Below you will see a link to download a PDF File of my eCraft Settings Chart. If you have any settings that you can contribute to this chart, please email me at Denise@PurplePaperParadise.com.
At the top of the chart, you will see a date indicating the last time this chart was updated. Check back often as more information is gathered, this chart will be updated. Please read all the information on this page as it will provide you with a good place to start should you have a failed cut to try to correct it. As I become more and more familiar with the machine, I will update the information on this page.
The current date of the chart is 9/12/10
You can download the eCraft Settings Chart HERE
Please note that these settings are not guaranteed. They are offered to you as a starting point. There are several factors that can contribute to success and failure in cuts including environmental aspects such as humidity. Always run a test cut first! If you are getting different results other than what is shown on the chart, please let me know so that I can make a note of it on the chart for everyone.
There are some factors that I have found that will contribute to the success or failure of some cuts. If you have found any tips or tricks, please share with me so that I can update this list.
1. The grain of the paper. When cutting intricate shapes, the grain of the paper has a dramatic effect on the success of the paper. When cutting against the grain, cuts are more likely to fail. You should insert your paper into the machine so that the grain is going into the machine. To find out the grain of the paper, simply fold a small piece of the paper in half. If you get a clean fold, you have found the grain. If you have creases in the paper or some small tearing of the top or bottom layers of the paper, you have folded against the grain.
2. The tabs settings. I have tested to try and get the smallest tab settings. If you are getting a failed cut, it could indicate that the shape you have tried to cut is more intricate than the shapes that I cut. Try increasing your tab settings (both density and width) to see if that gives you a better cut.
3. The blade. If you have a failed cut, try changing out the blade. Once a blade begins to dull, it will have trouble cutting intricate shapes. At this time, these blades do not seem to have trouble cutting simpler shapes, so you don't need to worry about the blade becoming "unuseable".
4. Intricate Cuts - Intricate cuts seem to best be done on medium to lightweight paper. If you are using a lightweight paper, you can use a cardstock stabilizer and then set your tabs to 0. This will make the cut fall right out of the page instead of popping it out. Intricate cuts made with the tabs can be difficult to remove, so this is a great option for all of us.
I want to thank everyone that contributes to this list. I certainly cannot do all the testing on my own, and I am sure that the research that we all do will greatly help other eCraft users.
