Looking to personalize your office supplies or make a custom gift? In this post, I’m excited to share a recent project I created using the Silhouette Curio 2 and the Power Engraver: a beautifully etched acrylic clipboard featuring a design by Sarah Hurley. This project showcases the versatility of the Curio 2, turning a simple clipboard into a stylish, functional piece. Create your own etched masterpiece, perfect for home, office, or as a unique gift. Read on to discover how to elevate your DIY etching projects with the Silhouette Curio 2!
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
When I get an idea in my head, there are times, it just will not leave until I do something. That is how this project came to be. The first one I did, I etched on the backside of the clipboard.
It looks great in person, but I had to hold up a sheet of black cardstock behind it in order to get it to show up on a photo. This one was a bit tricky because the hardware on the clipboard is not removable, so I had to rig up some supports underneath the clipboard to make it a completely flat surface. It was definitely a trial and I am so happy with how it turned out, but I knew I wanted to try again.
Test #2 actually was a failure. I switched to etching on the top of the clipboard to see how it would work and I could hear that something was not right while it was etching. Eventually, it just stopped etching entirely. I thought I’d take the Power Engraver out to clean it. Don’t do that during an etch! When the power tool was removed, it did not start up again when I put it back in while the machine was paused.
It is NOT a waste though! The one thing I’ve learned through the years in all the testing and troubleshooting that I do is that things WILL go wrong. Get extra blanks because something is going to happen. And if it doesn’t, well, you have extra blanks to use. Not a waste! A learning experience and opportunity.
I could not figure out what the issue was, so I swapped out the Silhouette Power Engraver for a new one and marked the old one with issues. I’ll troubleshoot that another day.
Test #3 was a success! The Silhouette Power Engrave tool has a smooth finish so even though this etch is on the top of the clipboard, it is not rough to the touch.
I used a lint roller to clean up the acrylic dust that the Silhouette Power Engraver creates before I removed anything. Be careful with any debris and keep your machine clean for best results. Do not inhale the acrylic dust or get it in your eyes.
Supplies Used for Etched Acrylic Clipboard with the Silhouette Curio 2
Secure the blank well – any movement and it will be a dud as the etching is permanent
Not all acrylic is good acrylic – some will just smoosh versus etch – testing is the only way to know what will work
Start small – I prefer a 3″ round or a coaster when practicing and testing – cheaper to test and mess up with
Do not remove the tool from the machine, even if it is paused.
Be careful with any debris and keep your machine clean for best results. Do not inhale the acrylic dust or get it in your eyes.
Silhouette Curio 2 Classes
Want to get started with the Silhouette Curio 2 faster? I have step-by-step classes available on Teachable from out-of-the-box projects to setting up for successful etching on acrylic.
Find more Silhouette Curio 2 information on the website HERE.
And more videos on the Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channel HERE. Silhouette Curio 2 playlist HERE.
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
Enjoy !
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
I’m in love with these Layered Snowflake Arabesque Tile acrylic shapes from Craft Chameleon. They come in a wide variety of colors and I’ve been using them for testing. I want to share 3 methods I tested, my results with each, and which one is my favorite at the end – you might be surprised.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I am calling these ornaments, but they can be so much more. Gift tags, ornaments, stand alone decor item, and more!
3 Ways to Customize Acrylic Shapes with Silhouette
Etching Acrylic with the Silhouette Curio 2 Power Engraver – Let It Snow Design
Etching Acrylic with the Silhouette Curio 2 Punch Tool – top left Snowflake saying (the Curio 1 and Silhouette etching tool can do this too – more info below)
Adhesive Vinyl Decal – any cutting machine can do this with good quality vinyl!
1 – Etching Acrylic with the Silhouette Curio 2 Power Engraver
I have had great results with the Silhouette Power Engraver. However, it is not a fine detail engraving tip. When you are working with it, you want to keep that in mind and may need to adjust the design to work with it.
I have a full step-by-step class the Silhouette Secrets+ Teachable site on setting up for etching/engraving on acrylic with the Silhouette Curio 2 including how to get exact placement on shapes. I share all the things that worked and those that did not in the class too! Find all the details and see more examples of my etching tests HERE.
The etch is pretty subtle on the colored acrylic. Acrylic blanks are also one of the most difficult things to photograph too! Right up there with glass objects.
I love the sparkle of the top layer of this acrylic shape.
For more details on etching with the Silhouette Cameo 5 and Punch Tool check out this post HERE. Note: etching on the Silhouette Cameo 5 is designed for Silhouette metal etching sheets and not for acrylics – more details in my blog post
The Silhouette Punch Tool is supposed to be the etching tool for finer details with the Silhouette Curio 2 and Cameo 5. While it does etch, it definitely is no where near the same quality of etch as the Silhouette Curio 1 was with the Silhouette etching tool.
If you have a Silhouette Curio 1, I would recommend hanging on to it and get that baby out to etch on acrylic. It does a fantastic job.
However, the Silhouette Curio 2 is here to stay. It is the new machine model and the Silhouette Curio 1 is no longer manufactured. Honestly, the Curio 1 had a really, really long lifespan for a machine model. I am surprised that it was manufactured for so long.
The Silhouette Curio 2 and the Silhouette Cameo 5 has a specialized Carriage 2 housing that allows not only for specialty tools, but also a higher force. While the Carriage 1 housing on Silhouette models is an up and down motor, the Carriage 2 housing on Silhouette model machines is a round and round motor. This means that it is different than the Silhouette Curio 1 machine that was designed over 10 years ago. Different machine, different results. I’ll have more details on the blog later about all of that.
I selected the Vinyl Glossy setting and increase the blade depth to a 2. Actual cut settings that will work for you will depend on your material, machine, and blade life. Test cuts are the only way you will know what works for you. Find more information on Perfect Cut Settings HERE.
One of the big key factors is you want high quality adhesive vinyl and good quality transfer tape for detail works. Low quality vinyl can just be a mess and more of a headache than the money it tricked you into saving. If you have ever cut low quality vinyl or old vinyl, you are nodding right now and know exactly what I mean!
Now, yes, I lost the dots to my i’s. But holy smokes! This is tiny details! At this size, I could care less about those little dots on the i’s. I can either cut more and add them or add in a different embellishment to the project.
One of the things that can help when cutting this small is adding Weeding Lines to the design and it definitely helped in this small detail cut. For more details on adding Weeding Lines click HERE. For designs like this, I prefer to draw my own weeding lines. It takes just a little more time in the setup and cutting process, but it can be 100% worth it to save you headache when weeding.
I have more tips on cutting small fonts & designs HERE too!
Out of all 3 methods, this one has to be my favorite because it really stands out. And the best part is, anyone with a cutting machine could do this method!
I hope that gives you some ideas how you can create and customize with acrylic shapes. You are not limited to Snowflake Arabesque Acrylics either! Craft Chameleon has a wide selection of acrylic blanks. The 3″ clear acrylic rounds are my favorite and I make sure to stock up each time I order.
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
Enjoy !
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
Have you ever wondered what tools are compatible with the Silhouette Curio 2? The Silhouette Curio 2 flatbed cutting machine can use a few additional tools that are not designed for the Silhouette Cameo 5 models. Let’s take a look at those today!
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
I have created a free PDF chart of all the tools that can be used in the Silhouette Curio 2 . This chart is available as a free download exclusively for confirmed newsletter subscribers.
I always recommend stocking up on extra blades and cutting mats to have on hand. It can be very frustrating to be in the middle of a project with a dull blade or and adhesive mat that is no longer sticky. It is also one of the fastest ways to rule out a cutting issue you might have.
For some of the specialty tools listed below I’ve also included links for tutorials and more information on their usage as well.
Silhouette Blades
Silhouette Autoblade – Type B Carriage 1 Used for paper, cardstock, sticker sheets, adhesive vinyl, HTV, Chipboard, Acetate, and select specialty materials. Materials under 1 mm thick Available at Silhouette America or Crafter Cuts *This is the blade I use most often. Most cut issues occurring with this blade can be fixed by following the steps in this video HERE – Troubleshooting Cut Issues
Silhouette 1 mm Manual Blade Carriage 1 Used for paper, cardstock, sticker sheets, adhesive vinyl, HTV, Chipboard, Acetate, and select specialty materials. Materials under 1 mm thick
Silhouette 2 mm Manual Blade Carriage 1 Used for paper, cardstock, sticker sheets, adhesive vinyl, HTV, Chipboard, Acetate, Craft Foam, and select specialty materials. Materials under 2 mm thick
Silhouette 2 mm Kraft Blade – Type B Carriage 1 Used for chipboard, acetate, craft Foam, leather, and select specialty materials Materials up to 2 mm thick *15+ Tips for using the Kraft blade foundHERE
Silhouette Tool Adapter Set Carriage 1 Adapters are color coded for specific blades/tools Black adapter = Silhouette blade (ratchet) & Premium blade White adapter = 2 mm Kraft blade Gray adapter = Deep Cut blade Blue adapter = Silhouette Sketch pens
Silhouette Blade – often referred to as a “ratchet” blade but the official name is Silhouette blade Carriage 1 with black adapter Used for paper, cardstock, sticker sheets, adhesive vinyl, HTV, Chipboard, Acetate, and select specialty materials. Materials under 1 mm thick
Silhouette Premium Blade Carriage 1 with black adapter Used for paper, cardstock, sticker sheets, adhesive vinyl, HTV, Chipboard, Acetate, and select specialty materials. Materials under 1 mm thick
Silhouette Deep Cut Blade Carriage 1 with gray adapter Used for paper, cardstock, sticker sheets, adhesive vinyl, HTV, Chipboard, Acetate, Craft Foam, and select specialty materials. Materials under 2 mm thick
Silhouette 2 mm Kraft Blade Carriage 1 with white adapter Used for chipboard, acetate, craft Foam, leather, and select specialty materials Materials up to 2 mm thick *15+ Tips for using the Kraft blade foundHERE
Silhouette 3 mm Kraft Blade Carriage 2 Used for chipboard, acetate, craft Foam, leather, and select specialty materials Materials up to 3 mm thick *15+ Tips for using the Kraft blade foundHERE
Silhouette Rotary blade Carriage 2 Used for fabrics, crepe paper, felt, wool, and select specialty materials *Rotary Blade TutorialHERE
Additional Silhouette Tools
Silhouette Pen Holder Type B Carriage 1 Use with a variety of pen styles to sketch onto materials such as cardstock, paper, faux leather paper, etc. *Step-by-step Sketching ClassHERE **More tutorials on sketchingHERE
Silhouette Punch Tool Carriage 2 Used with adhesive vinyl or HTV to punch a hole to designate where to weed the material out. Also used with the Cameo 5 for etching on Silhouette metal sheets. *12+ Tips for Etching with the Silhouette Cameo 5HERE
Silhouette black bodied sketch pens Carriage 1 with blue adapter Used to sketch onto materials such as cardstock, paper, faux leather paper, etc. *Step-by-step Sketching ClassHERE **More tutorials on sketchingHERE
Silhouette Pen Holder – Type C Carriage 2 Use with a variety of pen styles to sketch onto materials such as cardstock, paper, faux leather paper, etc. Type C Pen Holder has a broader barrel on the end so you can use wider bodied pens and markers
Silhouette Heat Pen Set – Powered Tool Carriage 2 Applies foil transfer material to surfaces of many materials such as cardstock, faux leather, etc. Cordless design and powered by the Cameo 5 Tool 2 housing *Heat Pen Setup & Foiling tutorials HERE
Silhouette Heat Pen Super-Fine Carriage 2 Applies foil transfer material to surfaces of many materials such as cardstock, faux leather, etc. Cordless design and powered by the Cameo 5 Tool 2 housing 0.5 mm Super Fine Tip
Silhouette Power Engraver Carriage 2 Surface engraves on materials such as metal sheets, acrylic, etc. To be used with the Silhouette Curio Debris Tray *Beginner Acrylic Etching Class with Power EngraverHERE **Additional Silhouette Curio 2 InformationHERE
Grab the free PDF chart of all the Silhouette Curio 2 tools for future reference when you subscribe to the Silhouette Secrets+ newsletter. *chart is the current tools available for the Silhouette Curio 2January 2024
Find even more information on the Silhouette Curio 2 HERE including an unboxing, setup, first cuts, and the Electrostatic Bed.
Please let me know if you have any questions in the comments below.
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
Enjoy !
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
With the release of software version v4.5.760, the answer is now yes. Silhouette Studio v4.5.760 was released to the current version as of December 12, 2023 and it now has the capabilities to use the Silhouette Punch Tool to etch from the Carriage 2 housing. It is designed for etching on the Silhouette Metal Etching sheets and that is the preset that is in now in software v4.5.760.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
You can read all the release notes for Silhouette Studio v4.5.750 HERE.
I have tested this and it does work. While I am glad there is finally a good use for the Silhouette Punch Tool, I’d recommend reading through this completely for more information. I didn’t find the Silhouette Punch Tool particular efficient or effective. It took more time to setup and actually complete the “punch” action on adhesive vinyl or HTV than it would take to weed the design. But, that is also a personal preference as well. Those of us who have been working with those materials for a longer period of time have developed more efficient ways to just “get things done.”
Now, the first thing I will say is that it is slow. It is not a fast process to etch. The default settings for the Silhouette Metal Etching Sheets in the Silhouette Studio v4.5.760 software are Force 1 and Speed 1. This is what I tested at.
Does it etch? Yes!
Is this what users wanted? Yes! So Silhouette listened and implemented it.
As far as what it can etch? My recommendations are thin materials. Thin as in the same thickness as the Silhouette Metal Etching Sheets thin. I did test with a 3 mm piece of acrylic and it was a no-go. To my surprise, the material just barely cleared the roller bar. I could hear it skim the bottom of the inside of the machine as I fed the mat in and out. The Silhouette Punch Tool did clear the top of the acrylic. These are the first 2 factors that I looked at before even attempting to set up an etch.
However, when I sent a simple sketch design to etch, the force of 1 was too great for that thickness of material and it went all wonky. I immediately pressed the Emergency Stop (power button) and cancelled the job.
Recommendations & Tips for Etching with the Cameo 5
Tip #1
Read this entire post first before you decide to update to the v4.5.760. This will depend on when you are reading this post. On November 28, 2023, Silhouette Studio v4.5.760 entered Open Beta. At the time that I write this post, this version has not been out long and there are not many users using it. I always recommend waiting when any new version is released until we see how it’s going to affect users. At this moment, as I write this, I have no idea what could pop up and only time will tell. I am part of the Silhouette Beta testing team and can report issues directly to them. This version skipped the Beta testing team and was released directly to the Open Beta, so there hasn’t been much user testing yet.
If the etch goes off course or gets stuck at any time or if you notice that your Autoblade is not adjusting properly or the cut is not in the correct placement after you have etched, you may need to do a blade housing reset.
If the housing is not in proper alignment, it will not hit the alignment holes to adjust the blade properly.
Unplug the machine, then carefully move the blade housing all the way to the right and all the way to the left. Do this 3 more times and leave it on the right side. Plug it back in and turn it on. The housing should align to the correct location. This is called a blade housing reset and it is a regular part of machine usage since the Cameo 3 and the Autoblade was first introduced.
Check out this video HERE for more troubleshooting tips that solve most cut issues.
Tip #4
Use thin blanks to start and to test with. The etch settings released for v4.5.760 are designed for the Silhouette Metal Etching sheets and the force default is as low as it will go. If you use thicker materials, it may not work well as I mentioned above with my testing on the 3 mm acrylic.
Tip #5
Don’t expect speed. The default setting for Silhouette Metal Etching Sheets in the software is a speed of 1. While it does allow you to increase the speed, higher speed is not always better for etching projects. As I was doing a large etch project, I felt it was slow, but when I compared it to my older etchings on the Silhouette Curio 1 with the Metal Etching Sheet defaults, the speed was the same.
Tip #6
Stay close to your Silhouette Cameo 5. If needed, you can quickly press the Emergency Stop (power button) on the Cameo 5 for the project to immediately stop. The job is lost, but it can prevent a bigger mess from happening.
Tip #7
Draw shapes as templates to design within for getting the best possible alignment of the design on the blank. I drew a rectangle 5″ x 7″ in the software and placed it at the 2″ x 2″ grid line on the virtual cutting mat. Then I placed my blank on the cutting mat with the top left corner at the 2″ x 2″ mark.
This will only work for proper placement if you are using a Silhouette cutting mat and you load the mat properly. The on screen virtual mat and the Silhouette machine are calibrated for the exact dimensions and margins on a Silhouette cutting mat. Third party cutting mats will not line up and may be thicker, which can also affect the results of etching as well, as it will increase the height of the project.
Make sure after you have drawn the shape for alignment, that you click on the Send tab and choose No Cut under Carriage 1 so it will not cut or etch that shape. It is simply a template to design within and how to line up your blank on the cutting mat.
Tip #8
Secure your blank to be etched with painters tape. Any movement in the blank on the cutting mat during etching will result in the etch being off. Etching is permanent and there is no way to “fix” when an etch is off.
Tip #9
Create templates when using smaller metal blanks that are not as easy to place. Place cardstock on the cutting mat, draw a shape that fits your size blank, cut that shape from the cardstock, DO NOT remove the cutting mat from the machine and secure your blank in place. If the cutting mat is unloaded from the machine, it most likely will not line up exactly right again.
Tip #10
If you are etching a large project such as a full 5″ x 7″ Silhouette metal etching sheet, plug in the USB cord and use it with a direct connection!!! I sent this job to etch and it said it would be 114 minutes.
After almost 2 hours etching, it stopped and I got a notice on the software that it had lost the connection with my computer. This project is lost. There is no way to restart it.
To be honest, I should know better! The Curio 1 was hardwired to the computer and I would etch projects that took hours on it. Bluetooth is great, but there are so many things that can interfere with it. If you are etching, plug in by USB cord and choose that connection so it’s a hard wire connection.
Tip #11
Do not trust the timer. The timer is rarely ever correct. I mentioned the estimate was 114 minutes. I started the job at 11:04 am and at 12:56 pm it lost the connection and it still had a ways to go to finish up.
Tip #12
I used the Emboss/Deboss Panel using the Deboss option with the crosshatched pattern at a 0.004″ spacing. This panel is unlocked to me because I have a Curio 1 and Curio 2. It may not be available for all users if you do not have a Curio model machine. If it’s not, you would need to use the Sketch Panel as a fill option.
Test – Test – Test! The only way to know if something is going to work for you is to test it!
Even though this was a lost etched project, it helped me to see how the machine would do and I now have my Silhouette Cameo 5 plugged in by USB cord for my next project.
Oh and two last tips!!!
Protect your cutting mat! Be careful unloading and removing any etch piece. Etching creates a dust or shavings that have been removed from the surface. Those stick very, very well to a cutting mat and will affect the lifespan of your cutting mat. A dirty mat will not hold materials well.
Keep your machine clean! The debris created from etching could cause future issues if the machine is not kept clean. Especially with the optical eye and print and cut if the debris is getting under the housing. Here is my blade housing after etching the test subjects this afternoon.
You can see debris sticking to the bottom of the housing. I will be cleaning my machine after this etching. A can of compressed air may be worth having on hand if you decide to etch with your machine. Be careful not to get any of the debris in your eyes or to inhale it.
And a lint roller works great for picking up the debris before it spills onto the cutting mat too!
Additional Projects I tested
Metal 1″ Disc
This is a 1″ metal disc from Amazon. You can see the tool marks in the metal blanks from the etch fill. It is a pretty rough texture when you run your fingers across it. This photo shows an up close look at that. For all of the etchings I used the crosshatch fill at the 0.004″ spacing.
Metal Business Card
This is an Anodized Metal Business Card blank with my logo etched using the same settings. I prefer a much smoother etch and feel the solid platform of the Curio machines does a better job for stability. But, this may also be the quality of the etch using the Silhouette Punch Tool on the Curio 2 as well. I will be testing that in the future and will update once I know more.
Silhouette Metal Etching Sheet #2
But, of course, I couldn’t stop there. Now that my machine is plugged in by the USB cord and won’t lose the connection, I decided to have another go at it while I finished up the details on the blog post.
This time I used Dream Create Inspire Arrow Quote by Sarah Hurley to set up for the etch. The timer estimated 92 minutes and 28 seconds for the complete etch.
It ended up taking 101 minutes to complete.
One other thing to mention that did happen on this project is to keep in mind that any debris build up during the project can cause areas not to be etched well.
This is only visible up close on the blank, but if you get blank areas, this could be why. There is no real easy way to prevent that since you cannot pause and remove the blank like you could with the Curio 1. So just something to keep in mind when etching.
Here’s a look at all the projects that I completed for this blog post that were successful.
While it is not my preferred method, it is now an option in the Silhouette Studio software and I know many users will be wanting to test it out.
If you have any questions please let me know in the comments below.
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
Enjoy !
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
The Silhouette Curio 2 is a unique machine that I am enjoying so much! Just like it’s predecessor, it functions a bit differently than the Silhouette Cameo and Portrait model machines. I am not sure it really should have been called a curio, but it is what it is and I don’t control that. What I can control is me and what I’m creating.
I am having a blast learning it and I do think that anyone can use it and learn it if they are willing to take the time to! That is why I’ve created classes to help Silhouette Curio 2 users get started faster and take the guess work out of it. Less anxiety in learning a new machine! I’ve made the mistakes and I am showing step-by-step how you can be successful with your Curio 2 in my classes.
set up an engrave/etch for the Silhouette Power Engrave Tool
create a custom setting for acrylic etching/engrave
do a manual height detection and why I love it!
and more! Bonus tips & demos included as well!
Silhouette Curio 2 – Beginner Acrylic Engrave Class
Step-by-step class for setting up the Curio 2 for exact placement on blanks, creating a template, creating a custom setting for the Acrylic Engrave, auto & manual height detection and why you would use either, engrave tips, and more!
Handheld vacuum or wet wipes – do not inhale or get the acrylic dust in your eyes
Small paint brush to clean off engraving tool
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
Enjoy !
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
This has been a very popular technique that has popped up in the last year. I have made several tumblers with it and love it!
Affiliate links may be present in the following blog post and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Did you know you could etch a design on a powder coated tumbler? Well, it’s not really “etching”, but that is still the term used in the industry. It’s really the same process as glass etching with an etching cream such as Etchall or Armour Etch. The etching cream is “eating” away at the surface of the object. In the case of glass, it’s an acid etching the glass. But, the same process is done with CitriStrip, which is a paint stripper. So it’s basically “eating” the powder coated surface off the tumbler.
The CitriStrip video demonstration was created for a class I developed earlier this year that does just that!
In the video class, you will learn how to create 4 different designs in the Silhouette Studio software, including how I modified the design used in the video demonstration.
For more details on the class check out the full description HERE on Teachable.
The classes are designed to help you get started faster and take the guess work out of designing or creating projects with your Silhouette. No more anxiety or guessing, follow along at your own pace and watch as many times as needed to fully understand and retain the information. I hope you find something that will help you in your Silhouette journey!
If you have a suggestion on a class you’d like to see in the future, I would love to hear your ideas. You can make those suggestions HERE.
As I mentioned above, I have made several of these tumblers. Here is one of the first ones we made.
You can find the video on us creating the ones pictured above HERE on the Swift Creek Customs YouTube channel too! This was a video I partnered with my husband on and was really a test to see if it really worked!
I hope you have a chance to be creative today!
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
Enjoy !
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
In this class you will learn how to create all of these designs in the photo above and you can choose what you want to create as a finished project. Choose to make one or choose them all!
In this step-by-step class, we put the Silhouette Studio tools to work for us! This class is designed for all levels of users to follow along and create. A few of the tools we will discuss and use are: drawing tools, compound paths, text, offset, knife, glyphs, text to path, and more!
This is a custom design created by YOU could be used for all kinds of projects from adhesive vinyl, HTV, Mint stamps, stencils, and more!
I share examples of different finished projects with the techniques used and include optional supplies for additional projects on the class supply list.
As a bonus, I have also included a demonstration of Citristrip etching on a powder coated tumbler using a design created as the stencil.
Here are a few closer photos of the projects I created when testing and developing the class.
Affiliate links may be present in the below and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
And another Citristrip etched tumbler that turned out AMAZING! Supplies: – Powder Coated Tumbler – not all tumblers work – Oracal 651 – Transfer Tape – Citristrip Paint Stripper – Painters Tape – Gloves, paper towels, water, weeding tool – Optional: – Artesprix Project Mat mentioned in the demo video – 2 size available
While those are the projects I created, you could do anything you want! I’ve provided a list of supplies depending on what you would choose to do or you might even have other ideas after working through the class design portion.
There are so many possibilities that you can do in the Silhouette Software! Get started today!
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
Enjoy !
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.
Silhouette Classes
Never stop learning! Let me help you take the anxiety out of learning with Silhouette and get to creating faster! My Silhouette classes are heavily focused on software, so you can take the skills & techniques taught and apply them to many future projects!
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher, but I may get compensated for sharing.
This new Curio etching class has been designed to show how the Silhouette Studio software has changed in v4.5 software (don’t worry, you do NOT need to update), but I show you how it has changed. And I designed this class with tips for all acrylics in general, not just from one source.
In this step-by-step class we will discuss the supplies for etching acrylics with the Silhouette Curio and the entire process to get set up etching acrylics. I will share all of my tips & tricks for getting a good etch on acrylics. This class is designed to give you the tools and resources so you can test and etch on any acrylics that you might be able to source. Plus bonus information on etching on other size blanks too!
I am also including the class supply list and the supplies I shared in the bonus examples too! This information is also in the class description on the Silhouette Secrets+ Teachable site and again in the class as a downloadable PDF document too!
Affiliate links may be present in the below and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
Supply list
– Silhouette Curio Machine with all platforms & cutting mat – Silhouette Etching Tool – Acrylic Blanks 143Vinyl Acrylic Blanks can be found HERE *I will update and add more as I test with new vendors – Double sided tape – Hibiscus Flower Bunch by Samantha Walker – Design #10873 – Digital Calipers or a ruler with mm – Sharp point weeding tool
I designed the class so you can start with the small design and then apply the same exact techniques to larger projects such as these below. In the bonus information I share tips on how to work with these different size acrylic blanks.
The biggest thing is TO JUST GET STARTED!
The Silhouette Curio is an awesome machine and I share why in this new class. Get it out and start creating fabulous projects with it!
I have several more Silhouette Curio Classes available on my Teachable site HERE as well as other Silhouette Classes too!
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
Enjoy!
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
Have you seen the etched powder coated tumblers using CitriStrip?
I’ve seen it popping up on social media and we always like to try something new!
It turned out fantastic!
I bought all the supplies needed and then set up to record how we did it, whether it was going to turn out or not, we were going to share. We had so many microphone issues it took us several attempts to get it recorded. All we could do was laugh!
We had a bit of fun while making the video! You never know what you might see or hear in our videos. We hope to bring you more project videos in the near future. Make sure to Like and Subscribe to the Swift Creek Customs and Silhouette Secrets+ YouTube channels to be notified of new content!
Having a Silhouette machine makes it so easy to do custom things!
I cut a stencil using the Silhouette Cameo and Oracal 651 scraps.
When cutting a stencil vs a decal, you weed out the design so you are left with the negative space open, instead of weeding around the design.
Affiliate links may be present in the below and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
I would love to see what you are creating with your Silhouette software or machines! Feel free to post on my Facebook group at Silhouette Secrets with EllyMae.
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
Enjoy !
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.
Or if you are looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
and join me in this class to create a unique décor item and learn more about the Silhouette Curio!
I am also including the list of supplies that I used in the class if you’d like to create along with me.
Affiliate links may be present in the below and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
Check out all 11 Curio classes on my Teachable site HERE.
As well as all available Silhouette classes HERE. And…. for those who’ve read this far I’ll give a little hint – I have 1 more Silhouette class releasing very soon too!
I’d love to see what you are creating with your Silhouette software & machines! Feel free to post on my Facebook group at Silhouette Secrets with EllyMae.
Save this for future reference by pinning the image below.
Enjoy !
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click HERE & buy a coffee. Every little bit helps with the cost of running the site.
Or if you are looking for more in-depth, step-by-step classes, check out all of my online Silhouette classes on my Teachable site HERE.
**This post may contain affiliate links. What that means is that I may receive compensation if you purchase through the links I have provided. The price you pay for the product or service is not higher but I may get compensated for sharing.
THANK YOU for your support! How can you help? Click the link to buy a coffee. Every little bit helps in the cost of running the site.
