Tips for Cutting Siser® HTV & PSV on the Silhouette Cameo 4 and Cameo 4 Plus
The Silhouette Cameo 4 is back and bigger than ever with the Plus! The updates to both machines are the same except in size. The Cameo 4 remains the tried and true 12″ width, but the Cameo 4 Plus is 15″ wide! With that said, let’s get into some tips that apply for both machines!
The Cameo 4 Plus (top) compared to the Cameo 3 (bottom)
Tip #1: Update your Software and Firmware
This tip is honestly a good one to keep in mind whenever your machine starts acting a little silly, but it’s especially important with this new machine since it requires Silhouette Studio V4.3.219 (at least) to run as well as a firmware update when you first plug it in. Perform all updates before starting your projects.
Tip #2: Familiarize Yourself with the Blade Adapters
The Cameo 4 AutoBlade will complete any and all of your Siser® heat transfer vinyl and EasyPSV® projects, but if you have blades from an older Cameo, you can use the corresponding adapter to still utilize them. Please note that there is no adapter for the Cameo 3 AutoBlade and it does not fit into the Cameo 4’s blade holder.
In any case, we always recommend doing a test cut before cutting your full design. Not much has changed with the test cutting process, so if you want to know more about how to determine what makes a good cut, check out my original blog post on Cutting Siser HTV with the Cameo 1, 2, or 3!
Tip #3: Take Advantage of the Built In Roll Feeder
Cutting without a mat and up to 10ft has been an option for Cameos since the beginning, but never have you been able to cut so wide! Now, 15″ rolls of Siser HTV can easily be cut thanks to the built in roll feeder (no attachment required!) that secures the roll at the front of the Cameo 4 Plus.
If you’ve never cut without a mat, here’s a few extra tips:
- Change Mat Settings in Silhouette Studio to “No Mat” and Media Size to reflect your roll of material
- Align the edges of the vinyl under the pinch rollers so there’s equal margin. Space out the additional rollers evenly across the center.
- Ensure there’s plenty of space in front and behind the Cameo 4 so the material can feed back and forth without any obstacles.
In addition to the built in roll feeder, the Cameo 4 Plus also features a built in cross cutter at the back of the machine that’s super convenient for trimming the end of the sheet when everything is cut!
I applied all of these tips to make an extra large yard banner for my nephew’s quarantine birthday. Just an old sheet, some heat transfer vinyl, a couple of yard stakes (or lawn chairs and clips, a porch and rope, whatever you can DIY to hold it up!), and of course the Cameo 4 Plus and a Heat Press are all the supplies you need to make your own banner and bring a smile to someone’s face (the banner is a secret for now, but I’ll try to snap a pic next week when it’s delivered to his yard!) If you have a loved one celebrating their birthday during this pandemic, make sure you grab the FREE CUT FILE so you can make your own simple yard sign.
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Hi there, do you know what settings I should use for my Cameo 4 Autoblade cutting Glitter HTV. Currently I have to set it for depth of 10, full force and 3-4 passes for it to cut through enough to weed it.
Thanks
Hi Keith! For Glitter HTV on the Cameo 4, we recommend Blade: 4, Speed: 8, Force: 11. If you can bring the Blade out to a 10 and it doesn’t cut through the Glitter and the plastic carrier, then it is likely time to get a new blade or check the blade to see if there’s a bit of vinyl, paper, etc stuck inside covering the blade.
I know this is late, but. Blade: 6, Speed: 10, Force: 17 Passes: 1
Hello, I just got in the ratchet blade. What setting is use to cut adhesive vinyl and htv both siser brand. Thanks
Hi Yazmin! Suggested cut settings for Silhouette can be found on each product page of our website for EasyPSV® and HTV.
HI
So I am very new at this, I was playing around last night with my Cameo 4 plus. I am confused about which material type I would choose and set it on before cutting. I am using Siser vinyl, and my first cut I just left everything as is… heat transfer smooth? Not even sure what that means. what do you recommend and why? Is there a guide I can go by?
Thank You
Hi Kim! Recommended cut settings for each Siser vinyl can be be found on every product page of our website when you scroll down past the color offerings. Every pre-set in Silhouette Studio can be adjusted but Heat Transfer, Smooth is a good starting point to test cut for EasyWeed® HTV. I’d suggest watching this video on test cuts and looking over this blog post about cutting on the Cameos.
What settings should I use on my cameo 4 when using easy weed stretch vinyl? I tried the smooth setting and it didn’t cut deep enough.
Hi Corrinne! We suggest test cutting EasyWeed® Stretch with the the Heat Transfer Smooth setting, evaluating the cut, and adjusting the pressure (and eventually Blade Length if you pressure is as high as it can go) until you have a successful test cut. The age and condition of your blade and machine will affect your settings so we suggest test cutting for best results. This video shows how to identify a good and bad test cut. I hope that helps!
Don’t know if you are still monitoring this post….I had a problem with the Siser HTV roll when I got within about 15” from the end of the roll. To feed it with the vinyl side up, I have to place the roll so the material feeds from the bottom of the roll. This means the leading edge of material tends to curve up , and gets bunched up, wasting a good piece of vinyl. I ended up just using a mat for this end piece. Wondering if I fed the roll deeper into the machine to make sure the edge does not come out and curl back towards the cutting blade?
Hi Sandy- thanks for reading the Siser Blog! Once you get towards the end of the roll, it’s best to detach to the vinyl from the roll and either cut matless or on a mat instead of with the roll feeder because of the curling issue you just described. I hope that helps!
Hello, I have a new silhouette cameo 4 pro cutter. what are the best cutting settings for the EasyColor™ DTV? I have tried this settings: “Card stock plain, AutoBlade, 3, strength 10 and speed also 10 but I don’t get a clean cut?
Hi Gerry! We recommend Heat Transfer Smooth, AutoBlade: 3, Force: 6, Speed: 8 but that’s just a starting point to test cut from. You may need increase your Force to get a clean cut. For more information on test cutting EasyColor on the Silhouette Cameo, check out this video.