Using the Vinyl Cutter

First, you need to use Adobe Illustrator to prepare a file for Vinyl Cutting. Instructions for downloading an image from the Internet are here.

You can also design your own image to cut with Adobe Illustrator. Be sure that all shapes, letters, and lines in your design are .01pt and BLACK stroke with no fill.

Sending your Files to Vinyl Cut

In Adobe Illustrator, Save your file with a useful filename. It should contain your name, the description of the file, and a version number. Share your file with vinyl@meadowbrook-ma.org

How-to Video: Sharing your Adobe File for Vinyl cutting

Submit a Request Form for Vinyl Cutting

If you are NOT cutting the vinyl sticker yourself, and want a teacher to do it for you, submit a request form on this website:

http://bit.ly/mbrequest

Using the Vinyl Cutting Laptop to Vinyl Cut

Open the laptop using the sliding switch on the top. The power switch is on the top-right of the keyboard.

To login, use the Username and Password that is printed next to the track pad.

Open Chrome and go to drive.google.com

If you need to login to Chrome, use the Vinyl Vinyl Account:

login: vinyl@meadowbrook-ma.org
password: (ask Ms. Fisher)

Opening Adobe Illustrator Files on the Vinyl Laptop (it is logged in as vinyl@meadowbrook-ma.org)

Open the Adobe Illustrator Program using the Icon on the Desktop.

File -> Open

Click on Shared with You

Sort by Date so that the newest files are at the top

Select your .ai File

Click Open

Setting Up Adobe Illustrator for Vinyl Cutting

File -> Print

Click Setup

Click Preferences

Leave this window open on the screen for now. Here you will have to type in the size of your piece of vinyl.

Cutting a Piece of Vinyl to Use

Cut a piece of vinyl about 2" larger in each dimension than your Adobe Illustrator Document. (For Example: if your document is 4" x 4" make your vinyl piece at least 6" x 6". You are encouraged to use pre-cut scrap pieces rather than taking a new piece off a roll. The pieces are on a shelf next to the vinyl cutter.

If you do have to use a piece of vinyl from a roll, be sure to cut it straight. Use the grid on the back of the vinyl as your cutting guide.

Preparing the Vinyl Cutter for Printing

Make sure the vinyl cutter is turned OFF to begin. The bottom-right button should NOT be lit up blue.

Unlocking the Lever

There is a lever on the back of the vinyl cutter. Push it down to open and unlock the rollers.

Adjusting the Rollers

When the lever is down, the rollers are movable. They need to form the margins of your vinyl cut file. First insert the vinyl under the rollers. Then move the rollers so that they are near the edge of your piece of vinyl. The rollers must also be aligned with the white parts of the guide. Do the right-hand roller first. Align it with a white area, insert the vinyl, then move the left-hand roller to be near the edge of the vinyl.

In this image, the roller is not in the correct location. It can only be located where the white markers are.

Vinyl Alignment

It is very important that the vinyl is straight. Line up a straight edge with these lines. In the image above, the vinyl is crooked. It may not work if it is crooked.

When the vinyl is straight and rollers are properly located near the margins, lock it in place by pushing the lever up.

Turning the Vinyl Cutter On

Before turning the Vinyl Cutter on, be sure the vinyl is inserted and locked in place.

Push the bottom-right button to power it on. It will turn blue. The machine will take about 30 seconds to power on.

After it warms up, it will say SELECT SHEET *ROLL

Press the down arrow and select PIECE.

2. Press the Enter button.

It will now measure the piece of Vinyl you have inserted. When finished, it will display the measurement on the screen in millimeters.

Read the measurements from the display on the Vinyl cutter and back on the laptop enter them into the Cutting Area for Width and Length. Or click on "Get from Machine" Button.

To close this window click OK.

Click Print to close this window.

The preview of the vinyl cut is not accurate.

Click Done to close this window without printing.

Previewing the Vinyl Cut

Now that the measurements are correct, clicking File -> Print a second time should show you an accurate Preview of what your file wil look like when it cuts.

This image looks much more accurate representation of what I expect to cut. Click Print.

The vinyl cutter will print your image immediately. It does not beep when it is finished, it simply stops.

Press the lever on the back down to release the vinyl from the rollers.

When finished power off the vinyl cutter by pressing the blue button for a second.

Close the lid on the laptop.

Transferring the Vinyl onto an Object

The transfer tape is white rolls of wide tape, located on the shelving above the vinyl cutter. There's also a plastic container full of tools for weeding and pressing the Vinyl stickers.

How to Use Transfer Tape for your Vinyl Sticker

Here's a two minute YouTube video showing how to use the transfer tape. In the video, their tape has a grid on it and is clear. Ours is white paper. Other than the difference in the material, it's the same process.