Craftcutter Update - Whole New Website

[paulrace]

When so many things you "know" about your own Cricut are so hopelessly outdated and even wrong, and you start writing articles to correct and clarify things, and you realize what you're writing about affects all the hobbies you write about, the only sensible thing to do is to start a whole new web page.

https://hobbycutters.com/

Right now, it's still very basic, mostly a reference site for folks trying to figure out how to get the best use out of their old craftcutters and when (or if) it makes sense to upgrade.

I have two project articles in the works, one based on on a putz blueprint that a friend was kind enough to give me permission to use, and one a complex Western storefront building that will be a cool scale model if it works out.

For a time, I didn't publish much on doing putz houses with these, because my friends who do everything with Xacto knives would be left behind. But since .svg patterns for putz house construction are all over the Internet these days, there's no point pretending craftcutters haven't become part of the hobby.

The title page is below. But you have to click on the link https://hobbycutters.com/ to actually see the site.

Let me know what you think,

Paul

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[Pete R.Oehmen]

Cool beans... I'll be using this site a bunch. Thanks Paul.

[paulrace]

Here's a conclusion from my recent experimentation with these various toys. Don't automatically get rid of your old Cricut.

If you have an ancient Cricut that still works and you buy a new Cricut, don't throw out the old one. An old Expression (1), Create, Personal Cutter, Cake, or Cake Mini, coupled with vector graphics software and SCAL5, is still more useful for original and downloadable files than the new Cricuts.

Even though you can import .svg files into Design Space now, it's a cumbersome extra step, and if you tweak them in Design Space, you can't save them as .svgs again. Maybe Cricut is done discontinuing software in such a way that all the work you did on them was permanently lost when the software was shut down. But I'm not putting all my eggs in that basket.

So, even though I've accumulated a bunch of cartridges for doing fun, silly, or "fru-fru" stuff, and I've got most of them "linked" to my Explore, I'm not in much danger of mothballing the Expression.

Also worth knowing - some of Cricut's "image sets" that are supposed to be the same as their cartridges are NOT the same. So before you scrap your old Expression and your favorite cartridges, thinking that you already have them registered to your account, check to make certain you still have access to the images you want to keep.

Also, I did get a Cameo 4 for experimenting with more "challenging" materials, but I haven't used it much - their "documentation" is a joke. And in the meantime the old Expression (with a deep cut blade) is doing almost everything I need it to. Just sayin' . . . .

[paulrace]

Re: Saving files in Design Space.
Technically, you can only save them in Design Space format.

ALWAYS save them to your hard drive. Cricut has announced that eventually they will limit the number of projects you can save to their cloud.

But in case Design Space goes the same place as Design Studio and Craft Room, consider taking a screen shot of every project and saving it in a file on your hard drive. Hide the grid lines first, so you get a clean picture.

So, if the worst happens, you can open the screen shot with bitmap graphic software, crop it to the image you want to save or cut, and import it into software like Sure-Cuts-A-Lot 5 that can scan it back into a vector graphic and save it as an .svg file. It won't be as smooth, and some detail may be lost, but at least it's not totally lost forever.

[TedH]

I have nothing against the cutters. But for me personally, the hand cutting is a large part of my craftsmanship, my art, and my sense of achievement.

[paulrace]

Ted,

I totally understand. Many of our members feel the same way, especially the "first-generation" contributors. Also, I've seen people in other forums who are mass-producing and selling "kits" or completed houses using cutters and I wanted to keep the hand-craftsmanship thing alive.

So I hesitated, for several years, actually, before posting anything about them here.

Also, I actually use my craftcutters for other kinds of projects, and have only cut out a single putz house to see what it would take.

But more and more folks, including members of this forum, are experimenting with these, and they're making expensive bad decisions because of wrong information elsewhere on the internet, so I figured it was time to publish what I've learned.

Hope that makes sense,

Have a great day,

- Paul

[paulrace]

Just came across an early Lionel station that would be a good craftcutter project. It's #126. Walls are flat, you could add dimension simply by layering the windowframes, doors, etc.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/124760757280?h ... SwbI1gvPsD

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[Howard]

Paul...
I hadn’t already built too many stations, this would be one I would definitely build...I do however see some possible inspiration for a very small Ten Cent City project...
Howard

[paulrace]

Confession: I ordered it. As well as three "repro" coaches, and a matching loco shell I may or may not be able to use.

I've been thinking about a vintage Christmas tree display with a like-new Standard Gauge train circling it. This station will go nicely. Still might adapt it for a craftcutter project.

[Lucy]

Paul,

I love your input on the craft cutters. You do so much incredible experimentation. I just try to get it done.

I am one of those who switched from handcutting to using a machine. And my hands have thanked me for it, but I still feel guilty about it because I view cutting out a pattern by hand more pure, more artistic.

One thing that drew me to using a craft cutter is the windows. If you really like window panes, you know they can be a literal pain to cut. Now I can design a window frame in any shape and cut them out so easily.

But still, I do admire all the artists here who cut by hand.

Lucy


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