Tuesday, October 1, 2013

Use A Vinyl Cutter As A Stencil Maker

A vinyl cutter makes a versatile stencil machine. It can produce various sizes of type and styles. Using vinyl stencils allow you to use bridgeless letters and symbols such as O, B and D. Vinyl also makes long lines of text easier.


Instructions


1. Load your vinyl cutter with low-tack vinyl designed for stencils. This vinyl will have a water-based adhesive that is easy to remove after the stenciling. Align the material in the cutter and ensure that it is square with the transport. Make sure that the vinyl side is facing up. Set the cutting pressure according to the vinyl thickness you're using.


2. Launch the vinyl cutting software program and confirm that the software is communicating with the vinyl cutter. Import the artwork for the vinyl. Make sure all elements of the stencil appear correctly on your screen. Use the software to resize the computer art to the exact size you want for the stencils.


3. Monitor the vinyl to ensure there are no bumps or folds as it passes through the cutter. Complete the cut and advance the vinyl sheet at least 6 inches beyond the stencil area. Weed the vinyl with an exacto knife, according to whether you want a positive or negative stencil. Trim the entire sheet to allow at least 6 inches on all sides.


4. Set the vinyl on a smooth table and place a layer of application tape over it. Use a squeegee to ensure that all the air bubbles have been shoved to the sides of the vinyl. You now have a vinyl stencil-and it's ready to be applied to almost any surface.