Page 224 - Klic-N-Kut User Manual

 Vinyl can usually be cut at a speed of 15 (10 on the original Zing), unless very small, intricate shapes are
involved. Then you might want to use a lower Cut Speed.
 If you store your vinyl in a warm location, the adhesive can be affected and that can then affect the cutting.
Also note that some vinyl colors have a tendency to pull away from the backing sheet more easily than
others. If you notice the vinyl pulling up in corners and tight spots, try slowing the cutting speed.

Applying Vinyl

 For easier removal of the waste from the backing, add a rectangle around the perimeter of the shape(s) you
are cutting. Select everything and apply a Join. This will then ensure that the interior shapes are cut first,
with the outside rectangle cut last.
 When weeding, you may need to cut away and remove smaller waste parts versus trying to lift the entire
waste section at one time. You do not want the waste vinyl inadvertently coming into contact with the
shapes you want to keep. Use a craft knife or paper piercer to gently lift away pieces of waste vinyl to
discard.

 If you are applying small lettering or doing an etching application, do NOT weed the waste vinyl. The entire
piece should be applied to the project surface, smoothed down firmly and evenly, and then weeded. The
adhesion between the vinyl and the hard surface will make weeding much easier, with less likelihood of
small shapes coming loose.
 To transfer vinyl to a wall (or window or other surface), apply transfer tape across the vinyl, repeating rows
of tape to completely cover the shapes. At the top, have one layer of tape with just the bottom half covering
the vinyl so that the top half can be pressed to the wall and used as a hinge. Once you have the vinyl
aligned as desired, flip up, leaving that top piece of tape adhered/hinged to the wall. Remove the backing
sheet from the vinyl. Then carefully bring the vinyl back down and begin pressing to the wall, smoothly and
evenly. Use an old credit card or plastic scraper to smooth out wrinkles and get better adhesion. Gently peel
away the transfer tape from the top and press again with the credit card or scraper.

10.04 Fabric and Felt

 It is highly recommend that the Zing Fabric Blade be used when cutting fabric and felt. It is designed to give
sharper cutting in tight corners and points.
 When cutting with the fabric blade, it is not necessary to apply a stabilizer to all fabrics. While some thicker
fabrics will cut much better with an iron-on stabilizer such as Steam-a-Seam 2 or Thermo-Web’s Heat n’
Bond, others will still yield good results when cut without it. Some users also prefer to iron their fabrics to
freezer paper before cutting.
 With or without a stabilizer, it is highly recommended that a clean and sticky mat be used. If no stabilizer has
been applied, then brayer the fabric firmly and evenly to the mat. With most fabrics it will be necessary to
use stickier mats than normal and tape the outside edges of the fabric.

 Because the backing sheets on Steam-a-Seam 2 and Heat n’ Bond are slippery, spraying them with Odif
USA 505 Temporary adhesive can then make them stick firmly to the mat and not slip during cutting. Some
residue from the 505 may get onto the mat, thus the reason to use a dedicated mat for fabric. This residue
will add to the bonding for future cuts. (Thanks to Lynn Keniston for this idea!)
 Some users also prefer to remove the backing sheets on stabilized fabrics before brayering to the cutting
mats. This works as well.
 The best unstiffened (soft) felt to use is 100% wool. It cuts cleaner than other types. A wool blend should
also work well. The Nonwovens WoolFelt is 35% wool, 65% Dacron and tends to cut very cleanly. If the felt
you have is not cutting well, consider applying one of the stabilizers mentioned above.
 If the felt is pre-stiffened, then it should cut fine using the blue capped thick materials blade versus the fabric
blade. Because of the thickness, you may need to tape the felt to the mat to prevent slippage during cutting.

 In general you will need to use 2 or 3 passes when cutting most fabrics and felts. It is necessary so that all
fibers will be cleanly cut.
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