Cameo 4 Auto Blade help ....

[Scrappy Mad]

I absolutely loved my Cameo 3, worked like a dream with the auto blade. Everything cut first time perfectly, the auto blade was the best thing ever.

However, why is it that my Cameo 4 auto blade never gets it right? I always have to manually increase the pressure or depth for it to cut all the way through. It always underestimates how thick the card/vinyl is despite me changing the media in the drop down box and changing whether I'm using a mat or not. This is the case with both the card and vinyl that I use. I have now saved my own settings for the vinyl as I only use one make so it's the same thickness but annoying when I cut a new gsm of card and has really taken the shine off the machine.


Is there anyway to calibrate it in some way?

I also tried to cut a not overly fussy birthday card aperture the other day on 100gsm card and at different points the mat would just slip...tried this 3 times and ruined 3 cards before giving up. Never had this before. The lever to lift the bar was down. I am doing something wrong or do I have a duff machine?

Bought it last year when they were released and haven't had much reason to use it since purchasing but used the C3 a lot.

Did think about buying a new blade, but only used this one about 10 times and would be a waste of money if it still had the same problem. Does anyone else have this problem?

Any help or advice welcomed please.

Thank you

[Shirley Anne]

I bought my C4 when they first came out and and I couldn't get good cuts either. I tried using a ratchet blade and the cuts were perfect so assuming it was a blade problem I went through troubleshooting via email with Silhouette America. After doing lots test cuts using settings they sent and sending photos I did get the blade replaced. It appears there was a bad batch of blades, however the replacement was bad as well so that was replaced too but since then it has been fine so you may want to try that route or maybe better to contact Graphtec GB - 01978 666 700 for advice regarding both the blade and the mat slipping. Have you checked that the right roller is locked in to the appropriate groove ? I have to say that even now I still prefer my C3 as I find it a pain not being able to use pens in tool 2 with the C4.

[AndiDee]

Shirley Anne, thank you for your insightful comments. You have put my mind at rest. I decided to upgrade my Cam2 last year and spent a lot of time hovering between a Cam3 and a 4. In the end I went for the 3 because I reasoned that I rarely, if ever, cut vinyl and I was quite skeptical about the greater cutting force being trumpeted about the 4 and the fact it is only on one side. Again I felt I would rarely need to cut things like balsa and chipboard; felt was something I did think hard about as I have been making felt figures for a while and they were a mare to cut out but I have that under the button now so the problem has resolved itself. It is always good to get the most up to date model but when I saw some of the comments from across the pond, where the machine was available before it was here, it really made my mind up for me and now you have totally confirmed that I did the right thing getting the 3 with your comments about pens, plus I have the FoilQull and would have found that more difficult to use on the 4 because you can only use that in the first holder. So thank you!

Andi

[Shirley Anne]

Shirley Anne, thank you for your insightful comments. You have put my mind at rest. I decided to upgrade my Cam2 last year and spent a lot of time hovering between a Cam3 and a 4. In the end I went for the 3 because I reasoned that I rarely, if ever, cut vinyl and I was quite skeptical about the greater cutting force being trumpeted about the 4 and the fact it is only on one side. Again I felt I would rarely need to cut things like balsa and chipboard; felt was something I did think hard about as I have been making felt figures for a while and they were a mare to cut out but I have that under the button now so the problem has resolved itself. It is always good to get the most up to date model but when I saw some of the comments from across the pond, where the machine was available before it was here, it really made my mind up for me and now you have totally confirmed that I did the right thing getting the 3 with your comments about pens, plus I have the FoilQull and would have found that more difficult to use on the 4 because you can only use that in the first holder. So thank you!

Andi

You are welcome Andi, I am pleased I didn't get rid of my C3 as I too use it will the Foil Quill. From what I see in various FB groups most people use the C4 for cutting vinyl so it probably suits them well as it has the built in roll feeder but as I am mostly a card maker I just pull it out and use it to support the mat so it does have an unintentional use !! I have to say it is faster than the C3 and I have the Rotary and Kraft blades should I want to cut other materials but I have only used them a couple of times - maybe I should get more adventurous.

[Neries]

Andi and Shirley like both of you glad that I am hanging on to my Cameo 3. Even though I have both the C3 and C4 side by side I keep using my C3 for quickness and because I know what I am doing. I never seem to have time to sit down and get to know the C4. Just back from another caravan trip of just over a week in Shropshire. Then 10 days home and hopefully out again lockdown measurers permitting. Our friends can't go then as they are in lockdown (Rhondda, Cynon, Taff). Our area Bridgend might be next as it's on the watch list.

So far done test cutting and tested my Foil Quill. I wanted the C4 for cutting material like thicker chipboard etc., but as yet not tried even though I have both 2mm and 3mm Kraft blades. To be honest I am waiting to see a longer online video demonstration of using the 3mm Kraft blade as I am not sure how intricate the Kraft blades will cut as they seem different to the normal blades in how they cut.

[Shirley Anne]

I have found that the Kraft blade is not good for intricate designs or doing sharp corners Neries. Also apart from craft foam I had to do more than one pass and I read that it is best to start with a lower force and increase it for the next passes. To be honest I haven’t used it much at all as I found it too much hassle although it seemed better with the loops turned off - I should practice more but I’m not very patient !! Hope you don’t get stuck in lockdown.