wonder if some people would be so kind to help

[AndiDee]

Hi, sorry to hear you are having a bad time...Firstly, if you have the CR with the grey lid you won't have a standoff ring because you don't need it. The grey model (200) was designed with a max cut pressure of 33, the older blue model only went up to 30, so needed the standoff ring (and sometimes two rings). Check that you cut thick card on 33, with media set to thick card and pink cap - try two cuts (copy and paste the image and it will duplicate the image and CR will cut it twice). Secondly, have you checked that you have inserted your blade correctly? I understand that the grey model needs to have the blade inserted with the little nodule on the blade holder at 45 degrees (so a quarter past the hour position). If it isn't set like that the blade isn't reaching the card properly. If it is set correctly then you need to take the cap off the blade and examine it under a magnifier to see if you have a damaged blade, which can result in tears rather than cuts. I have cut thick hammered card (I would guess about 230 gsm) with no problems and I have the blue model - I generally try lifting a corner once the first cut is completed (before I remove it from the machine so that a second cut will follow the same cutline) and if it comes away clean then it has probably cut through the card okay, but if it looks as though it isn't quite right I send it to cut again. I have cut the lattice templates on here with no problems in about 180 gsm linen finish card - the cuts were perfect. If you try everything and it all seems as though you are doing it all correctly, then the Graphtec helpline is exactly that, extremely helpful. They want to see us all enjoying our machines.

Good Luck
Andi