Page 221 - KNK Groove with MTC User Manual

10.12 Additional Applications

Wood

 Cutting wood can be tricky because it is subject to splintering. Stick to very thin pieces of balsa or birch
(1/16” or thinner).
 Use a low force and not the typical blade tip height used for other materials, which can increase the chance
of splintering when the blade drops to puncture the wood. Try using 6 Post It notes for setting the blade tip
height.
 Tape the balsa to a sticky mat to keep it from shifting during the cut. Also decrease the blade offset so that
corners will be cut more rounded. Use a low speed.
 If you plan to engrave the wood first, use the small end of the Embossing Tool. Unlike the procedure when
embossing or engraving other materials, perform the cut first and then emboss/engrave. If you try
embossing first, the wood can be weakened and made more susceptible to splintering.

Craft Plastic

 Craft plastic (PET-G) is sold at a variety of Internet sites, including E-Bay, Dick Blick, Clear Scraps, and
Scrapbook.com. Not only can it be cut on the KNK, but fold lines can be created using the engraving tip.
The advantage of PET-G is that you can fold these score lines back and forth many times without the plastic
snapping. If you prefer, you can also create fold lines by cutting dashed lines. These also are very strong
and can be folded dozens of times before weakening.

 PET-G comes in 0.015” and 0.02” thicknesses with protective sheets on the front and back to protect it from
scratches. These protective sheets will make it appear to be colored, but it is perfectly clear when the sheets
are removed. You can remove both before cutting, but you might prefer to leave one of the sheets attached
to protect the bottom side from any adhesive on the cutting mat. This bottom sheet can also serve as a
stabilizer during the cut.

 A very high force will needed for cutting. The 0.02” PETG will require full force and possible as many as 3 or
4 passes. The 0.015” should cut in 2 passes at about 450. But, as always, do test cuts first!
 PET-G doesn’t need to be cut totally clean. So, if there are parts that are not cleanly cut, try tearing the
shape away from the waste. That should work just fine. Ideally, of course, the cut will be clean and this step
not needed.

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