ended up being all over the place. Right now, the Cricut Maker has qualified 1/32 and 1/16 balsa wood, so make sure youre looking at those thicknesses. Any idea what I could be doing wrong??
The more intricate your design, the longer the machine will take to cut. Its just a brush script of my daughters name. Thanks for the info!! This post and photos may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. Can the knife blade be used on the Expression? Now that you know how to cut wood with the Cricut Maker, I have a few additional tips and tricks that may help you along the way. For best results, use the Cricut brand chipboard as well. I dont believe so. So, fine details may not work with thicker materials like wood.
That means that cuts should be no smaller than 3/4inincluding interior cuts. :), Design Space doesnt support the offset feature yet its best to create the offset shadow in Illustrator and save as an SVG, then import into Design Space. Instead, your machine will take multiple cut passes, so cutting thicker materials takes longer. Luckily Cricut has a line of 1/16in basswood with a lovely finish designed specifically for the knife blade. If you are struggling with your Cricut machine,we have a free course just for you! Success! The cut against the mat will be the cleanest so you want that to be your front. You can build this design in Design Space or use the SVG I created , Home Crafts Bass or Balsa Wood Cricut Tutorial: Color-in Bookmarks. Liz, HLMS Reader Support, Can the Explore air 2 cut that wood? Or, at the very least, read the reviews online. You can find this at your local craft store. If you do that and find theres still small corners or parts that havent cut all the way through, but the majority has, then remove your mat, release your project, and use a craft knife to cut the last little bits in the corners. Learn how to unzip files here. Sign up for our email list here to download the Beginner's Guide to Cricut Design Space for FREE today! Itll swap in and out like any other blade :), Hi, I wanted to do the fat offset but the link that shows you how to do it on adobe illustrator, takes me to how to do a shadow on the cricut space. I used a weeding tool to gently lift the a at the end of the cut to see if it made it all the way through. One of the most important things is adding your wood to the mat properly. Have you tried using basswood from Cricut? You can inspect your cuts by using a weeding tool to gently pick at the cut areas. So thats a win for basswood. These wheels are an important part of helping materials stay in place while youre cutting, but they can leave track marks on thicker materials. It can break easily. I would say it would probably need to be the Knife Blade and youd need to play around with the cut settingsI dont think theres one specifically for that material because it hasnt been qualified by Cricut. If your balsa wood is not cut all the way through after all the passes are complete and youve done the extra pass mentioned in the 10 Things lesson, you may need to replace your blade. As your machine begins calibrating, it will cut seven sets of lines with some overlap. Honestlyits not my fave. Many projects can use either, including this one. It will cut with just scissors, however. A small knife tool might be easier to use if there is only a small amount still attached along the cut lines. Make sure your computer doesnt get bored and go to sleep while your machine is cutting! Thanks again for the information, Happy Crafting! Make sure all cuts are at least away from the edge of the wood (if blades cross the edge of the wood, there is a high probability the blade will be damaged). Balsa wood and basswood are similar woods. While I made a coffee sign to teach you how , If your kids are anxious to get their hands on your Cricut, these Cricut crafts for kids range from young kids through teens! If you have any questions about how to cut wood with the Cricut Maker, be sure to ask those in the comment section below and I will answer! They are both very lightweight and are used in a variety of different crafting and modeling projects. For the Explore, there is no setting for cutting balsa wood. Need tips and tricks for cutting balsa wood with the Cricut Knife Blade? (Use a StrongGrip Mat.) You may also want to keep reading as we have some project ideas below to get you started. Cut down the longer pieces of balsa using acraft knife just running a few passes in a straight line using aruler, then snapping it into two pieces. I do like that you can easily use iron on vinyl on top of balsa woodI made this cute little hello sign using teal HTV and I think its cute! However, like with many areas of crafting, there is a learning curve. Enter your email address in the form below to receive your free SVG for personal, classroom, or public library use. Great instructions on using the cricket for cutting balsa. These cuts will take a long time! Proceed at your own caution when cutting projects with thinner or more detailed areas. It will cut many passes mine cut 14 passes. Cutting Balsa Wood with the Cricut Knife Blade. To remove your material from the mat, bend the mat away from your project instead of trying to pull your balsa wood straight up off the mat. Hey guys, today I am sharing a long post on using the Cricut Makers Knife Blade to cut wood! Painters tape is the best choice because it has a light adhesive. Both the Cricut Maker and the Explore Air 2 machine are easy to work with. It feels so brittle and breaks super easily. If you dont want to cut a hole for a tassel, just add any shape over it, and weld them.
|, cutting wood veneer with your Cricut here, Make Your Own Puzzle with the Cricut Maker. https://help.cricut.com/hc/en-us/articles/360009431434-Cricut-Maker-Cutting-Cricut-chipboard-with-Knife-Blade In Design Space, select account menu, Calibration > Knife Blade. You will need that extra inch as clearance for the white rollers. If you want all of the details for cutting wood with a Cricut in an easy to follow video, we have you covered! This post contains , If you want to take your Cricut crafts to the next level, youll want to learn how to make an SVG file for Cricut , Making Cricut stencils opens up a whole new world of possibilities with your Cricut crafts!
Just scroll through the web story below to get the steps for cutting wood with a Cricut in one easy place! Same here. amzn_assoc_placement = "adunit0";
Your material should never go under the white or black wheels when cutting wood. Unlike paper and vinyl, your Cricut Maker doesnt cut thicker materials like wood in one pass. This will often break away any debris that may be down inside the cut line. I hate ruining wood this way. Do you think Id be able to make some sort of finger joints? Liz, HLMS Reader Support, I am looking to take the plunge and upgrade my cricuit air for the cricuit make, Your list of materials that can be cut using the maker include plastic acetate, do you know if it would cut acyrlic sheets of 2mm thickness? Balsa wood (1/32, 1/16, and 3/32 inch) this is a very soft wood that breaks easily. If you are having trouble, email me and I'll do my best to help you out. It cant be crushed nearly as easily as balsa canits less fragile. You can also learn how to make an SVG file , Make this super sweet rainbow cake topper designed for a first birthday party (with a variation for any rainbow themed event!) Youre literally just cutting a rectangle. There are certain things that you need to take into consideration when planning your wood crafts on your Cricut. If one of these popped pieces jams your Cricut, do not remove your project from your machine! Happy Crafting! Please remember that you need to be very very careful with handling cut basswood with connections of this size. You can cut either wood on the Cricut Maker machine. Its a delicate balance between finding something that will help your material stay in place but wont leave any sticky residue on your project! So, both of the machines are great, but the Maker kicks it up a notch. Now, you have your wood and your blade, are you ready to learn how to cut wood with your Cricut Maker? Do you know how to cut wood with the Cricut Maker? Your email address will not be published. It does come with a protective cap that covers it when not in use. But it weighs practically nothing. It looks like this. This is the first screen I got. No, it isnt compatible with the Expression. Please try again. Clear the piece and any debris and hit the go button again to restart where the machine left off. August 29, 2018 by Cori George 26 Comments. Make sure the tape doesnt overlap into any of your cutting areas. -Amy, HLMS Reader Support. Also, there are many different types and quality of chipboard out there. But keep checking every few passes. It has a high strength-to-weight ratio (its super strong for how light it is), making it good for crafts like model-building. The materials youll cut with the knife blade are thicker than the paper and vinyl products you might normally cut on your Maker. This is mentioned in the 10 Things post, but when designing balsa wood projects for the Knife Blade, make sure to keep your cuts at least the width of a pencil wide. Sign up to get my latest posts straight to your mailbox! It estimated 14 passes and was on the first pass, which was only about 2% of the way toward being done with cutting the file. Thats really nice. The best overlap just means that the cuts appear as a single cut linethere is no gap between lines. Attach the knife blade to your machine, insert a piece of plain white paper on a mat, and click Continue. Cant watch the video or need more details?
Could I use the Cricut Maker to cut out the pieces of wood for the barn? Get your daily inspiration at The Country Chic Cottage for your Cricut machine and more! Required fields are marked *. This happens as certain cuts go all the way through before others. In clamp A add your pen. Now check your email to download your copy of the guide! amzn_assoc_search_bar = "true";
Hi Maxine, This will help keep it from breaking.
Im using the knife blade to show you how much power and capability the Cricut Maker really has.
Youre also making the hole for the tassel. My daughter collects Schleich and Breyer horses. This could be a great way to do personalized name tags. amzn_assoc_tracking_id = "leseagr-20";
All of the passes took about 20ish minutes to complete. It can be repaired with a bit of wood glue, though I dont think the results are as pretty as with basswood.
If you use a different kind of wood please use the appropriate settings. Next I began cutting. Weve tackled chipboard, basswood, and matboardand today were talking balsa wood! Please note that some products used may be given to The Country Chic Cottage free of charge. You can also take this into account when putting your material on the mat. Whichever you choose, just make sure it doesnt have any knots. Cricut Design Space will count down how many passes you have left. etc.). This hand-lettered Read More, Get vacation-ready with these SVGs for your Read More, Channel your inner flamingo with these fun Read More, 2020 HeyLetsMakeStuff.com | Privacy Policy. Place it in self-sealing plastic sleeves with a few markers and a skein of floss as a DIY craft kit. Basswood has a smooth, even wood grain that the Cricut Knife Blade deals with very well. You can use the deep cut blade with the Makerjust make sure youre using the black housing. Alright, you know all of the critical information about the knife blades capabilities, and you know how to set up your machine, material, and mat to use the blade. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. However, remember that time estimates can vary depending on your project.
So, do you feel prepared and ready to jump into some projects? When this process is done, simply remove the mat from the machine and find the set of lines with the best overlap. Also, when you move the star wheels all the way to the right, they will still overlap about 1in on your mat.