Page 1: Skycut Series C With Signcut Pro2
PLEASE read these short sections at the very least and refer back to them, when needed. • Chapters 1 and 2 are very important in terms of correctly setting up your Skycut to work with SignCut Pro and learning the ins and outs of cutting.
Page 2: Table Of Contents
Table of Contents SKYCUT SERIES C WITH SIGNCUT PRO2 ............1 1. INTRODUCTION AND SETTING UP ......................... 5 1.00 Q ......................5 UICK EFERENCE FOR HAPTER 1.01 S ............................... 5 UPPORT 1.02 S ..........................5 AFETY AND ARNINGS 1.03 W ..............................
Page 3 EFORE 2.08 S ............................. 75 CALE ALIBRATION 2.08.1 Skycut Resolution Using Millimeters for Measurement ..............75 2.08.2 Skycut Resolution Using Inches for Measurement ................78 2.08.3 Scale Calibration Storage on the Control Panel ................. 79 2.09 T ....................82 UTTING...
Page 4 4.01.1 Draw and Cut ............................ 111 4.02 E ......................... 113 MBOSSING AND CORING 4.02.1 General Info on Embossing ......................113 4.02.2 Score and Cut Project ........................114 4.02.3 Embossing Paper or Cardstock ......................114 4.03 S ..........................115 CRATCH NGRAVING 4.03.1 Engraving a Metal Tag ........................
Page 5: Introduction And Setting Up
• If you run into difficulties with the operation of your Skycut, turn off the power and look for a solution in this manual. Note that Appendix A is a Troubleshooting section. If you continue to have technical questions or issues, please contact your dealer as soon as possible.
Page 6: Warranty
Always turn off the Skycut before unplugging the power adaptor or removing the power cable from the wall outlet or power strip. • Unplug the Skycut from a wall outlet or power strip during an electrical storm or when the cutter will not be used for an extended period of time. •...
Page 7: Contents
1.05 Contents • Besides the cutter, your box should also contain the following items: Description Image Quantity Power Supply Power Cable USB Cable 60° Blade(blue cap) 45° Blade(red cap) Blade Holder Test Pen and 1 Refill 1 set Cutting Mat...
Page 8: Parts Of The Skycut
• USB Flash Drive Port: used to load PLT files via control panel for cutting • USB Port: option to connect computer to Skycut with Power Port included USB cable USB Flash • USB Port...
Page 9: Back
1.07.1 Test Pen • The test pen should be used until you are comfortable with the operation of your Skycut and know, with certainty, where images will cut. The test pen should arrive pre-assembled. However, if you need to change...
Page 10: Blade Installation
• Note that the red capped blade and blue capped blade have a cutback on the opposing side of the blade (right side, in the earlier photo). This reduces the blade offset value and allows for better detailed cutting of small shapes.
Page 11: Preparing And Caring For The Cutting Mat
• Do not leave the pinch wheels in a down position when the Skycut isn’t in use. This warps the plastic sooner, shortening the useful life of the cutting mat. 1.08.2 Cleaning and Replenishing the Cutting Mat •...
Page 12: Pinch Wheels
• When necessary, the rubber wheels and the grit shafts may be cleaned with isopropyl alcohol or Un-Du. Apply the cleaner to a clean lint-free rag and rub the entire wheel and/or grit shaft until free of adhesive. 1.09 Pinch Wheels •...
Page 13: Control Panel
1.10 Control Panel • When you first power on the Skycut, after several seconds, the following Main Screen or Home Screen will be displayed: Repeat last cut. While cutting, this icon and function changes to Pause.
Page 14: Introduction To Sign Cut Pro 2
Calibrate and use camera for print and cut applications: Chapter 3 Set up wireless connection to home or office network: Section 1.12.2 Set end-of-cut options: Section 2.06 Array setup, Scale, and options for display and cutter behavior: Section Settings for: LED, Units, 1.14.2 Language, Screensaver, Alarm: Section 1.14.2...
Page 15 SignCut Draw: Menu Bar Help Panel Toolbar Properties & Functions Bar Sign Area Tools Design Board Panel Filter Colors & Objects Panel View Options Rulers Shapes Margins Project Bar Design Board Bar Color Palette Status Bar • Hovering your mouse over most of the screen icons will pop up the icon’s name and available shortcut. ...
Page 16 • Shapes are the objects or images that you will be adding to your projects. They can be created from scratch or imported from other sources. SignCut Pro2: Help Window Menu Bar Top Toolbar Color Toolbar Main Panel Image Tiles Cutter Panel Panel...
Page 17: Connecting The Skycut To Your Computer
1.12 Connecting the Skycut to Your Computer • Place your Skycut on a sturdy horizontal surface. If using the cutting mat, be sure to allow enough free room in both the front and the back for the mat to extend during cutting.
Page 18: Wi-Fi Connection
• Note: Not all routers have the same signal strength. It’s usually best to connect the Skycut while it is in the same room with the router. Once connectivity is established, you can then experiment to see how far from the router the Skycut can be located.
Page 19 Click on Scan Click on Wifi (2) Click on the Scan button and a list of the available networks will appear. Select your home/office network and click on Apply. You will then be returned to the Wifi screen: Select your network Click on Set Click on Apply...
Page 20 IP Address, if needed (6) Next check the IP Address that will be assigned to the Skycut. The Skycut will automatically pick up the first three sets of digits from your router but will continue to display them as shown above. You only need to decide if the last set, which should be defaulting to “200”, can be used.
Page 21: Wireless Stand-Alone
• In the drop-down menu for Output Device/Port, select TCP/IP and a new window will open. In that window, enter the same IP Address you selected earlier on the Skycut’s control panel. Also, enter 8080 for the Port assignment: Select TCP/IP...
Page 22 B. The Skycut has previously been connected to a wireless network. A. The Skycut has never been set up wirelessly to a network • Power on the Skycut and wait for the light to come on. • On your computer, open your list of available networks. In the list, you should see one with this type of name format: HI_LINK_XXXX where “XXXX”...
Page 23: Usb Flash Drive
• To reset the Skycut so that it will be found as an available network, press and hold the Default button for 3 seconds. Release and you should see the Apply button now displaying Wait. In a minute the Apply should return and you can then proceed back to A.
Page 24 Enter a file name Click on Save • After saving the file, eject the flash drive and insert it into the USB port on the right side of the Skycut. On the control panel, select USB and then Open File:...
Page 25 Press Open File Set up repeats, refer to Section 1.14.1 (1) Double tap on USB DISK and a screen will open showing any folders and PLT files on the flash drive. Double tap a folder to open it, as needed. Drag the scroll bar on the right to see more files: Double tap here Drag here to scroll (2) Once you have located the PLT file you want to cut, double tap the name.
Page 26: Test Draw Shapes
• New owners tend to be VERY eager to try out their Skycut. It’s important to test your cutter to ensure that data is being sent properly from your computer to the cutter. The following steps will allow you to do some testing with the pen tool.
Page 27 • Use any of the horizontal markings at the front of the Skycut to align the mat so that it’s straight. Lift the pinch lever to drop the pinch wheels onto the cutting mat. Most of the mat and the paper should now be...
Page 28: Default Settings In Signcut Pro
Another setting to verify before proceeding with the testing and all subsequent cutting is to verify that the correct rotation is set for your Skycut. To do this, go to Cutter>Settings and click on the Advanced settings tab. Verify the Rotate setting is set to 90 deg:...
Page 29: Adding A Test Shape To Draw
Click on Advanced settings Set to 90 deg Click on Ok  Finally, the third setting is at the top of the Color toolbar on the right side of the screen. This tutorial will cover both options but, for now, click the top icon to the Whole Area setting (if needed) so that it looks like the one in the following screenshot.
Page 30 Skycut before you begin cutting actual projects. Click on the Arrow option: Menu of available basic shapes Select the Arrow • Left click once in the Sign Area and then move the cursor towards the right and down to create an arrow which points towards the right.
Page 31: Drawing The Shape From Signcut Pro
The top right portion of the window shows a preview of the arrow and the orientation in which it will be drawn relative to the origin you set on the Skycut (which is represented by the blade holder image. In this case the arrow will be pointing upwards as you face the Skycut.
Page 32 • At this point, if you plan to export this file to a USB flash drive, rather than cut directly to the Skycut from SignCut Pro, please go to Section 1.12.4 for instructions. Otherwise, click on Cut out and the Skycut will...
Page 33 Feed the mat this direction into the Skycut The arrow is drawn in the same location as in the Work Area and points upwards • You’ll note that the arrow is drawn in the same location as it was positioned in the Work Area. Often, however, users will prefer to save on material and have shapes cut as close as possible to the origin set on the material.
Page 34 Feed the mat this direction into the Skycut The arrow is drawn at the origin and points to upwards • If you want the arrow to draw so that it points towards the left instead of upwards, click once on the Rotate 90 degrees icon on the Sub-toolbar at the bottom of the screen.
Page 35: Default Settings To Consider
 In the above screenshot, the shape sent to the Skycut would cut 3 across and 7 up & down, for a total of 21 shapes. The spacing between each shape would be 0.20 inches (Note: to use mm instead of inches, switch the Units setting.
Page 36 • To right power on: With this setting turned on, the cutting head will move to the far right whenever the Skycut is powered on. • Y Key Mode: This setting controls the movement of the material or cutting mat when using the up and down...
Page 37: General Settings
Pressing an UP arrow will move Pressing an UP arrow will move the the material forward material towards the back of the cutter Pressing a DOWN arrow will move material towards the back Pressing a DOWN arrow will move of the cutter material forward •...
Page 38 • LED set allows you to change the color of the light inside the Skycut. The default is white but you can change it by dragging the scroll bars on the LED set screen. For example, if you wanted a blue light, you could drag red and green all the way to the left.
Page 39: Sys Information
 This initial screen displays current version numbers.  If you ever need to reset your Skycut, press and hold Default All until it turns red. Then wait for the button to update to Success!  If you ever need to change which software is in use with your Skycut, press and hold SOFT for two...
Page 40: Maintenance
1.15 Maintenance Skycut machines do not require any kind of lubrication or routine checks. However, here are a few things to keep in mind for successful operation of your cutter: •...
Page 41  Brayer or Rolling Pin: (1) to apply lint from a towel onto an overly sticky mat (2) to press materials evenly onto a mat for cutting  Post-It Notes: (1) for setting blade/tool tip height above a material (2) for draw and cut applications ...
Page 42: Cutting
• The key to becoming successful at cutting is to do a lot of it! Those who shy away from using their Skycut will never get to the stage of mastering it. It’s very normal for new owners to be intimidated by their cutter, so remember the following key things: ...
Page 43: Record Your Successes
Place the spacer on top of the material you are cutting, with the material loaded into the Skycut. Loosen the screw on the blade holder seat and insert the blade holder so that the tip of the blade is...
Page 44: Adjust The Speed, Force, And Number Of Passes Based On The Material And Shapes
• You have two options: (1) Perform the built-in test cut on the Skycut itself using the Test option on the Main Screen or from within the Speed/Force Screen. (2) Select any basic shape and size it to be around 0.3” – 0.5” (~ 8 mm – 13 mm): Use the same instructions from Section 1.13.3 to add a basic shape for cutting.
Page 45: Don't Get Frustrated, Get Help
2.01.7 Don’t Get Frustrated, Get Help! • Besides having your own Skycut dealer as your first line of contact, there are other resources where you can ask questions and get answers. Utilize the resources listed in Section 1.01. 2.02 Choices Before Cutting •...
Page 46 • There are several methods of selecting which color shapes to send to the cutter:  Option 1: If all shapes are showing, then all shapes will be sent to cut:  Option 2: Click on any color thumbnail and only those shapes will be displayed. Those will be sent to cut.
Page 47  Option 4: Hold the Shift key and click on any color thumbnail and it will be removed from the display. In this case, the Shift key was held and the red thumbnail was clicked, leaving blue and black displayed: ...
Page 48: Controlling Where Shapes Will Cut
▪ Switch between all / none : Toggle between having all shapes selected or none selected ▪ Switch between marked / not marked : Invert the selection (any selected shapes will become unselected and vice-versa) ▪ Change color of selected objects : Opens a color palette window where a different color can be selected ▪...
Page 49  Optimized : shapes will be moved and cut in alignment with the origin set on the cutter: The bounding box of the shapes is now aligned at the origin • In what applications is one mode preferable over another? ...
Page 50: Where To Enter Cut Settings
Force and Speed setting on Skycut’s control panel will be used. You haven’t entered specific settings by color or by selected shapes (as will be covered in the subsequent options) ...
Page 51 Select a Preset, if set up Mark this option if a tool change is needed before executing this scolor Number of Passes Enter Force and Speed Enter Pounce (dashed line) settings (refer to Section 2.03.6) Rotary engraving settings (not applicable to Skycut use)
Page 52 • Color Toolbar  Use this option instead of the Advanced settings tab to assign cut settings to each color: First, left click on a color thumbnail on the Color Toolbar to select the shapes of that color and hide those of other colors.
Page 53: Cut Settings
(blue cap), because of the extra contact with the material being cut. • As noted earlier, this setting can be made on the Skycut control panel instead of from within Signcut Pro. Press the Force/Speed icon and then set the FORCE to the desired level.
Page 54: Blade Offset
Cut Speed and Up Speed, please use the control panel for this setting. • On the Skycut control panel, the default setting is to have the Up Speed and Cut Speed the same and referred to as SPEED. This can be adjusted by pressing the Force/Speed icon and then setting the SPEED to the desired level.
Page 55: Overcut
2.03.4 Overcut • Overcut is related to Blade Offset in that it isn’t needed when using a pen, embosser, engraver, and so forth, because the tips of those tools are aligned with the center of the tools themselves. However, leaving Overcut at 0 when using the blade holder will result in large shapes not quite closing: Overcut is too low: paths do not close...
Page 56: Pounce (Dashed-Line Cutting)
• Passes can also be set on the Skycut control panel when, for example, a cut is being made using a USB flash drive. However, unlike using Passes from SignCut Pro, the blade does not stay down to repeat the cut.
Page 57: Presets
Presets allow you to save your settings for a particular material or application, such as cutting posterboard or scoring cardstock. A preset can be entered in SignCut Pro or saved on the Skycut control panel. 2.04.1 Saving a Preset in SignCut Pro •...
Page 58: Saving A Preset On The Control Panel
• At the top, enter the Name you wish to save the settings under. Then click on the Save icon: Click here to save Type in a Name: • This preset will now be available in the dropdown menu, both in this same window or from the Set Attributes window: 2.04.2 Saving a Preset on the Control Panel •...
Page 59 Select an Select unused box Rename • Press one of the unused preset boxes, e.g. name5, and it will turn blue indicating it is highlighted. Select Rename. • A window opens where you can enter the name for the new Preset. The characters are entered in the same manner as the Password entry window in Section 1.12.2.
Page 60: Setting The Origin Before Cutting
• IMPORTANT! The C16 Skycut has a maximum cutting width of 16 inches. If you move the head too far to the left to begin the cut and your project is wide, you may exceed the left side limit and cutting will stop at...
Page 61: Setting An Origin Using The Camera
If you do choose the latter, make sure there’s a way to clearly distinguish which intersection you want to use. (3) On the Skycut’s Main Screen, use the arrows to move the center of the blade holder roughly over the origin target. In this example, a dot will be used.
Page 62 (6) Press OK. In the new photo, the blue dashed + should be close to the origin target. Press X3 to zoom (7) Use the arrow buttons to move the red + as close as possible to the center of the origin target: (8) Press OK.
Page 63: Other Cut Setting Functions
2.06 Other Cut Setting Functions • There are other functions and features available in SignCut Pro and on Skycut’s control panel that will be useful depending on your applications. Some have already been covered. Some will be covered in this section.
Page 64: Weeding Line Tools
Before applying Mirror Click here After applying Mirror 2.06.3 Weeding Line Tools • For those cutting vinyl and HTV, the Weeding line tools in SignCut Pro are very useful. Upon selecting the icon (or shortcut T), the sub-toolbar displays the following options: Inverted Short weed Normal vertical...
Page 65 Hold the Shift key and left click to add a vertical weed line  Hold the Ctrl key and left click to add short weed lines inside any spaces you choose. For example, short lines were added in these three spots: Hold the Ctrl key and left click to add short horizontal weed lines ...
Page 66 Hold the Ctrl key and left click to add short vertical weed lines  Holding both the Shift key and the Ctrl key while clicking allows you to add short horizontal weed lines, as needed. • Short Weed Line - If you need to add a lot of short weed lines or, perhaps, only short weed lines, then this option will allow you to left click to add short lines without needing to hold the Ctrl key.
Page 67: Tiling Options
versus Detailed weed line option – weed lines pass Normal horizontal weed option through interior shapes, as well • Short Weed Rectangle - Drag the mouse to create a rectangle which is added as a weed, along with horizontal and vertical extended weed lines: Drag mouse from here to here Rectangle is created with extending lines •...
Page 68 • The Tiles Panel above the Work Area contains the tools needed to automatically tile a project into individual tiles based on dimensions entered. In this example, a large tree design will be tiled for application using 12” wide wall vinyl: Tiles Panel •...
Page 69 Click on Create tiles to generate tiles based on current size settings Tile 4 Tile 3 Tile 2 Tile 1  Note that the Width indicated as 10.9843” instead of 11” is a programming round-off error and is neglible in size. •...
Page 70 In the Cut out window, only the top tile appears These three tiles are deactivated Activate/deactivate tiles selected • The Cutout window has additional tile settings whereby you can have copies of tiles made and specify the distance between each copy. For example: Copies set to 3 with a spacing of 0.25”...
Page 71  Note the purple dashed line indicates that the design exceeds the maximum cutting width of the C16 Skycut, which will be used. This purple line is automatically the first tile line. • Before covering each option, note the following: ...
Page 72 Click to add a vertical tile line Add vertical tile line selected  Hold the Shift key while clicking and instead of creating a vertical line, another horizontal tile line will be added. While there is a second option on the sub-toolbar for adding horizontal tile lines, it can be more convenient to add them while in Vertical tile line mode if you’re needing both types.
Page 73 Left click to add a short vertical tile line Left click to add a short vertical tile line Add short vertical tile line selected • Manual tile overlap - Some users prefer to have a small amount of overlap in the tiles so as to avoid any possible gap when aligning the cut pieces.
Page 74: Important Checklist Before You Cut
2.07 Important Checklist Before You Cut! • Do you have your material on the mat and the mat inserted into the Skycut? (Note: materials with a backing sheet, such as vinyl and iron-on transfer do not require a mat for cutting) •...
Page 75: Scale Calibration
Before beginning the calibration, it’s a good idea to make sure the Scale values which can also be stored on the Skycut’s control panel are set at a default of 1. Go to Set>Advanced Settings> Scale. The following window opens: Verify X Scale and Y Scale are both set to 1.0000...
Page 76 • Using a mm ruler, carefully measure the Width (the left-to-right length that drew) and the Height (the top-to- bottom length that drew: Feed the mat this direction into the Skycut Width, X Height, Y • Write those measurements onto your sheet:...
Page 77 • Verify that the units are set to Millimeters on the Cutter Panel. If not, click on the button until Millimeters is displayed: Click here to change untis to Millimeters • To open the Calibrate cutter size window, click on the Cutter button on the Cutter Panel. Select the Advanced settngs tab and, in that same window, click on the Calibrate cutter size button (lower right corner): Click on Advanced...
Page 78: Skycut Resolution Using Inches For Measurement
2.08.2 Skycut Resolution Using Inches for Measurement • In SignCut Draw, go to Settings>Settings and select inch: Select inch (in) • With the square still selected, change the width and height to the largest size that will fit on the paper you have available.
Page 79: Scale Calibration Storage On The Control Panel
• Use a calculator to convert the fractions to decimals. In the example here, the Width would be 9.94 amd the Length would be 10.03. • Verify that the units are set to Inches on the Cutter Panel. If not, click on the button until Inches is displayed: Click here to change untis to Inches...
Page 80 • The Scale Calibration results can be stored on the Skycut’s control panel instead of within SignCut Pro. To do this, you’ll need to calculate the actual scaling value based on the results you ended up entering in SignCut Pro.
Page 81 Draw the square again and measure to verify the square is now 10 in x 10 in. • Once you have your calibration set, please record these values in your “little black book” in case you ever need to reset your Skycut to default settings or install a firmware update.
Page 82: Test Cutting Flow Chart For The Skycut
• Select a small test shape. You can use the built-in test on the Skycut. However, a shape w ith an internal path, such as a ring, works better as it allows you to more easily check to see if the blade is cutting into the backing sheet or cutting mat.
Page 83: Settings Form For Cutting Materials
2.10 Settings Form for Cutting Materials Material Brand or Blade Material Type Blade Force Speed Other Comments Source Offset Passes *Number of Post-It notes used to set blade tip distance above material.
Page 84: Suggested Cut Settings For Various Materials On Skycut
2.11 Suggested Cut Settings for Various Materials on Skycut IMPORTANT: These settings should be used for the initial test cut. Adjustments may be necessary based on the condition of the blade, variations in the material, humidity, condition of the cutting mat, blade tip height*, etc.
Page 85 Blade Material Type Material Brand/Source Blade Passes Force Speed Other Comments Ht.* Chipboard 0.022" (0.5 mm) Brayer well and tape edges Chipboard Cereal box 0.018" (0.4 mm) Brayer well and tape edges Chipboard 0.03" (0.76mm) Brayer well and tape edges Chipboard 0.015"...
Page 86 Blade Material Type Material Brand/Source Blade Passes Force Speed Other Comments Ht.* Printable Magnet Sheets Magnet (.25mm) Printable Magnet Sheets-15 Magnet Alt: 2 passes at Force = 50 mil (0.4mm) Mylar 5 mil (0.12mm) Mylar 10 mil (0.25mm) Extra sticky mat; tape corners Mylar 7 mil (0.18mm) Paper - Copy Paper...
Page 87 Blade Material Type Material Brand/Source Blade Passes Force Speed Other Comments Ht.* Vinyl - Heat Transfer Easy Weed - white, navy Cut on mat Vinyl - Heat Transfer GlitterFlex Ultra - Black Cut on mat Expressions Vinyl 51 Series - Vinyl - Permanent Cut on mat Black...
Page 88: Contour Cutting
The contour cut process (also called “print and cut”) involves printing an image from SignCut Pro to any printer you own and then, with the aid of the Skycut’s camera, have the image or images cut out with perfect precision. Below are three typical kinds of print and cut applications but there can be other kinds.
Page 89: What Is A Camera Calibration
Test pen that came with your Skycut 3.03.2 Calibration Process (1) Insert the test pen into the Skycut. Place the sheet of paper into the Skycut. You can use the cutting mat to hold the paper or insert the paper directly.
Page 90 This is where photo will be displayed Two different screens based on Align versus Adjust Magnify photo by 300% Retake photo Align is normal mode Change brightness of LED light Adjust is calibrate mode Update blue dashed + alignment (6) Press Adjust to switch to calibrate mode and a new Start button will appear in the lower right corner of the Camera Screen: Press Adjust button…...
Page 91 Photo of drawn test shape Blue dashed + Red + (8) Tap your finger near the middle of the drawn test shape. This will move the red + to that location. Then press OK. A new photo will be taken: Red + is now much closer to the middle of the test shape...
Page 92: Performing Apnc In Sign Cut Pro
(13) Press X3 to return to normal magnification. Click on the Home icon to return to the Main Screen. Your Skycut is now calibrated for contour cutting applications. 3.04 Performing a PNC in SignCut Pro 3.04.1 Summary of Steps...
Page 93: Preparing The Registration Marks
Perform the cutting process from SignCut Pro2. 3.04.2 Preparing the Registration Marks • There are two options for adding registration marks in SignCut Draw for use with the Skycut:  Option A: Open a template file with registration marks already in place ...
Page 94: Contour Cutting Project - Accuracy Test
3.04.3 Contour Cutting Project – Accuracy Test (1) For the initial testing of a contour cut, it is highly recommended that several arrows be used as they will indicate if the camera calibration is accurate. (2) Using the same method presented in Section 1.13.3, add several arrows spread out in the Sign Area: (3) Go to File>Print and verify the following: Print size: choose either Letter or A4 to match the...
Page 95 Preview, if available, is recommended for new projects Paper size Paper type Orientation  IMPORTANT: Borderless printing can move the registration marks relative to where they are positioned in the design project. If you need to activate this setting, please read the following document: https://tinyurl.com/y66u5lzf ...
Page 96: Inaccurate Cuts
Contour cut icon (9) Click on Next and the Skycut’s camera will now move over each registration mark, take a photo, and make an adjustment. Once it has read all four marks plus the first one a second time, it will proceed to cut out the printed shapes.
Page 97: Adjusting The Calibration Values
3.05.1 Adjusting the Calibration Values • If you find the first shape being cut is slightly off, you can adjust the values being used versus attempting to recalibrate from scratch. • To do this, go back to an easy-to-cut material like copy paper and use a shape that has both horizontal and vertical lines, such as the arrows that were suggested in Section 3.04.3.
Page 98: Inaccurate Tracings
 Try slowing down the speed. If the mat is moving numerous times, in and out of the cutter, a slight shifting can occur, especially at high speeds. On the Skycut, try a speed of 6 or lower.  Verify that the pinch wheels are still centered over grit shafts beneath. Even if one of the wheels is half on / half off a grit shaft, it can cause the mat or material to skew slightly.
Page 99: Contour Cutting Multiple Images And Adding Intermediate Registration Marks
 Make sure the bottom of the mat isn’t sticky and the pinch wheels and grit shafts are clean and not sticky. Clean with a lint-free cloth and a small amount of isopropyl alcohol or Un-Du applied to the cloth. ...
Page 100: Using Intermediate Registration Marks
The middle dog was moved up so that the paws weren’t so close to the middle reg mark • Delete the registration marks. Select all of the images and note the dimensions of the project, if you need the image to be the same size in SignCut Draw: Width and Height of project is noted •...
Page 101 • Select the bitmap image and enter the dimensions to match those in Inkscape (if that is a requirement). Drag the project, as needed, to re-center in the Sign Area: Dimensions changed Drag project, if needed • Before adding the contour lines, click on the Select/deselect all layers icon at the bottom of the Filter Colors and Objects Panel until the registration marks are no longer visible (or appear as dashed lines).
Page 102 • Proceed with the printing and the cutting processes, as presented in Section 3.04. The Skycut’s camera will scan the following reg marks first and cut only the shapes which are located in that segment. The Skycut will scan these 4 reg marks first This part will cut •...
Page 103: Automatically Adding Intermediate Registration Marks In Signcut Draw
2. Select Skycut to the desired spacing from the Type menu 1. Select Reg marks 4. Click on Apply  Select Skycut from the Type menu. Entering the spacing (in this example, 4 inches) into the Distance field. Click on Apply:...
Page 104: Pnc From Usb Flash Drive
View registration marks • IMPORTANT: Using the Array plus Array Mark options on the Skycut’s control panel allows for more flexibility when working with multiple registration marks, such as being able to only scan one mark when there are repeats. This is covered in Section 3.07.2.
Page 105 Check AutoMark box  Verify that AutoMark box is checked. Then click on Home. • Insert the flash drive into the right side of the Skycut and use the instructions in Section 1.12.4 to open the file into the Skycut:...
Page 106: Pnc From Flash Drive - Using Array Mark For Repeats
3.07.2 PNC from Flash Drive – Using Array Mark for Repeats • The Skycut has the ability to set up an array of repeats for PNC applications. The advantage to using the Skycut’s control panel for this process is that the Array Mark function permits the scanning of additional registration marks as repeats are cut.
Page 107 1. Four marks in green set are scanned first and first three shapes cut. 2. Four marks in orange set scanned, next three shapes cut. 3. Four marks in purple set scanned, next three shapes cut. etc. • 1 Mark: Scan first four marks on first set only. Then scan one mark only on each remaining repeat 1.
Page 108: Mark Set Options
1. Marks in green set scanned and first three shapes cut. 2. Single mark by orange arrow scanned, next three shapes cut. 3. Single mark by purple arrow scanned, next three shapes cut. 4. Marks in blue set scanned, next three shapes cut. etc.
Page 109 Check the option if you want the adjustment to be made on the current shape that was being cut when you paused the Skycut. Note that the start and end point on that path will not completely close, as a result.
Page 110 Adjustments to be made to cut line Click the arrow buttons to move the cut line in the direction needed.  Δ Δ Once you have entered the x and y values you wish to use, press the Go on button and the cutting will resume.
Page 111: Accessory Tools
• With the Skycut, you can draw shapes and lettering with the test pen. If you wish to fill (i.e. color in) a shape, SignCut Draw offers a Hatch Fill function. Refer to Section 5.03 for instructions on how to adjust settings to create a line fill.
Page 112 Contour line White, grey, and red shapes are present Original red flower • The white shapes are the separate internal contour paths that were also created. To better illustrate their presence for this tutorial, they are recolored green: • Since these internal paths won’t be cut, select and delete them leaving the colors red and grey. •...
Page 113: Embossing And Scoring
Check this option • Load the cutting mat into the Skycut and set the origin. Click on Cut out and the Skycut will draw with the test pen and pause before cutting with this window displayed: • Swap out the test pen for the blade holder and click on OK in the above window. The grey layer will now cut.
Page 114: Score And Cut Project
 Load the material and the scoring tool into the Skycut. The small end of the scoring tool is usually best for scoring. Click on Cut out and, after the scoring is complete, change out the tool and then click on OK to complete the cutting process.
Page 115: Scratch Engraving
When engraving items that are already cut (such as metal tags, trophy plates, charms, etc.), it’s very important to have precise alignment before proceeding. Therefore, the camera on the Skycut will be used to set the origin for engraving. If you haven’t already calibrated the camera, go to Section 3.03.
Page 116 Skycut: • On the Skycut, the metal tag needs to be very firmly attached to the cutting mat. Place strips of double-sided tape onto the mat, where the tag will be mounted:...
Page 117 Align the mat on both sides with the cutting strip • Load the engraver into the Skycut using 15 Post-It notes, making sure the notes are on top of the tag so that the tip is clearly above the tag. •...
Page 118 • Click on the Cut out icon and select the Tool settings tab. Note the engrave pattern shows the position and orientation relative to the origin you set on the Skycut: Origin • Enter the settings for engraving and create a preset, if desired:...
Page 119 Mark this option Enter Force and Speed for engraving Enter Passes Leave these set to 0 Click on Cut out to start the engraving process • After entering all settings, click on Cut out and the engraver will engrave the pattern onto the metal tag:...
Page 120: Settings Form For Accessory Tools
4.04 Settings Form for Accessory Tools Speed Application/Material Tool Force Surface Other Comments (Cut/Up) Passes © 2009- 2019 Sandy McCauley, All Rights Reserved...
Page 121: Suggested Settings For Various Accessories 1
4.05 Suggested Settings for Various Accessories Make sure Blade Offset and Overcut are set to 0; test with a small shape first; mirror shapes for embossing. Tool Height = number of Post-It notes used to set blade tip distance above the material: Refer to Section 2.01.3.
Page 122: Signcut Draw Functions Of Interest
5. SignCut Draw Functions of Interest 5.00 Quick Reference for Chapter 5 • How to add a contour cut: Section 5.01 • How to edit a contour cut: Section 5.02 • How to fill a design with engraving lines: Section 5.03 •...
Page 123: Step-By-Step Tracing Process
• Note that you can also copy/paste bitmap images from what’s been copied onto the Windows clipboard (such as from Google images) into SignCut Draw. • After selecting a file and clicking on Open, a popup window will provide two options: Resize the Sign Area dimensions to match the bitmap dimensions...
Page 124 • After importing the bitmap, click on the Create outline on bitmap icon and the following additional settings appear: Offset from image borders Blackout option (no internal shapes) Apply Create outline on bitmap Adjust sharp turns in the tracing • The Distance setting is how far the trace line will be placed from the borders of the image: ...
Page 125 Click here to hide imported bitmap  For contour cutting, the internal cut lines are typically not needed. To omit them, first click the Undo button at the top of the screen to back up a step. Next, click on the Create outline bitmap icon again, and mark the option for Outer only.
Page 126: Editing A Trace
 Note that clicking on the Apply icon above the Threshold setting will allow you to examine the trace before clicking on Create all. Thus, you can continue to make changes to Threshold until you are satisfied with the results. •...
Page 127: Engraving Fills
 The issue in this example is that the space below the eyes should be cut out but not other internal shapes, such as the pupils of the eyes. Note the difference in what will be cut between marking and not marking the Keep Holes option in the Create Cut-Contour window: Outer only not Outer only...
Page 128: Hatch Fill
Select the desired angle for the first line from the drop-down menu. Below, in the Radius 1 field, enter the desired spacing between the lines. Normally, with a tool such as the Skycut engraver, a very small value would be used, such as 0.1 mm (or 0.004”). However, to better illustrate the effect for the screenshots used in this tutorial, a much larger value has been entered.
Page 129: Contour Fill
Enter Radius of tool Enter desired Overlap • The Contours option will add both an inset and and outset contour line of the original shape with the spacing equal the value set in Radius 1: Both inset and outset lines are added Mark Contours •...
Page 130: Inside Fills Versus Outside Fills
• Below Fill, enter the desired spacing between the lines. Normally, with a tool such as the Skycut engraver, a very small value would be used, such as 0.1 mm (or 0.004”). However, to better illustrate the effect for the screenshots used in this tutorial, a much larger value has been entered.
Page 131: Line Raster From Bitmap
• With the combined shapes selected, apply the Hatch fill function and the space between the original shape and the added outside shape fills with the lines:  For example, if three stars have the Hatch fill applied, the result appears like this: ...
Page 132  The three Application options create three different types of patterns, as shown here: Cut lines option Engrave lines option Diffused lines option  When zoomed in at ~200%, and with Show Fill turned off, you can see the differences in the type of vector “cuts”...
Page 133  Direction of line pattern: Select from either Horizontal or Vertical: Horizontal Vertical  Density controls how many lines will be generated based on the size of the bitmap. If the number is set to the minimum of 1, then in a case like this example, there are so few that the pattern isn’t recognizable.
Page 134 Tool diameter = 0.02” Tool diameter = 0.04” Tool overlap: this setting helps compensate when the measurement of the tool diameter isn’t perfectly measured. It also helps compensate if small amounts of slippage occur on your machine. Essentially, the pattern lines are overlapped, by the percentage entered, while being executed so that no unintended gaps occur in the fill pattern.
Page 135: Appendix A Troubleshooting Faq's
Make sure the power cable is securely plugged into the adaptor. • Make sure the adaptor light is a steady blue light and it is plugged securely into the Skycut. • If you still cannot get the Skycut powered on, contact your dealer.
Page 136: A2 Operating Issues
Set>Sys Information. • Try a different USB cable. ____________________ I had to cancel a cut. Now my Skycut is no longer responding when I click on Cut out. • Try restarting the Skycut and SignCut Pro. ____________________ A2 Operating Issues The control panel isn’t responding very well.
Page 137: A3 Cutting/Drawing Issues
____________________ The Skycut stopped during a cut. • If the Skycut stops with the head over on the left side of the cutter, you have most likely exceeded the cutting range. Several things to consider:  Check the width of your project. It cannot exceed 16”.
Page 138 • Make sure you raise the pen (or blade holder) in the blade holder seat on the Skycut before tightening the screw. The blade holder seat needs to be able to drop the tool down when it reaches the spot to start the shape.
Page 139 ____________________ I have the outside edges of my chipboard completely taped but I’m not getting clean cuts, even after lots of passes. • Taping the edges prevents shifting of the chipboard but it’s not enough for stabilizing. You need to thoroughly press the entire surface of the chipboard onto a clean and sticky mat.
Page 140 • Do not use more force than is needed. If the cardstock is cutting through about 90% of the cut, then turn on Passes. Some cardstocks do better with a second pass at a lower force. ____________________ I calibrated the camera for print and cut but every cut is off by the same amount. •...

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