Cutting Chipboard with Silhouette – Types, Tips, and Troubleshooting

Have you ever cut chipboard with your Silhouette? Have you ever had troubles cutting chipboard? Years ago, I was testing and cutting chipboard with the plan to put out information on it. I ended up having some issues with different types of chipboard and burnt myself out on the topic. Fast forward to this month and I am working with a pocket notebook design for the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter and have been cutting more chipboard again. So, it seemed fitting to share tips that can help you be successful if you use it for a project.

Here is a look at the first pocket notebook that I cut.

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And then I wanted to cut it bigger, so I did. That’s the best part of having a cutting machine, being able to cut what you want.

Tips for Cutting Chipboard with Silhouette

• Do NOT unload the cutting mat after the cut. Check to see if it cut first and then send it again if needed.
• It is common for chipboard to require multiple passes.
• Increase the blade depth incrementally for each round of passes. Starting at a high blade depth can be more difficult to cut through thicker materials and can cause cut issues.
• Not all parts of the file may need cut multiple times. For instance, score lines may not need to be cut more than a few times, since it’s not a cut through. Turn the cut lines off for those parts of the file. This can save you time & decrease the areas the cut can go wrong.
• If the cut lines are not lining up on additional passes or the mat is skewing, this generally happens because the cut settings are too high. Back off the blade depth and try a few more passes before increasing the blade depth.
• Buy extra materials!
• Keep a dedicated blade for materials that are fibrous or dull quicker than others.
• The blade may need to be cleaned out when cutting fibrous materials. Debris build up inside the blade can affect the swivel action and cut capabilities. Unscrew the cap on the bottom of the blade housing and remove any debris, then carefully screw the cap back on. Be careful not to cross thread the cap or it may not cut properly.

Supplies Used in Demo:

• Silhouette Studio® Software
• Silhouette machine models – Portrait 4 shown in video
• Silhouette Autoblade, Silhouette 1 mm blade (Premium blade equivalent), Silhouette 2 mm blade (Deep Cut blade equivalent)
• Pocket Notebook with Celtic Knot by Calle Sol by Carmen
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• Silhouette chipboard
• Light weight chipboard
• Medium weight chipboard – difficult to cut with a machine

Cutting Chipboard with Silhouette video

Settings Used in the Video for Light Chipboard

Silhouette Autoblade with Portrait 4 machine model
Round 1 – Blade depth 4, Force 33, Passes 2
Round 2 – Blade depth 6, Force 33, Passes 2
Round 3 – Blade depth 8, Force 33, Passes 2

Additional Resources:

• Perfect Cut Settings in Silhouette
• Kraft Blade Resources
• A to Z Silhouette Resources

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Enjoy !

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