What is a blade offset and how does it impact my cutting? Answer : The blade offset is the distance from the center of rotation of your blade holder and the point on the blade that does the cutting. The distance will vary somewhat from blade to blade and cutter to cutter but a good starting point is 0.3 mm (.012"). If your corners are rounded, your blade offset is too low. If your corners have little tails on them, the blade offset is too high. Your corners will be nice and sharp if your blade offset is set just right.
Can static electricity impact my cutter? Answer : Static electricity can cause erratic behavior with your Blast Mask cutter including cutting lines that don't exist in your artwork, spilling Blast Mask on the floor, missing cut loops and stopping during cutting. What happens is that static accumulates on the Blast Mask as it rubs on the cutter surfaces. This static then discharges usually through the USB port disrupting communications. Magnum Force Cutters are best used at a humidity above 25%. If you are in a dry environment, get static string to place on top of your Blast Mask. Ground this static string to the ground of the cutter to safely dissipate the static charge.
Where do the pinch rollers go? Answer : The rubber wheels on the pinch rollers MUST line up with the knurled rollers on the bottom of the cutter. There are white indicator marks showing valid roller positions. The pinch rollers will slide left to right when they are in the raised position. You may need one hand in back and one in front to pull / push / slide them along the track. Make sure the rollers are centered on the grit rollers when there is no Blast Mask in-between. When the pinch rollers are lowered, the rubber wheels should not spin or move. If they do, you will need to tighten the pinch roller by rotating the nut in the back of the roller.
Where do I place the Blast Mask? Answer : The Blast Mask should be placed just over the roller on the rightmost side. About 1/2 to 1 inch. The first pinch roller should be set at this first roller position. Do not place the Blast Mask against the right or left side plates on the cutter. As the Blast Mask rolls front to back it could bind against the plate and crinkle. Make sure your Blast Mask is aligned with your cutter by rolling out 6 feet or so. If the Blast Mask walks left / right then raise the pinch rollers and rotate the Blast Mask. Repeat this until the Blast Mask walks less than 1/8" from left to right.
What parameters affect my cutting quality? Answer : Parameters such as blade quality, cutting strip quality, blade angle, dirt and debris, speed, blade offset, overtravel, blade force, pinch roller pressure and other parameters will impact the quality of your cutting. There are no perfect settings that are universal. All parameters will vary to achieve optimal cutting for a given material.
How long do blades last? Answer : Blades can last a very long time if you are cutting normal sign vinyl. Sharper angle blades dull quicker. Always look at your blade tip under a magnifying glass before placing in your cutter. The tip of the blade is very small and delicate and blade tip damage can really only be seen with a magnifying glass.
What Maintenance is needed for my Magnum Force Cutter? Answer : Your Magnum Force Cutter requires very little maintenance. Change your blade when they dull or get damaged and maintain a good smooth surface on your cutting strip.